EAGLES AND ART. 
241 
another sometliing of a different sort — a picture of tlie Old 
Man Nestor, 
" In speech it seemed his beard all silver white 
Wagged up und doion^ and from his Hps 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 Avhich 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 v\dth a sense of dread that know- 
eth not its object ; how he watched it tlius in every mood 
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