Мхи старої садиби
The Artist of the Beautiful
Inhisidleanddreamydayshehadconsidereditpossible,inacertainsense,tospiritualizemachinery,andtocombinewiththenewspeciesoflifeandmotionthusproducedabeautythatshouldattaintotheidealwhichNaturehasproposedtoherselfinallhercreatures,buthasnevertakenpainstorealize.Heseemed,however,toretainnoverydistinctperceptioneitheroftheprocessofachievingthisobjectorofthedesignitself.
"Ihavethrownitallasidenow,"hewouldsay."Itwasadreamsuchasyoungmenarealwaysmystifyingthemselveswith.NowthatIhaveacquiredalittlecommonsense,itmakesmelaughtothinkofit."
Poor,poorandfallenOwenWarland!Thesewerethesymptomsthathehadceasedtobeaninhabitantofthebetterspherethatliesunseenaroundus.Hehadlosthisfaithintheinvisible,andnowpridedhimself,assuchunfortunatesinvariablydo,inthewisdomwhichrejectedmuchthatevenhiseyecouldsee,andtrustedconfidentlyinnothingbutwhathishandcouldtouch.Thisisthecalamityofmenwhosespiritualpartdiesoutofthemandleavesthegrosserunderstandingtoassimilatethemmoreandmoretothethingsofwhichaloneitcantakecognizance;butinOwenWarlandthespiritwasnotdeadnorpassedaway;itonlyslept.
Howitawokeagainisnotrecorded.Perhapsthetorpidslumberwasbrokenbyaconvulsivepain.Perhaps,asinaformerinstance,thebutterflycameandhoveredabouthisheadandreinspiredhim,—asindeedthiscreatureofthesunshinehadalwaysamysteriousmissionfortheartist,—reinspiredhimwiththeformerpurposeofhislife.
