The Washington herald., 1908-02-20
THE OPTIMIST.

In seeking for causes Of optimism there
Is one thing, let Us remember, for which
we should all be eternslly thankful and
that is the instinct toward beauty that
Is in US. II is not a question Of reason
or calculation; the human soul Graves
beauty as a. plant Graves water. and
instinctively we recognize that beauty in
its large, profound sense is one o. the
expressions for the universe. Without
any shadow of doubt man prehgures God
in his heart as the all-beautiful. and the
soul turns to the real things OF life. 10
truth. to goodness. 10 honesty. to fair
dealing, 70 clean striving. because these
things are beautiful. As Lowell says:
The love Of tie beautiful and true, like the dew
drops Ia tie heart q The efsstAl remains f0FetsF
clear and liquid in the inmost shrine Of mans being
though an the rest De turned 10 stone by soToE
and degregation.
Culture, without certain measure OF
which, man is nothing. is but the result
OF striving after beauty: delicate sensi-
bility toward beauty is a sign Of strength
in man. awakening in him a longing
for the better things Of life and urging
him forward out Of tie ugly darkness
into the light.
i was Emerson who said.
It is righteous instinct which bids as welcome
and honor beauty whether in nan %. woman. as
something Of real w0rth-dvine heavenly ave.
though we know mol hoE, in Inyst deep sense
Eternal
I think, perhaps the most perfect and
exquisite form Of concrete beauty is that
which We find in a woman's face. Poets
have raved over it, philosophy has sue
cumbed 10 it; religion has been aided by
H. and much Of the best work IN the
world has been done and is being done
under this glorious inspiration. Some
have said that love Of a beautiful face
does not mean much; but IL was Richter
who declared that the love which starts
from beauty Of face. ennobles itself at
last into love for beauty Of soul"
In seeing the face OF a beautiful woman
we see. thank heaven. much more than
the mere outward aspect At such times
there is given us the power 90 see behind
the mask so that we can trace the fasci-
nation of outline and the deIlcacy OF color
10 a thousand associations which con
meet those qualities with the source Of
our existence. with the hopes OF our
age. with tenderness. with the strongest
of natural instincts
For where is ans author IN the world.
Ieacles sucn beauty as 4 WOm4u's eyeg
T1ey are the books. the arts the academies.
That shew. contain. and nounsh ali tie world
II Is true that sometimes good resides
In hidsOus temple and that beauty has
been perverted. ere now. 20 evil uses.
but this is against nature-as sin is.
Undertakings out Of use; exceptions that
prove the rule The instinct Of the soul
Of man when gazing on "A face Of great
beauty is 20 cry with Shakespeare.
There's nothing ia can dwell in such a temple.
II the il spirit have fair a h0ase
Good things VIII strive 70 dwell in il.
And 20 beauty Of face il is given 70
many OF Us 10 know those who are beau
tiful Of character. beautiful Of soul
whose lives are an Inspiration. whose
words may cheer Us on. whose very
presence may make US better and strong
er- For beauty is one Of the most potent
Of The weapons with which God fights
iH and Ugliness and sin. and in the fact
that there is SO much in this fair world
OF ours that is 50 beautiful and fine and
pure. there lies the greatest reason for
the hope that is within Us. For
There is a sDirt in the kindliug glance
Of Uure and lofty beauty. which doth C-cI
Each darker passion. and as heroes fell
Before the tenor of Minerals lance
- beauty. armed with virtue bows the soul
With a c1uuap pding but sweet control.
Making the heart all holiness and love.
And 1rTrfur IN mid rfr1rr rr- ALL