Aesthetic Principles (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1895. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VI. ALGEDONIC -ESTHETICS. II. Positive JEsthetic Principles. In the chapter which has preceded this we have considered the preliminary steps that must be taken by the artist who aims towards the attainment of beauty, and now we must try to discover the positive laws which lead to effectiveness in aesthetic endeavour, or, in the words of our aesthetic theory, must look for the means and methods that are necessary to the production of a pleasure-field which shall he relatively permanent. It will be convenient in our discussion to treat separately (1st) the production of pleasure itself, before considering (2d) the means adopted in the attempt to reach permanency of pleasure-field. I. First, then, as to the production of pleasure. We have already seen that pains are practically produced in two ways, and so it is also with our pleasures; they, too, are practically produced in two ways, and are consequently naturally divided into two great classes. We have, first, the pleasures which arise with rest after strain, with relief from pain j and, second, those that arise in connection with active functioning, in connection with vigorous, healthful exercise of our faculties. The pleasures of rest after labour, or relief from pain, as we have already seen, although really to be considered as a subclass under the pleasures of activity, are in practice separable from them, because they are reached in practice by distinct methods. Unquestionably, use is made of them in the arts that deal with phenomena of succession. It is no slight pleasure, for instance, that we obtain in music by the introduction of a calm, restful movement following upon a train of intense and vigorous passages calling for our active attention. But, on the whole, these pleasures do not for...