tter of truth, one
may draw most of the values of the actinic rays of the sun through thin
white clothing; and if one has not crushed his feet into a revolting
mass in pursuit of the tradesmen, he may go barefooted a little while
each day on his own grass-plot without shocking the natives or losing
his credit at the bank. The real reason for opening this subject is to
express (and be very sure to express without hatred) certain facts in
the case of the countryside which complained.

They are villagers and farm-people who live with Mother Nature without
knowing her. They look into the body of Nature, but never see her face
to face. The play of light and the drive of intelligence in her eyes is
above the level of their gaze, or too bright. Potentially they have all
the living lights--the flame immortal, but it is turned low. It does not
glorify them, as men or parents or workmen. It does not inspire them to
Questing--man's real and most significant business. They do not know
that which is good or evil in food, in music, colour, fabric, books, in
houses, lands or faith. They live in a low, lazy rhythm and attract unto
themselves inevitably objects of corresponding vibration. One observes
this in their children, in their schools and most pathetically in their
churches. They abide dimly in the midst of their imperfections, but with
tragic peace. When their children revolt, they meet on every hand the
hideous weight of matter, the pressure of low established forces, and
only the more splendid of these young people have the integrity of
spirit to rise above the resistance.

As for the clothing that is worn, they would do better if left suddenly
naked as a people, and without preconceptions, were commanded to find
some covering for themselves. As herds, they have fallen into a
descending arc of usage, under the inevitable down-pull of trade. Where
the vibrations of matter are low, its responsive movement is gregarian
rather than individual. The year around, these people wear
clothing,--woollen pants and skirts, which if touched with an iron,
touched with sunlight, rain or any medium that arouses the slumbering
quantities, the adjacent nostril is offended.

They are heavy eaters of meat the year round. They slay their pets with
as little concern as they gather strawberries. Their ideas of virtue and
legitimacy have to do with an ecclesiastical form, as ancient as Nineveh
and as effaced in meaning. They accept their children, a