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THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT’S JOURNAL. SYSTEMATIC PROPORTION IN ARCHITECTURE. SCI! FILE By W. White, F.S.A. This interesting, important, and practical subject is one which is said to have given rise, some years ago, to grave complaint against one or two men who took it up very warmly, and came to be looked upon—whether rightly or wrongly—as enthusiasts, determined, at all hazards, to do honour to a favourite hobby by riding him to death ; and, ere that should happen, to lead him out on every possible occasion to the hindrance of lawful traffic and to the treading on the heels of those who had long mono polised the high road to architectural knowledge. Scientific people, wearied with the subject, and occupied with other views and higher aims, groaned over their being bored again and again with that of which they knew next to nothing, and for which they cared still less. Whether this grievance took shape from the incompetency of those who inflicted these views, or from the apathy and ignorance of those upon whom they were inflicted, or from an instinctive dread of launching the ark of art upon untried waters, or from the aversion generally felt to entertain ing new and revolutionary ideas, or from the depth and incom prehensibleness of the subject itself, or from its being prema turely brought forward—the day not having yet dawned for it to shine forth for the guidance of a rising generation—whether it was from all or any of these reasons it does not concern me to inquire. But in the face of that grievance it does concern me to state that it is through no choice of my own that the subject which is now to be considered is that one which, but a few years since, gave forth so ill an odour. This, too, is the more necessary on account of the intensity of my own convictions and feelings, and of the earnestness with which I shall endeavour to urge them. I shall not attempt, however, to carry conviction without reasonable argument; but I wish really and deeply to secure interest in this question, to lead the student to habits of accurate observation and thought, not only in the study of ancient work, and in criticisms of modern, but in the practical result of what he has done, or shall do, in his own professional practice. I beg him upon no account to look at the ’subject itself as a merely interesting investigation, or a scientific amusement; but always to remember that in arts, which demand the exercise of the intellect, as well as the instinct—the head as well as the heart—three distinct forces are involved :—1. There is the pre-existent law in nature, and the appreciation of that law in man, emanating from the Great Creator, the Origin and Source of all beauty. 2. There is the science, the investigation of that law, and the knowledge of its application, which are capable of analysis, and of transmission by masters of that art. 3. There is the re-creative power of true genius possessed but by few in a generation in a high degree, which, when exercised in accord ance with that law, presents to our gratified senses an ever varying and original form of art. It is to the investigation of this law in architecture as an art that I wish to call attention. If any one should be led to throw himself into this investigation, he must do so as into a work demanding the best talents and attention, and engaging the energies, not for a few weeks only, or months, but for the greater part of life. Do not imagine that I pro pound an easy or royal road to the knowledge of art, or that I pre tend to make design easier or more accessible. On the contrary, the pursuit of such a system as that which I advocate will entail a greater amount of laborious study than is ordinarily even now bestowed upon the study of design. Indeed, I have my fears whether such a study will ever be tolerated in this superficial and restless age, although it is a question of the gravest practical importance, so far as the future of architecture is concerned. 1 purpose dealing with the subject argumentatively, rather than as practically illustrating it by any particular application of the system. What I have set myself is, to shew the indis- pensible necessity of studying and working out, and practising some definite system of geometrical or arithmetical ratio in architectural proportion, in order, as well to a satisfactory re sult in carrying out works, as to the successful development of a school of architecture, such a system as shall admit of a man’s producing at will, and with certainty, an entire harmony of parts throughout a building, both in its general outline and in all it* subsequent subdivisions. But let it be noted here that no rules of the sort can apply universally; convenience would not allow it. In a secular or domestic work convenience and requirement must, to a great extent, regulate the form and the proportions both of its outline and of its parts, nor do we commonly look for the same amount or kind of beauty in them, nor is the same exactness of propor tion of equal importance, as in an edifice erected with an espe cial view to architectural effect, and upon a scale commensurate with its aim, where every line ought to be in its proper place, and every form ought distinctly to convey an idea of its per fection. And in such buildings, as there is more scope, so also is there more necessity for submission to other and higher re quirements—the requirements of the natural law of symmetry. And such submission may be the means of power, like training for a feat of strength. It will help the true artist in a variety of ways. Take for example an important instance in which this help is needed. The main design of a building depends very materially for its beauty upon its ground plan, and the dimensions for this, in order to ensure symmetry, cannot be certainly or accurately de termined by the eye alone. The practice of those who advocate laying down the ground plan of a building, afterhaving setup the elevations, is perfectly intelligible; but it bears indisputable witness to the fact that without these elevations they can form but little conception of the effect likely to be produced by any certain relation of breadth to length in a building, or in its several bays or divisions. And then, again, when these cleva-
