Note 370 — Chapter VII

IDEAL STRUCTURE OF AN ARCH. STRUCTURE OF AN IDEAL CONSCIENCE.

“The introduction of the arch undermined the Grecian system of entablature, and introduced a double plane of decoration: the ruin of taste and art supervening upon this, broke up still further the Roman traditional arrangement; caprice, and the love of novelty, introduced new forms of members and ornaments into this incoherent mass; arches of various shapes were invented or borrowed; the Byzantine dome was added (!) to the previous forms of Roman vaulting. So far all is a proof of disorganization. But then comes in a new principle of connexion first, and of unity afterwards: the lines of pressure are made the prominent features; the compound arches are distributed to their props; the vaults are supported by ribs; the ribs by vaulting shafts, the upright meeting of the end and side is allowed to guide the neighbouring members. Finally, the general authority of vertical lines is allowed; the structure is distributed into compartments according to such lines, each of these being symmetrical in itself. The continuity of upright lines being established, the different planes of decoration glide into tracery and feathering, and THE GOTHIC SYSTEM IS COMPLETE.”—Whewell. “We are now, then, able to see with some distinctness the fundamental maxims of the philosophy of faith. Conscience, viewed in abstract, has no power of discovering more than the immutable principles of morality. But in proportion as it is pure and well disciplined, it discriminates and appropriates moral and religious truth, of whatever kind, and disposes the mind to listen to this external message rather than that; while each new truth thus brought before it from without, in proportion as it is deeply received, and made the subject of religious action and contemplation, elicits a deep and hitherto unknown harmony from within, which is the full warrant and sufficient evidence of that truth. Viewed then in the concrete, as found in the devout believer, we may regard conscience and faith to be the one and the same faculty. Considered as submissively bending before external authority, and ever deriving more of doctrinal truth, we call it FAITH; considered as carefully obeying the precepts of which it has knowledge, and as laboriously realizing and assimilating the truths of which it has possession, we call it CONSCIENCE.”—Ward.