DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18825#0076
66 history of art. [lECT. III.
this subject, the fitness of utensils and implements
to the purposes for which they are designed, un-
questionably contributes to render them most elegant
in the judgment of those best acquainted with their
utility.
The second principle in Beauty is variety.
Need I demonstrate that the same, and the same, is
tedious ? that incessant repetition is fatiguing ? The
eye is quickly satiated without variety, and must be
recreated by change either of object, or of situation.
Hence arises the beauty of landscape ; it admits an
almost infinite diversity of forms, in trees, buildings,
clouds, &c. of colours, in their various hues, green,
brown, or blue, with ten thousand different shades.
Yet we consider a landscape as imperfect, if desti-
tute of water, which reflects both forms and colours^
and, by this reflection, greatly increases variety;
not only by reversing the objects seen in it, but by
imparting a peculiar and characteristic softness to
their reflected tints. And here we discover the
beauty of rocks and mountains; whose huge masses,
and shapeless forms, when judiciously introduced,
impart a diversity, a contrast, and a grandeur, pe-
culiar to themselves.
The eye in this respect resembles the ear, which
Buffers by monotony, and quickly tires under
the continuation of the same note : if it be that
of an instrument, what uneasiness till the tone
ceases ! if it be that of a public speaker, it scarce
endures his vcrv reasonings till his voice changes j
and if such change be thought distant, is al-
most ready to seek repose in sleep. The sense
l *, of
this subject, the fitness of utensils and implements
to the purposes for which they are designed, un-
questionably contributes to render them most elegant
in the judgment of those best acquainted with their
utility.
The second principle in Beauty is variety.
Need I demonstrate that the same, and the same, is
tedious ? that incessant repetition is fatiguing ? The
eye is quickly satiated without variety, and must be
recreated by change either of object, or of situation.
Hence arises the beauty of landscape ; it admits an
almost infinite diversity of forms, in trees, buildings,
clouds, &c. of colours, in their various hues, green,
brown, or blue, with ten thousand different shades.
Yet we consider a landscape as imperfect, if desti-
tute of water, which reflects both forms and colours^
and, by this reflection, greatly increases variety;
not only by reversing the objects seen in it, but by
imparting a peculiar and characteristic softness to
their reflected tints. And here we discover the
beauty of rocks and mountains; whose huge masses,
and shapeless forms, when judiciously introduced,
impart a diversity, a contrast, and a grandeur, pe-
culiar to themselves.
The eye in this respect resembles the ear, which
Buffers by monotony, and quickly tires under
the continuation of the same note : if it be that
of an instrument, what uneasiness till the tone
ceases ! if it be that of a public speaker, it scarce
endures his vcrv reasonings till his voice changes j
and if such change be thought distant, is al-
most ready to seek repose in sleep. The sense
l *, of