The Love of Beauty by John Ruskin The love of beauty is an essential part of all healthy human nature It is a moral quality. The absence of it is not an assured ground of condemnation, but the presenc e of it is an invariable sign of goodness of heart In proportion to the degree in which it is felt will probably be the degree in which nobleness and beauty of character will be attained Natural beauty is an all-pervading presence. The universe is its temple It unfolds into the numberless flowers of spring. It waves in the branches of trees and the green b lades of grass It haunts the depths of the earth and the sea. It gleams from the hues of the shell and the preciou stone. And not only these minute objects but the oceans, the mountains, the clouds, the stars, the rising and the setting sun -all overflow with beauty This beauty is so precious, and so congenial to our tenderest and noblest feelings, that it is painfu I to think of the multitude of people living in the midst of it and yet remaining almost blind to it All persons should seek to become acquainted with the beauty in nature There is not a worm we tread upon nor a leaf that dances merrily as it falls before the autumn wi nds but calls for our study and admiration The power to appreciate beauty not merely increases our sources of happiness larges our moral nature, too. Beauty calms our restlessness and dispels our cares Go into the fields or the woods, spend a summer day by the sea or the mountains, and all your litt le perplexities and anxieties will vanish Listen to sweet music, and your foolish fears and petty jealousies will pass away. The beauty oft he world helps us to seek and find the beauty of goodness
The Love of Beauty by John Ruskin The love of beauty is an essential part of all healthy human nature. It is a moral quality. The absence of it is not an assured ground of condemnation, but the presenc e of it is an invariable sign of goodness of heart. In proportion to the degree in which it is felt will probably be the degree in which nobleness and beauty of character will be attained. Natural beauty is an all-pervading presence. The universe is its temple. It unfolds into the numberless flowers of spring. It waves in the branches of trees and the green b lades of grass. It haunts the depths of the earth and the sea. It gleams from the hues of the shell and the precious stone. And not only these minute objects but the oceans, the mountains, the clouds, the stars, the rising and the setting sun - all overflow with beauty. This beauty is so precious, and so congenial to our tenderest and noblest feelings, that it is painfu l to think of the multitude of people living in the midst of it and yet remaining almost blind to it. All persons should seek to become acquainted with the beauty in nature. There is not a worm we tread upon, nor a leaf that dances merrily as it falls before the autumn wi nds, but calls for our study and admiration. The power to appreciate beauty not merely increases our sources of happiness - it enlarges our moral nature, too. Beauty calms our restlessness and dispels our cares. Go into the fields or the woods, spend a summer day by the sea or the mountains, and all your litt le perplexities and anxieties will vanish. Listen to sweet music, and your foolish fears and petty jealousies will pass away. The beauty of t he world helps us to seek and find the beauty of goodness
