250 WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 



gelic man, than is the Eagle which stands his supremest an- 

 titype. 



In a word, the Artist sees in this Eagle, not a long- winged 

 fowl, but the expression of what is most glorious in the ac- 

 tion of the physical the living, swift embodiment of all 

 sublimest energies in his own soul, taunting its inaction forth 

 to know the joy of rushing wings in fields of boundless air. 



Looking on its " powerful grace," a proud emulation stirs 

 his life of lives, he feels "the aspiration in him breeding 

 wings," and with the tense vision of a will aroused, he'll now 

 "out-stare the lightning!" Deeds of Epic grandeur swell 

 within his clear, keen thought, and action follows as quick, 

 in merciless promptitude, as the fell swoop of the bird ! He 

 becomes inspired into the Eagle-man ; and if he do not con- 

 quer nations, the bloodless triumphs that he wins to Art are 

 far more glorious. His piercing vision glancing down the 

 past, everywhere recognizes in its heroes Eagle-men. With 

 alert heads, the vaulting beak-like nose, and round, stern eye, 

 the mightiest of the world's masters even in the sculptured 

 marble, seem as if upon the stoop to soar again among the 

 clouds with conquering cries. 



Well may the Artist shout " Eureka " now, for the vital 

 clue of art has been revealed to him. He has found that he 

 can follow the antitype up from the animal to its type in man, 

 and trace it in him with assurance, through certain absolute 

 features of physical resemblance. 



Thus, in the vaulted nose he sees the Eagle, but soon discov- 

 ers that all birds or men with vaulted beaks are not Eagles ; 

 that some are silly parrots, and others filthy carrion-loving 

 vultures ! That one short step between the sublime and the 

 ridiculous is illustrated to him here, in the ease with which 

 a facial line peculiar to the greatest of men may be con- 

 founded with that belonging to the meanest. 



The Parrot-man is often mistaken for the Eagle-man ; but 

 the Artist observes, that in the face of the driveller the line 

 of the nose vaults abruptly like the beak of he parrot, while 



