an_. Without application, the fact is only fact, and nothing
more; the application, thought, then, certainly must be superior to
the record, fact. Also in thought man gets the clearest glimpse he
will ever have of soul, and sees the incorporeal make the nearest
approach to the corporeal that it is possible for it to do here upon
earth. And hence, these noble acts of wisdom are--far--far above the
mechanical arts and sciences, and are properly called fine arts,
because their high and peculiar office is to refine.

_Kosmon._ But, certainly thought is as much exercised in deducting
from physical facts the sciences and mechanical arts as ever it is in
poetry, painting, or music. The act of inventing print, or of
applying steam, is quite as soul-like as the inventing of a picture,
poem, or statue.

_Kalon._ Quite. The chemist, poet, engineer, or painter, alike,
think. But the things upon which they exercise their several
faculties are very widely unlike each other; the chemist or engineer
cogitates only the physical; the poet or painter joins to the
physical the human, and investigates soul--scans the world in man
added to the world without him--takes in universal creation, its
sights, sounds, aspects, and ideas. Sophon says that the fine arts
are thoughts; but I think I know a more comprehensive word; for they
are something more than thoughts; they are things also; that word is
NATURE--Nature fully--thorough nature--the world of creation. All
that is _in_ man, his mysteries of soul, his thoughts and
emotions--deep, wise, holy, loving, touching, and fearful,--or in the
world, beautiful, vast, ponderous, gloomy, and awful, moved with
rhythmic harmonious utterance--_that_ is Poetry. All that is _of_
man--his triumphs, glory, power, and passions; or of the world--its
sunshine and clouds, its plains, hills or valleys, its wind-swept
mountains and snowy Alps, river and ocean--silent, lonely, severe,
and sublime--mocked with living colours, hue and tone,--_that_ is
Painting. Man--heroic man, his acts, emotions, loves,--aspirative,
tender, deep, and calm,--intensified, purified, colourless,--exhibited
peculiarly and directly through his own form;_that_ is sculpture.
All the voices of nature--of man--his bursts of rage, pity, and
fear--his cries of joy--his sighs of love; of the winds and the
waters--tumultuous, hurrying, surging, tremulous, or gently
falling--married to melodious numbers;_that_ is music. And, the music
of propor