The Eagle's Nest: Ten Lectures on the Relation of Natural Science to Art, Given Before the University of Oxford, in Lent Term, 1872Ruskin, John
Philosophy
The Eagle's Nest: Ten Lectures on the Relation of Natural Science to Art, Given Before the University of Oxford, in Lent Term, 1872
Ruskin, John
Art and science
Gentlemen, if your literature, popular and other; or your art, popular
and other; or your science, popular and other, is to be eagle-eyed,
remember that question I to-day solemnly put to you--will you hawk at
game or carrion? Shall it be only said of the thoughts of the heart of
England--"Wheresoever the _carcase_ is, thither shall the eagles be
gathered together"?
LECTURE III.
THE RELATION OF WISE ART TO WISE SCIENCE.
_"The morrow after St. Valentine's," 1872._
37. Our task to-day is to examine the relation between art and science,
each governed by sophia, and becoming capable, therefore, of consistent
and definable relation to each other. Between foolish art and foolish
science, there may indeed be all manner of reciprocal mischievous
influence; but between wise art and wise science there is essential
relation, for each other's help and dignity.
You observe, I hope, that I always use the term 'science,' merely as the
equivalent of 'knowledge.' I take the Latin word, rather than the
English, to mark that it is knowledge of constant things, not merely of
passing events: but you had better lose even that distinction, and
receive the word "scientia" as merely the equivalent of our English
"knowledge," than fall into the opposite error of supposing that
science means systematization or discovery. It is not the arrangement of
new systems, nor the discovery of new facts, which constitutes a man of
science; but the submission to an eternal system; and the proper grasp
of facts already known.
38. And, at first, to-day, I use the word "art" only of that in which it
is my special office to instruct you; graphic imitation; or, as it is
commonly called, Fine art. Of course, the arts of construction,--building,
carpentering, and the like, are directly dependent on many sciences,
but in a manner which needs no discussion, so that we may put that part
of the business out of our way. I mean by art, to-day, only imitative
art; and by science, to-day, not the knowledge of general laws, but of
existent facts. I do not mean by science, for instance, the knowledge
that triangles with equal bases and between parallels, are equal, but
the knowledge that the stars in Cassiopeia are in the form of a =W=.
Now, accepting the terms 'science' and 'art' under these limitations,
wise art is only the reflex or shadow of wise science. Whatever it is
really desirable and honourable to know, it is also desirable and
honourable to know as completely and as long as possible; therefore, to
present, or re-present, in the most constant manner; and to bring again
and again, not only within the thoughts, but before the eyes; describing
it, not with vague words, but distinct lines, and true colours, so as to
approach always as nearly as may be to the likeness of the thing itself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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