The Essential Augustine
than the smallest as it is smaller than the largest; and in such a way at first that nature herself seems to be the criterion of our judgment. And here we should take special notice of how a thing might have given us slight displeasure when examined alone, but when compared with something better is completely rejected. Thus we find that ordinary art is merely a remembrance of things experienced and enjoyed, coupled with the exercise of certain bodily actions; and that, if you lack this art, you can still evaluate its products—a far more noble activity, despite the fact that you may not be able to do the handiwork.
But in all arts there is a symmetry which pleases 55. us and which imparts to everything a perfect and beautiful unity. It achieves its unity and its proportion either by a likeness of equal parts or by a gradation of unequal parts. But who could find the supreme proportion and likeness in material bodies; and who would dare assert, after diligent consideration, that any body is really and essentially one? For all bodies are changing by passage from one degree of beauty to another, or from one place to another; and they are composed of parts each with its own location, and through these parts they are separated in space. Furthermore, the real proportion and likehess, and the real and primary unity, are not perceived by the eyes of the body, or by any of the other senses, but by the intellect. For what would be the basis for a search for any proportion in material bodies, or for a conviction that their proportion differs by far from the perfect proportion, unless the perfect proportion itself were seen by the mind, even if it is the uncreated that we call perfect.
But all things which are beautiful to the senses, 56. whether they are brought forth by nature or worked d out by artistry, are beautiful because of their order in place and in time, as, for example, a body or the motion of a body. Thus that proportion and unity, known only to the mind, and serving as a criterion for the mind to pass judgment upon corporeal beauty, as reported to it by the senses, does not fluctuate in place and in time. For it is wrong to say that it is a criterion for judging the rotundity of a wheel but not of a bowl, or the rotundity of a bowl but not of a coin. The same is true when we consider the duration and movement of bodies: it is ridiculous to say that it is a criterion for judging proportioned years but not propor-
APPROACHING GOD THROUGH UNDERSTANDING 135 tioned months, or proportioned months, but not proportioned days. But whether something moves with consistent speed through these periods of time, or through hours or through shorter periods, the same one and unchangeable criterion is used. And since the measurements of lesser and greater shapes and motions have the same criterion of equality or likeness or conformity, the law itself is greater than all these potentially. But by measurement in place or time it is neither greater nor less. For if it were greater, than we would not judge the less by the entire criterion; and if it were less, we would not judge the greater by it. But we use the complete law of quadratics to judge both a square plaza and a square rock and a square board and a square jewel; and we use the complete law of proportions to judge the order in the motion of the feet of a running ant, and of the feet of a walking elephant. Who then could doubt that the criterion for judging intervals of place and of time is neither greater nor less, since potentially it is above all things? And since this law is in all arts and is absolutely unchangeable, and since even the human mind to which we have conceded the perception of such a law allows of the instability of error, it is sufficiently clear that superior to our minds there exists the law of truth.
But I must not refrain any longer from saying that 31.57. the unchangeable nature which is superior to our tational nature is-God, and that primary Life and primary Essence is identical with primary Wisdom. For this is that unchangeable Truth which is rightly called the law of all arts, and the art of the omnipotent Artisan. And so, since the soul perceives that it cannot pass judgment even on the beauty and motion of bodies by its own standard, it must at once admit that, although its nature is superior to the nature it judges, still its nature is inferior to the nature according to which it makes its judgment, and of which it cannot possibly judge. For I can say why the corresponding members of different bodies should mutually agree, because I happily contemplate the supreme proportion; however, I do not do so with the eyes of my body, but with those of my mind. That is why I judge more highly of sensible objects in proportion to the degree in which their natures approach to objects of my mind. But why those things are as they are, no one can say; neither would any one in his right mind say that they had to be so, as if they could possibly be otherwise.