Mid-nineteenth century British and American Nature Art

What happens to modern man if in the midst of life they find out that the world around them has changed beyond their rational capacity? Some withdraw, other dramatically subdue in a doomed attempt for some reasonable explanation, or alternatively let their bitterness grow into hatred which ultimately destroys their life and perchance that of others. But we are not the first to experience this, and are probably the worst to deal with it. In the nineteenth century great social ideas and technological improvements of the time promised a new era only to show how easily high aspirations stumble over some fatigue that brought life back to its usual pace. Most people could live with that, but not the romantics. They could not contain the unrest for much better reasons than we have now. Some withdrew in a Lake District, others summoned all their knowledge about science to restore the right of the spirit to animate matter, or just believed that the spirit has not fallen victim but needs for new sensuality to seek it around. They all experienced in nature what the unstirred mind would ignore, defy or unhappily deal for a life where it could see itself reflected.