CHAP. IV.
SECT. IV.

Architec

ture.

mournful solemnities of the funeral procession; another to the measured tread of armed men advancing to the field of battle. And the art of the musician is exhibited in adapting his musical compositions to the nature of the emotions which he wishes to excite, or with which he wishes his piece to harmonise.

§ 114. The art of architecture originated in an attempt to beautify and adorn the temples of religion or the houses of the wealthy. There is, therefore, in this art a combination of beauty with utility. A regard to usefulness and stability, therefore, ought to govern the architect in deciding upon the principal parts of the building; these qualities being secured, the imagination is at liberty to add such lines and figures of beauty as may seem suitable. The art of the architect at different times has invented a considerable variety of style in the structure and ornamentation of buildings, for a description of which we must refer the reader who wishes to pursue the subject to the numerous works of professional men who have devoted themselves to the subject.

We have now concluded our brief account of the different special modes in which the constructive imagination of the artist operates, and with one remark we dismiss the subject. The exercise of the imagination in the study, or in the construction, of works of art is fitted to have an ennobling and refining effect upon the mind. It turns away the attention from gross, vulgar, and merely sensuous objects; and, if properly directed, cultivates those

higher and purer emotions which give to human life its best pleasures and to human character its greatest excellences.

CHAP. IV.
SECT. V.

SECTION V.

KINDS OF REPRESENTATION-CONTINUED.

IMAGINATION IN ETHICS AND RELIGION.

ideal.

§ 115. In practical life the activity of men is The ethical directed to the attainment of some End. The Ends which men propose to themselves are very various : pleasure, wealth, power, fame, and many others. But in every case the End of a man's life is the product of his constructive imagination; it is an ideal composed of all the elements which, from his nature, he is led to think desirable. The ethical ideal must always be constructed out of materials furnished by the actual. In our experience we enjoy many pleasures; but we think of pleasures better and more lasting than those. In our experience we perform, or we witness performed by others, actions which we approve of, which we consider praiseworthy; but we are able to conceive better, more generous, or more noble actions. In short, we are able in our imagination to rise, as it were, above our experience, and from what is to construct the ideal of what ought to be. We are not here concerned with the nature of the power by which we are able to perceive the ought or duty. That is a question of ethics. But we may examine briefly the nature of the process by which the ethical ideal is constructed.

CHAP. IV.
SECT. V.

The ideal introduces conflict.

Formation of ideal.

§ 116. In all men there are certain primary instinctive impulses and springs of action: appetites, desires, passions. A person who is completely under the control of these, who is governed by them without reference to the feelings or the interests of others, is absolutely immoral. To be moral implies that these natural impulses are controlled and regulated by the voluntary power of the individual with reference to some worthy end. But they will never be controlled unless the individual sees that their uncontrolled exercise leads to evil-that is, unless he sees that there is some higher good to be attained by controlling them. The conception of this higher good is the ideal which he forms. The general effect of the formation of an ethical ideal is to make one dissatisfied with himself, to make him feel that there is an excellence of character to which he has not yet attained. There is thus a conflict produced between the actual impulses and desires on the one hand, and the ethical idea on the other, as to which of the two shall govern the conduct. The result of this conflict is of the most momentous importance to the happiness and welfare of the individual.

§ 117. With reference to the history of the formation of the ethical ideal it is difficult to speak with definiteness. The ideal of one person is often widely different from that of another; of one nation from that of another. There can be no doubt but an ideal of some kind is usually formed by every one by means of reflection upon the comparative worth of different aims or objects in life. But the greatest

influence is undoubtedly exerted by people or nations
coming into contact with those who have higher
moral conceptions than themselves.
The power

which a man of true moral worth sometimes pos-
sesses in guiding the formation of an ethical ideal in
the minds of others is very great. Thus, it is true
in the history of morals that it is very slowly, and
with great difficulty, if at all, that an isolated race
can rise to a higher moral elevation; while the
influence of an individual or of a nation possessed of
high moral qualities upon a race not so favoured is
sometimes enormous.

CHAP. IV.

SECT. V.

God.

§ 118. The efforts of the imagination in religion Idea of are chiefly exerted in constructing a representation of the object of religious worship. Amongst lower and uncivilised races the imagination is usually assisted by the mechanical construction of actual material idols or images. But the representation of Deity under material forms degrades our conception of a spiritual Being, and amongst all monotheistic races the representations of the Deity are mental. The idea of Deity which the human imagination constructs has varied greatly at different times and amongst different peoples. It is also a very complex idea-perhaps the most complex which can be formed. But the most important elements which have been comprehended in it appear to be the following: The Deity is imagined as the all-powerful and all-intelligent First Cause, the Moral Governor, and the Universal Father. The first of these elements of the conception identifies God as the source and the guide

CHAP. IV.
SECT. V.

Religious

ideal founded analogy.

of the various physical forces of nature; the second attributes to Him the moral control-that is, the rewarding and punishing of human actions; the third represents Him as having a direct and special interest in the welfare of all His creatures.

§ 119. Much might be said regarding the difficulty of uniting these various elements in one complex representation, and regarding the many very imperfect and distorted conceptions which have been formed. But we can at present only point out that the imagination can construct the idea of God only by analogy from things known. And as the qualities of our own human nature, either known to ourselves by consciousness or presented to us in the lives of others, are the most noble objects of our experience, they are naturally the types from which our conception of Deity is formed. The idea of God as our moral Ruler and our Father being constantly kept before the mind, there can be no doubt but the influence of this idea over conduct and life is greater than that of any other. When, by an individual, duty is performed and good is done "as ever in his great task-master's eye," there is the highest attainable guarantee that he is worthy of any trust which may be reposed in him.