How can both sensible and intelligible objects be beautiful? Because,
as we said, sensible objects participate in a form. While a shapeless
object, by nature capable of receiving shape (physical) and form
(intelligible), remains without reason or form, it is ugly. That which
remains completely foreign to all divine reason (a reason proceeding
from the universal Soul), is absolute ugliness. Any object should be
considered ugly which is not entirely molded by informing reason,
the matter, not being able to receive perfectly the form (which the
Soul gives it). On joining matter, form co-ordinates the different
parts which are to compose unity, combines them, and by their harmony
produces something which is a unit. Since (form) is one, that which it
fashions will also have to be one, as far as a composite object can
be one. When such an object has arrived at unity, beauty resides in
it, and it communicates itself to the parts as well as to the whole.
When it meets a whole, the parts of which are perfectly similar, it
interpenetrates it evenly. Thus it would show itself now in an entire
building, then in a single stone, later in art-products as well as in
the works of nature. Thus bodies become beautiful by communion with
(or, participation in) a reason descending upon it from the divine
(universal Soul).