THE ARGUMENT FROM ANALOGY
Having dealt with the argument _à priori_, we now proceed to show
that, from analogy, it is highly probable that the teaching of the
Church, as in other things, so in her material buildings, would be
symbolical.
Firstly, let us look at other nations, and other religions. It need
not be said that the symbolism of the Jews was one of the most
striking features of their religion. It would be unnecessary to go
through their tabernacle and temple rites, their sacrificial
observances, and their legal ceremonies. The Passover, the cleansing
of the leper, the scape goat, the feast of tabernacles, the morning
and evening sacrifice, the Sabbatical year, the Jubilee, were all in
the highest degree figurative. The very stones in the breastplate have
each, according to the Rabbis, their mystical signification. And, as
if still further to teach them the sacramentality, not only of things,
but of events, it pleased God to make all their most famous ancestors,
chiefs, and leaders, _e.g._ Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses,
Joshua, David, most remarkable types of the Messiah: nay, from the
beginning the principal doctrines of Christianity were, in some form
or other, set forth. Regeneration and the Church, in the Flood and the
Ark: the Bread and Wine in the Manna and the Stricken Rock: the two
dispensations in Sarah and {xliii} Hagar. Indeed the immense extent of
symbolism in the Old Testament was the mine of the Fathers. Every day
they brought to light some new wealth; and, if we press the symbolism
of the Church further than it was actually intended, we are only
treading in the steps of her bishops and doctors. For while, of
course, in commenting on and explaining the sacrifice of Isaac, the
covenant of circumcision, the captivity and exaltation of Joseph, they
were only developing the real meaning which God seems to have intended
should be set forth by those events, there are,--as we have already
hinted,--many instances where their piety found an interpretation
which was perhaps never intended. Thus, because Job, while all else
that belonged to him was restored double, had only the same number of
children which he had lost--they have argued, that thus the separate
existence of souls was represented, as the Patriarch could not be said
to have lost those who were in another state of existence.
And if in the Old Testament we find authority for the principle of
symbolism, much more do we in the New. We shall presently have
occasion to allude to the rise and progress of the sacramentality of
Baptism: we may now refer more particularly to the frequency with
which S. Paul symbolises the enactments of the law; as in the case of
the ox forbidden, while treading out the corn, to be muzzled. So
again, the Revelation is nothing but one continued symbolical poem.
The parabolic teaching of our Lord we shall presently notice.
To this we may add, the exoteric and esoteric signification of certain
books, _e.g._, the Song of Solomon: the double interpretation of many
of the prophecies, primarily of the earthly, principally of the
heavenly Jerusalem: we may refer to the symbolical meaning attached,
under the Christian dispensation, to certain previously {xliv}
established rites, as, for instance. Holy Matrimony. With symbolical
writings, enactments, events, personages, observances, buildings,
vestments, for her guides and models, how could the Church Catholic
fail of following symbolism, as a principle and a passion?
But not only is Christianity symbolical: every development of religion
is, and must necessarily be so. On the Grecian mythology, we shall
have occasion to say something more presently. The symbolism of Plato,
and still further development by Proclus and the later philosophers of
his school, will occur to every one. If it be asserted that the more
it was touched and acted on by Christianity, the more symbolical did
it become,--we only reply, So much the more to the purpose of our
argument. But not only in Roman and Grecian Paganism is this the case.
The Hindoo religion has much of symbolism; and some of its most
striking fables, derived from whatever source--whether from unwritten
tradition, or from contact with the Jews--possess this character
wonderfully. Take, for instance, the example of Krishna suffering, and
Krishna triumphant; represented, in the one case, by the figure of a
man enveloped in the coils of a serpent, which fastens its teeth in
his heel; in the other, by the same man setting his foot on, and
crushing the head of the monster. Now here, it is true, the doctrine
symbolised has long been forgotten among those with whom the legend is
sacred: we, on the contrary, have a very plain reference to the
promise concerning the Seed of the Woman and the serpent's head. This
is an instance of the fact, that Truth will live in a symbolical, long
after it has perished in every other form: and doubtless, when the
time for the conversion of India shall have arrived, thousands will
receive the truth the more willingly, in that they have had a
representation of it, distorted it is true, but not destroyed, set,
for so many centuries, before their eyes. {xlv} Some truths,
accidentally impressed on a symbolical observance, may still live,
that otherwise must have perished: just as the only memory of some of
the beings that existed before the flood, is to be found in the
petrified clay on which they accidentally happened to set their feet.
The Mahometan religion has also, though in an inferior degree, its
symbolism; and the reason of its inferiority in this respect is
plain--because, namely, it is a religion of sense. Now Catholicity,
which teaches men constantly to live above their senses, to mortify
their passions, and to deny themselves;--nay even Hindooism, which, so
far as it approximates to the truth, preaches the same doctrine, must
constantly lead men by the seen to look on to the unseen. If
everything material were not made sacramental of that which is
immaterial, so, as it were, bearing its own corrective with its own
temptation, man could hardly fail of walking by sight, rather than by
faith. But now, the Church, not content with warning us that we are in
an enemy's country, boldly seizes on the enemy's goods, converting
them to her own use. Symbolism is thus the true Sign of the Cross,
hallowing the unholy, and making safe the dangerous: the true salt
which, being cast in, purified the unhealthy spring: the true meal
which removed death from the Prophet's provision. Others may amuse
themselves by asserting that the Church in all that she does and
enacts, is not symbolical:--we bless God for the knowledge that she
is.
We need not dwell on the symbolism of heretics, insomuch as we shall
have occasion to refer to it in other parts of this essay. We will
rather notice, that those to whom we have been but now referring,
heathens and Mahomedans, have a way of discovering a subtle {xlvi}
symbolism in things which in themselves were not intended to have any
deeper meaning. We may mention the odes of Hafiz--the Anacreon, or
rather perhaps, the Stesichorus, of Persia. These poems, speaking to
the casual reader of nothing but love, and wine, and garlands, and
rosebuds, are seriously affirmed, by Persian critics, to contain a
deep esoteric reference to the communion of the soul with God; just as
it has been wildly supposed, that under the name of Laura, Petrarch in
fact only expressed that Immortal Beauty after which the soul of the
Christian is constantly striving, and to which it is constantly
advancing. So in Dante, Beatrice is not only the poet's earthly love,
but, as it has been well shown by M. Ozanam, the representative of
Catholic theology.
To dwell on the symbolism of Nature would lead us too far from our
point. But we must constantly bear in mind that Nature and the Church
answer to each other as implicit and explicit revelations of God.
Therefore, whatever system is seen to run through the one, in all
probability runs through the other. Now, that the teaching of Nature
is symbolical, none, we think, can deny. Shall we then wonder that the
Catholic Church is in all her art and splendour sacramental of the
Blessed Trinity, when Nature herself is so? Shall God have denied this
symbolism to the latter, while He has bestowed it on the former? Shall
there be a trinity of effect in every picture, a trinity of tone in
every note, a trinity of power in every mind, a trinity of essence in
every substance,--and shall not there be a trinity in the arrangements
and details of church art? It were strange if the servant could teach
what the mistress must be silent upon: that Natural Religion should be
endued with capabilities not granted to Revealed Truth.
{xlvii}
Is not, again, the doctrine of the Resurrection wonderfully set forth
by Nature? This symbolism is the more remarkable, in that to the
ancients the rising of the sun and the bursting forth of the leaf must
have appeared false symbolism, although they knew too well that of
which autumn and evening were typical. So, to quote only one other
example, the law of self-sacrifice is beautifully shadowed out by the
grain that 'unless it die, abideth alone; but if it die, bringeth
forth much fruit.' We may argue next from the analogy of all art.
Sculpture, perhaps, has least to offer in our support. But in painting
we may refer to the conventional colours appropriated to various
personages; and the mechanical symbolism of poetry is known to all.
Nor must we forget the conventional use of language. Archaisms,
studied inversions, quaint phrases, and the like, have always been
affected by those who were treating of high and holy subjects. None
has employed these with happier effect than Spenser, whose language,
it need not be said, never was and never could have been really used.
The solemnising effect of a judicious employment of this artifice is
nowhere more strongly felt than in works of Divinity. Compare for
example the English language, where the conventional Thou is always
addressed to the Deity, and where a stern simplicity runs through the
whole of our Divine Offices, with the French which can only employ
_Vous_ in prayer, and with the Portuguese, where, in the authorised
translation of the Holy Scriptures, Apostles, and Prophets--nay, our
Blessed Lord Himself, speak in the polite phrases of conversational
elegance. [Footnote 16]
[Footnote 16: It is on grounds similar to these, that, in our
translation of Durandus, we have adopted that conventional style
which has been objected to by some recent critics:--not that anyone
ever naturally conversed or wrote in it, but for the sake of
producing the effect which the subject seems to require. The
brilliancy of a summer's day is beautiful in its place: admitted
into a cathedral, it would be totally out of character.]
{xlviii}
Music, however, has the strongest claims to our notice. We know, for
example, that each instrument symbolises some particular colour. So,
according to Haydn, the trombone is deep red--the trumpet,
scarlet--the clarionet, orange--the oboe, yellow--the bassoon, deep
yellow--the flute, sky blue--the diapason, deep blue--the double
diapason, purple--the horn, violet:--while the violin is pink--the
viola, rose--the violoncello, red--and the double-bass, crimson. This
by many would be called fanciful:--therefore let us turn to a passage
of Haydn's works, and see if it will hold. Let us examine the sun-rise
in the 'Creation.' At the commencement, as it has been well observed,
our attention is attracted by a soft-streaming sound from the violins,
scarcely audible, till the pink rays of the second violin diverge into
the chord of the second, to which is gradually imparted a greater
fulness of colour, as the rose violas and red violoncellos steal in
with expanding beauty, while the azure of the flute tempers the
mounting rays of the violin: as the notes continue ascending to the
highest point of brightness, the orange of the clarionet, the scarlet
of the trumpet, the purple of the double diapason, unite in increasing
splendour--till the sun appears at length in all the refulgence of
harmony.
This may serve as a specimen of the manner in which the expressions of
one art may be translated into that of another, because they each and
all symbolise the same abstraction.
Again, the language of flowers is a case much in point. This is a
species of symbolism which has prevailed among all nations, and which
our devout ancestors were not slow in stamping with the impress of
religion. Witness, for example, the _Herb Trinity_, now generally
called _Heartsease_, the _Passion Flower_, and the _Lacrima Christi_.
And in the present day, who knows not that {xlix} the rose is for
beauty--the violet for modesty--the sunflower for faithfulness--the
forget-me-not for remembrance--the pansy for thought--the cypress for
woe--the yew for trueheartedness--the everlasting for immortality?
The flowers introduced into the ornament of churches we shall consider
presently.
Furthermore, whatever was the character of our Lord's teaching--such
is likely to be that of His Church. If the former were plain,
unadorned, setting forth naked truths in the fewest and simplest
words; then we allow that there is a _primâ facie_ argument against
the system which we are endeavouring to support. But if it were
parabolic, figurative, descriptive, allegorical--why should not the
Church imitate her Master? His parables are at once the surest
defence, and the most probable originators, of her symbolism.
We shall have occasion in another place to draw from a consideration
of the nature of our Lord's parables an argument in behalf of
symbolism against one of the most formidable objections that has been
raised against the system. It would here be sufficient for our purpose
to notice the figurative character of our Lord's general teaching. But
we have His own authority for much more than a general adoption of
such a principle. Tradition hands down that He was within sight of the
Temple when he pointed towards it, and uttered those gracious words,
_I am the Door_. Be this as it may, we have from it a sufficient
precedent to justify us in seeking for an emblematical meaning in the
external world, and more particularly in the material sanctuary. S.
Paul, on the same principle, allegorises the Jewish Temple, detail by
detail:--the Holy of Holies was heaven; the High Priest, Christ; the
veil, even his flesh. It is inconceivable that the Temple should be so
symbolical, and so holy that our Lord Himself cleansed it from its
defiling {l} money-changers: and yet that a Christian church, wherein
the Great Sacrifice is commemorated and our Lord is peculiarly
present, should be less symbolical--particularly when its arrangement
is in exact conformity to that of the temple, [Footnote 17] --or
should be less holy. At any rate the _Door_ must be significant: at
any rate the Altar, which S. Paul claims for the Christian Church, in
opposition to those who 'serve the tabernacle.'
[Footnote 17: See Appendix A. ]
Again, the holy Sacraments of the Church are examples, in the highest
degree, of this principle of figurative or symbolical teaching. They,
indeed, are not only signs of unseen things, but the channels and
instruments of grace. The latter quality we do not claim for the
speaking symbolism of a material church: but architecture is an emblem
of the invisible abstract, no less than Holy Baptism and the Lord's
Supper. Besides the two Sacraments [Greek text] our Church recognises
other offices, such as Marriage, Confirmation, and the like, as
Sacramentals. In short the whole Church system is figurative from
first to last: not indeed therefore the less real, actual, visible,
and practical; but rather the more real and practical, because its
teaching and discipline are not merely material and temporary, but
anticipative of the heavenly and eternal. This quality then of
symbolism cannot be denied to one, and a most important, expression of
the teaching of the Church, namely its architecture. The cathedral (to
repeat the general in the particular) is not the less material, the
less solid, the less real, because we see in it the figurative
exhibition of the peculiarities of our religion and the articles of
our creed.
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