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the efforts of the Jesuits, with the help of a zealous Roman Catholic king, 
it was gradually rooted out without persecution. In France, though the 
Protestants were never a majority, they formed a large and influential 
minority, including some of the noblest spirits in the country, such as 
Coligny and Mornay du Plessis. It does not, therefore, seem that national 
character would have made France a purely Roman Catholic country : that 
it has nearly become so is owing to two centuries of rigorous repressive 
measures. I think it would be found that the difference in the forms of 
Christianity in different countries is to be accounted for, not so much by 
differences of national character, as by differences of controlling circum. 
stances. 
Mr. Gosse. — As to the first question put to me, it was, if I understand it, 
whether the excitement of the Berserkers was anything more than we find 
among some other peoples. I think that may be admitted, but that is in 
favour of my theory, that the Berserkers, like the Oriental dervishes, acted 
under a religious fervour. Then the Chairman has touched on a vast variety of 
subjects, but he may be said to begenerally in my favour rather than an objector. 
Mr. Martin has raised an objection to the holiness of Heimdall. I have not laid 
down that point authoritatively, but have simply stated my belief that in the 
case of Heimdall there was a singular instance of the metaphysical idea of 
inherent holiness and purity of thought and action. Another present asks 
what more information I can bring forward on the subject ; there is very little 
indeed : the same story is told with exceeding diffuseness in one of the 
poems of the Edda, and I can add very little more. Everybody must judge 
for himself whether the facts I have stated bear out my statement or not. 
One subject which has been discussed bears reference to the effect of 
Christianity on art, and on that point I feel that I differ extremely from all 
who have spoken. Perhaps my own mind is too much an artist’s in feeling to 
conceive some of the views which have been expressed. I had no intention 
of discussing this point at all, but only of stating my opinion that when a 
great spiritual and, if you like, pietistic movement is stirring in the world, 
at that moment and place the fine arts do not flourish ; I leave it to 
theologians to explain the cause. I merely say that at moments when pietistic 
feeling has been very strong, the arts have dwindled. Look at Florence ; 
the decadence of Florentine art is marked by the rise and success of 
Savonarola, one of the most striking instances that occurs to me.* 
With regard to what I have said about Iceland, I may add that as any one 
writing upon ancient Greece u T oulcl take Athens as illustrating what was best 
and noblest in art and literature, although the pre-eminence of Athens 
scarcely overlapped a couple of generations, and would take Athens as the 
head and centre of Greek art ; so Iceland, in the same way, is the centre of 
all that was most intense and brilliant in Scandinavian art and literature. 
* It is noteworthy that Michael Angelo first began to study painting, 
under the brothers Ghirlandajo, ten years before the death of Savonarola in 
1498.— Ed. 
