all is determined by the eye. And, indeed, so it will ever be. Genius will never consciously follow a scientific method, but will be guided exclusively by its own lofty instincts. At the same time, if we could accurately determine the laws on which beauty depends, we might avail ourselves of these to correct false taste, and to criticize the possible vagaries of noble art. And this, indeed, is the function which science can alone fulfil. It can analyse, but it cannot compose. Scientific criticism has a remedial virtue; but it possesses no creative fiat. Admitting this frankly, and at the same time recoiling from the views of those who have asserted that beauty is a matter of taste, and as variable as opinion, Mr. Hay has set himself to discover the laws of the beautiful in form and colour. To this inquiry he has devoted his life, and his researches have ended in the most remarkable results, results which, we venture to say, eclipse all our previous ideas, as the electric telegraph has eclipsed the semaphore, and which evince as much genius as the discovery of Neptune by Adams and Le Verrier. If these appear to be strong expressions, they are fully justified by the fact, that Mr. Hay has demonstrated, beyond the possibility of a doubt, what for centuries many artistsand among them may be mentioned Albert Dürer, Leonardo da Vinci, and our own Hogarth-in vain attempted to make good. What was nothing but a conjecture in the mind of Sir Isaac Newton, is subscribed on the pages of Mr. Hay with a Q. E. D. It is chiefly in demonstrating the laws of beauty in form that Mr. Hay has won his laurels. To obviate misconception, it must be remembered that "beauty" is a word of very wide application, and in the present connexion we do not apply it to the beauty of expression, nor to the beauty of the picturesque, but to that of symmetry. A Greek vase strikes every beholder as perfect in symmetry; so does a Greek statue; so does a Greek temple. The slightest deviation of a curve, the slightest elongation of a line, would destroy the symmetry. And can such beauty be accidental ? Whether it can be discovered or not, we are well assured that all this beauty conforms to a law as immutable as the laws of right and wrong in morality; and what this law is, what is the system of proportions on which this symmetrical beauty depends, Mr. Hay has demonstrated with mathematical rigour. He has, in fact, identified the laws of symmetry with the harmonic law of nature, of which we find the most remarkable exemplification in music. If a musical string is made to vibrate, it will be found that in a very little while it divides itself spontaneously by nodes into two, three, and five parts, and multiples of these; and upon this spontaneous division the musical scale is founded. The notes thus spontaneously divided, and bearing to the key-note the relations of one-half, one-third, one-fifth, one-seventh, as primes; and one-fourth, one-sixth, one-eighth, one-ninth, one-tenth, onetwelfth, and so on, as multiples,-are called "harmonics;" and Mr. Hay has demonstrated that all the relations or proportions of symmetrical beauty depend, in sight as well as in sound, upon the application of this harmonic law. This will best be understood by an example; and to give some idea of the importance of Mr. Hay's discovery, we shall select the example in which previous inquirers have been most successful, so as to contrast his results with theirs. Brief Literary Notices. 535 About fifteen years ago it was announced that in the whole of the Parthenon there is not to be found a single straight line: the seemingly straight lines are invisible curves. Mr. Penrose, while at Athens in 1846, obtained from the Society of Dilettanti the means of carefully examining the whole building, his measurements of every detail being so accurate as to descend to the thousandth part of a foot. Some four or five years ago he published the result of his very elaborate researches; and in the whole building which he had measured so accurately, the following are the only simple proportions which he discovered:: 1. That the entire height is to its breadth in the ratio of 7 to 12. 2. That the height of each column is to the entire height of the front-that is, to the top of the cymatium-in the same ratio. 3. That the height of the pediment is to the length of the horizontal cornice very nearly in the ratio of 6 to 25. 4. That the length of the architrave is to that of the upper step very nearly in the ratio of 89 to 90. 5. And that the narrowest part of the columns is to their height in the ratio of 1 to 50. Surely a very meagre result. Mr. Penrose has discovered but four ratios capable of being expressed in round numbers, and these round numbers are wanting in simplicity. There is not one of them that belongs to the harmonics. He finds no such proportions as one to two, one to three, or one to four. On the contrary, Mr. Hay accepts the measurements of Penrose, and undertakes to show a hundred simple proportions in the building, and every one of the ratios a harmonic. The greater accuracy, indeed, of Penrose's measurements has proved more clearly than before the truth of Mr. Hay's theory. And this extraordinary result is attained by the introduction of a new method. Mr. Penrose measured and compared the lines of the building: Mr. Hay measures and compares the angles which those lines subtend. Mr. Penrose, for example, measured the height and the breadth of the eastern front of the Parthenon, and found that the measurements bore to each other the relation of 7 to 12. Mr. Hay, on the other hand, shows that the height is determined in his system of angles by a much simpler ratio,-the ratio of 1 to 3. Let AB represent the base line of the eastern portico. From one end of it raise a perpendicular; from the other draw a line making the third of a right angle with the base; it will intersect the perpendicular in a point which is exactly the height of the pediment. The height of that front, therefore, is determined by a proportion which is harmonic, and with which for simplicity the ratio of 7 to 12 discovered by Penrose can bear no comparison. And so of every other important point in the building: it is determined by the utmost simplicity of ratio. Now all this looks very easy, very obvious, when once it is explained, as so many great discoveries do. The difficulty was to discover it, not to understand the discovery. And the full value of Mr. Hay's researches will not be appreciated, unless it is known that he has applied the same law with the same signal success, not only to Greek architecture, but also to the Gothic; and not only to architecture, but also to the proportions of the human body. He has verified, as we have partly intimated, the conjecture of Sir Isaac Newton, that all symmetrical beauty must conform to the law of harmonics. It must not be supposed, however, that because Mr. Hay has analysed the principles of symmetrical beauty, he professes to give rules which will infallibly enable the artist to produce the beautiful. He professes to have done nothing more than the natural philosopher, who, listening to a piece of music, immediately analyses its notes, and shows the exceedingly simple elements from the multiform combinations of which the ravishing melody arises, and the exceedingly simple laws of counterpoint to which all harmony must adapt itself. In the present little treatise he has shown how these harmonic laws are exemplified in the structure of the temple of Theseus in Greek architecture, and of Lincoln Cathedral in Gothic architecture. Every fresh illustration of his theory thus adds to its authority, by proving even to redundance its universality. The full significance of his discovery we are not sure that Mr. Hay himself has ascertained; and perhaps it will be many years before it takes root in the public mind, and becomes a mature and fruitful principle of art. But that day will come sooner or later; the adherents to his doctrines are continually increasing; and we trust that his ears will not then be deaf to the sound of human praise when he will receive his due with universal acclamation, and his name will be mentioned as one of the greatest of discoverers, the modern Pythagoras. The Southern Cross and Southern Crown: or, The Gospel in New-Zealand. By Miss Tucker. London: Nisbet. 1855. WE are free to confess a warm feeling towards lady-authorship. There is a delicacy of handling, and there are touches of grace, which ladies cannot fail to impart to their works, if they are fit to write at all, and choose appropriate subjects. None can be more appropriate than the history of Christianity in its ameliorating influence upon society; and although the history of the Gospel in New-Zealand must have its revolting passages, yet these may be safely left in the hands of a female, herself a Christian. The little volume before us is just what is wanted in reference to every branch of foreign Missions,—a brief description of the country, and of the habits and condition of the people formerly, with an honest statement, not only of the introduction, but of the present real state, of religion. New-Zealand exhibits one of the highest triumphs of Missionary labour. Existing formerly in the lowest line of human degradation, infamy, and wretchedness, it is a "saved nation." This beautiful little volume has much of the same character with Miss Farmer's "Tonga and the Friendly Isles," except that Miss Farmer does ample justice to the zealous labourers of other denominations; and this Miss Tucker fails to do. The Church Mission was established in 1815, and the Wesleyan Mission only eight years after, in another part of the principal island. On reading the title-page, we certainly expected to find some notices of all the labourers in this field; and when we found what was Miss Tucker's principal object, we yet supposed that some notice would be given of as arduous and successful efforts as ever marked the progress of modern Missions. But there is no notice whatever of other agents. Yes; we correct ourselves. We are told, on an early page, that the Brief Literary Notices. 537 Wesleyan settlement was destroyed, and that the Mission families were forced to flee; and, in another place, at the close of the volume, the fact is recognised, that Missionaries were sent out by the Methodists. This is true. And it is true that they have in this important colony 17 Central Stations, 104 Chapels, 20 Missionaries, 322 Local Preachers, and upwards of 4,000 members, and 10,000 hearers; a Training Institution for Day-Schools, with 130 inmates; and at least one printingpress. Surely the fact of their existence and success might have been noticed. Whoever has read the narrative of the life and labours of the Rev. Samuel Leigh, the father of the Methodist Missions in NewZealand, will perceive that a very different spirit actuated both him and the Rev. Mr. Marsden. These men delighted to honour each other as the anointed servants of the same Master. As a record of the successes of the Church-of-England Missionaries, which have been great, the volume is a desirable record, and does credit to the fair authoress. Twenty-Seven Sermons, preached in St. George's Church, Barnsley, Yorkshire. By the Rev. W. J. Brock, B.A., Curate. London: Longmans. ANOTHER Volume of Sermons! Into how many libraries will it find entrance? How many individuals will read it through? And what amount of benefit will the actual readers derive from the perusal? Such queries instinctively arise upon our seeing a new volume of sermons. Perhaps no department of literature is so amply and so well supplied; perhaps no class of books is so difficult to push in the market; and yet new volumes are constantly issuing from the press. And this need excite neither wonder nor regret. There will always be parties who think, or who may be persuaded by partial friends to think, that a volume of well selected sermons by themselves, if not demanded by the public, may yet be very desirable and very acceptable. And there will always be persons who, from attachment to the author, from preference of such reading, or from the hope of deriving spiritual advantage, will peruse the volume; and thus benefit is likely to accrue, if only the sermons possess the requisite qualities for doing good. Besides, many hearers may be glad to possess such a memento of a beloved Minister; and many an earnest, loving Minister may adopt, with great propriety, the words of Peter, as the motto of his book: "Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance." We have been greatly gratified by these Sermons of Mr. Brock, and cordially recommend them to the notice of our readers, assuring them that the time spent in their perusal will be amply repaid. The volume is just such an one as many a retired Christian, who loves to cultivate an unobtrusive piety, to ponder divine truth, and to drink in its sweet and holy spirit, will rejoice to possess; and be thankful to us for directing his attention to it. The Sermons are very instructive, their subjects well chosen and replete with interest, and their tendency highly practical and stimu lating. In style they are plain, and easy to be understood, without ever becoming bold, or low, or feeble. The author may be aptly designated "a son of consolation ;" and seems to have learnt much in the school of sanctified afflictions and sorrows. From his own experience, we should judge, he can testify to the value of Christian patience, and to the blessedness of filial submission and faith in God. A large portion of the volume is a most instructive and profitable comment upon the words of Paul to the persecuted Hebrews: "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised" (disciplined) "thereby;" and is preeminently "to edification, and exhortation, and comfort" of the people of God. We quote a specimen from his Sermon on "The Sympathy of Christ" with His followers, in temptation, and leave the volume, with the hope that it will obtain a wide circulation. "Hitherto we have spoken only of those sorrows which come upon the Christian in common with other men. But there are other trials -such as the trials of temptation-which are peculiar to the Christian; and it is perhaps to these that the text has a specific, though not an exclusive, reference. Of temptation, in its strictest sense, the careless sinner knows nothing: he is the willing servant of Satan, doing whatever he is bidden, and needs not the wily arts of temptation to allure him to obedience. But the Christian is called upon to resist the devil, steadfast in the faith; and has to contend against all the specious arts which his great enemy can contrive to effect his destruction. So subtle is the tempter, that he watches every opportunity, and adapts his temptations to the peculiar circumstances in which the Christian may be placed. At one time he will come like an angel of light, as one who would advise us for good, while, in reality, he is plotting the deeds of darkness for the ruin of our souls. At another time he will seek to fill our hearts with spiritual pride, and cause us to trip on the stumbling-stone of religious indifference. If he can but make us satisfied with our spiritual state, if he can persuade us that we have arrived at a higher state of grace than some of our fellow-Christians, he knows that another step in advance of his dark designs will speedily follow. At another time he will adopt the very reverse of this policy, and endeavour to discourage us by pointing out our short-comings in the Christian life: You had better give up your profession altogether,' he will say, 'than live in this self-deception and religious mockery.' Thus he will seek to frighten the timid Christian into the net which he has prepared for his destruction. Or he will throw the fire-brands of dissension among Christians, and cause them to look coldly upon each other, instead of loving one another as brethren. Or he will point to some erring brother, and say, Here is a specimen of your flaming professors; better to serve God less ostentatiously than mingle with such vile traducers of the holy faith they profess!' Or he will not scruple to enter the house of God, and draw off your minds from heavenly things, and then reproach you for your wandering thoughts. At other times he will go about as a roaring lion, and stir up the storm of persecution against the Christian believer. He will set at variance members of the same family, so that a man's foes shall be those of his own household. Such are some of the various machinations which Satan employs for the overthrow |