" For him who has the eye to see it, beauty, like thought, 

 has an intrinsic right to a place among the realities of 

 the world. He who demands to know why our children 

 should be trained to an appreciation of the beautiful only 

 proves by his question that he does not know what beauty 

 is, that it is to him a mere name." 



" In order to perform it, the school must rid its pupils of 

 what Plato called the lie in the soul, self-deception, as to 

 the ultimate goods of life. It must make them realize 

 that not in their wealth, not in their social position, not 

 in their reputation, but in themselves is to be found that 

 which makes life a success or a failure." 



" Every way I was happy, as idler, as painter, as poet. 

 Forgotten impressions of childhood and youth came back 

 to me— all those indescribable effects wrought by color 

 shadow, sunlight, green hedges, and songs of birds upon 

 the soul just opening to poetry. I became again young, 

 wondering and simple, as candor and ignorance are simple. 

 I abandoned myself to life and to nature, and they cradled 

 me with an infinite gentleness. To open one's heart in 

 purity to this ever pure nature, to allow this immortal life 

 of things to penetrate into one's soul, is at the same time 

 to listen to the voice of God. Sensation may be a prayer, 

 and self-abandonment an act of devotion." — Amiel's 

 Journal. 



140 



