Poetry is the effort of the divine part of man to formulate a worthy
language in which to converse with angels.
Painting and sculpture seem to me the most presumptuous of the arts.
They are an effort of man to outdo God in creation. He never made a
perfect form or face--the artist alone makes them.
I am sure I do not play the organ as well at St Blank's as I played
it in the little church where I gave my services and was unknown.
People are praising me too much here, and this mars all spontaneity.
The very first hour of positive success is often the last hour of
great achievement. So soon as we are conscious of the admiring and
expectant gaze of men, we cease to commune with God. It is when we
are unknown to or neglected by mortals, that we reach up to the
Infinite and are inspired.
I have seen Marah Adams to-day, and I felt strangely drawn to her.
Her face would express all goodness if it were not so unhappy.
Unhappiness is a species of evil, since it is a discourtesy to God to
be unhappy.
I am going to do all I can for the girl to bring her into a better
frame of mind. No blame can be attached to her, and yet now that I
am face to face with the situation, and realise how the world regards
such a person, I myself find it a little hard to think of braving
public opinion and identifying myself with her.
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