and bear
abundantly the happy seed which shall enrich and make fat the earth
to the uttermost parts thereof.

_Kalon._ With you both I believe, that faith is necessary to a man,
and that without faith sight even is feeble: but I also believe that
a man is as much a part of the religious, moral, and social system in
which he lives, as is a plant of the soil, situation, and climate in
which it exists: and that external applications have just as much
power to change the belief of the man, as they have to alter the
structure of the plant. A faith once in a man, it is there always;
and, though unfelt even by himself, works actively: and Hellenic art,
so far from being an impediment to the Christian belief, is the exact
reverse; for, it is the privilege of that belief, through its sublime
alchymy, to be able to transmute all it touches into itself: and the
perfect forms of Hellenic art, so touched, move our souls only the
more energetically upwards, because of their transcendent beauty; for
through them alone can we see how wonderfully and divinely God
wrought--how majestic, powerful, and vigorous he made man--how
lovely, soft, and winning, he made woman: and in beholding these
things, we are thankful to him that we are permitted to see them--not
as Pagans, but altogether as Christians. Whether Christian or Pagan,
the highest beauty is still the highest beauty; and the highest
beauty alone, to the total exclusion of gods and their myths, compels
our admiration.

_Kosmon._ Another thing we ought to remember, when judging Hellenic
Art, is, but for its existence, all other kinds--pre-Raffaelle as
well--could not have had being. The Greeks were, by far, more
inclined to worship nature as contained in themselves, than the
gods,--if the gods are not reflexes of themselves, which is most
likely. And, thus impelled, they broke through the monstrous
symbolism of Egypt, and made them gods after their own hearts; that
is, fashioned them out of themselves. And herein, I think we may
discern something of providence; for, suppose their natures had not
been so powerfully antagonistic to the traditions and conventions of
their religion, what other people in the world could or would have
done their work? Cast about a brief while in your memories, and
endeavor to find whether there has ever existed a people who in their
nature, nationality, and religion, have been so eminently fitted to
perform such a task as the Hellenic? You will then fe