EAGLES AND ART. 241 



another something of a different sort a picture of the Old 

 Man Nestor, 



" In speech it seemed his beard all silver white 

 Wagged up und down, and from his lips did fly 

 Thin winding breath, which purled up to the sky." 



Here is a miracle the Artist has surely wrought after some 

 secret and strange manner, for we can plainly see that a new 

 life has come to light through him, and whether it be in the 

 object he has formed, or in the mind of the observer, it is not 

 the less to be thought of with wondering question. Whence 

 cometh this high control within the spiritual world, that he 

 can thus throw down the shadow of an awe upon us from his 

 own creations ? 



Nor do we wonder less when the Artist has gone forth 

 into the outer world ; for we have seen in what an heroical 

 language he can speak to us of the physical life through its 

 ruder objects and more humble forms, since to him they are 

 all glorious, and by him they are glorified to us ! In the 

 Art-born sense they are no longer humble, but for the truth 

 that is in them, are felt to be alive by the warmth about the 

 heart which they bring with them ; therefore they are wel- 

 comed with loving eagerness as a new birth, and for the man- 

 ner of their conception and their coming, it needs not that 

 the Artist should be questioned. 



Do not our pictures tell the story for him of themselves ? 



And does not this of the Golden Eagle ? The Art-born 

 sense can see it all ; how, when in its home among the moun- 

 tains he found the Golden Eagle, he watched it every morn- 

 ing sail out from the fastnesses of wintry peaks, and on nice- 

 poised pinions, wheel round and about through the pink- 

 tipped clouds, shrieking now and then a hungry cry that is 

 just to be heard far down in the peaceful valley, to startle 

 the white, browsing flocks with a sense of dread that know- 

 eth not its object ; how he watched it thus in every mood 



16 



