Beauty and the Beast: An Essay in Evolutionary Aesthetic

Originally published in 1920, this book provides a concise discussion of aesthetic evolution, putting forward the view that the concept of beauty holds a position of fundamental importance in the constitution of reality. Systematic exposition of the topic is avoided in favour of a more nuanced account, in which aesthetic expression is linked to the Christian idea of God, on one hand, and the development of the human soul, on the other. An introduction and an appendix on ‘Art Forms in Development’ are also included. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in aesthetic theory and theology.