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Show REALM OF THE IMAGINATION. Ruskln's Idea of the Men the World B Calls Geniuses. I bollovo that tho noblest forms ot H imaglnntUe power aro In somo sort "nsovernablo, and have In them some-H some-H thing tt tho character of dreams; bo M that tho vision, of whatever kind. fm,,s uncalled, and will not submit U8lr t0 lle seer, but conquers him, H and forces him to speak ns prophet, H having no power over his words or thoughts. Only, It tho whole man be trained perfectly, and his mind calm, consistent and powerful, the vision whlc comes to him Is seen as In a perfect mirror, sorenoly and In consistence con-sistence with tho rational powers; but a-j lf the mind bo Imperfect and ill- trained, tto vision Is seen as in a H broken mirror, with strango dlstor- H tlons and discrepancies, all tho pas- H slons of tho heart breathing upon it In H cross ripples, till haidly a traco of it H remains unbroken. So that, strictly H speaking, tho Imagination is never H governed; It Is always the ruling and H divine power; and the rest of the man H Is to It only as nn Instrument which it H sounds, or a tablet on which it writes; clearly nnd sublimely if the wax be H smooth and tho strings true, grotesque- ly and wildly If they nro strained and H broken. And thus the "Iliad," the H "Inferno," tho "Pilgrim's Progress," the "I'aerlo Queen," aro all of them H truo dreams; only tho sleep of tho men to whom they camo was tho deep, H living sleep which God sends, with a sacredness In it, as of death, the re- Vcalor of secrets. Huskln, "Tho Stones of Venice." |