severandustry,talent;becausethesearethemeansbywhiachievegreatendsandmounttoloftyeminence.Iwatchyourcareerwithi,becauseIsideryouaspeofadiligent,orderly,eian:notbecauseIdeeplypassioyouhavegohrough,orwhatyoustillsuffer.”

    “Youwoulddescribeyourselfasamerepaganphilosopher,”Isaid.

    “No.Thereisthisdiffereweenmeaicphilosophers:Ibelieve;andIbelievetheGospel.Youmissedyourepithet.Iamnotapagan,butaChristianphilosopher—afollowerofthesectofJesus.AsHisdiscipleIadoptHispure,Hismerciful,Hisbenignantdoes.Iadvocatethem:Iamsworntospreadthem.Woninyouthtion,shehascultivatedmyinalqualitiesthus:-Fromtheminutegerm,naturalaffe,shehasdevelopedtheovershadowingtree,philanthropy.Fromthewildstringyrootofhumanuprightness,shehasrearedadueseheDiviice.Oftheambitiontowinpowerandrenownformywretchedself,shehasformedtheambitiontospreadmyMaster’skingdom;toachievevictoriesforthestandardofthecross.Somuchhasreligiondoneforme;turningtheinalmaterialstothebestat;pruningandtrainingnature.Butshecouldnoteradiature:norwillitbeeradicated‘tillthismortalshallputonimmortality.’”

    Havingsaidthis,hetookhishat,whichlayoablebesidemypalette.Oncemorehelookedattheportrait.

    “SheISlovely,”hemurmured.“SheiswellheRoseoftheWorld,indeed!”

    “AndmayInotpaintonelikeitforyou?”

    “Cuibono?No.”

    HedrewoverthepicturethesheetofthinpaperonwhichIwasacedtorestmyhandinpainting,topreventthecardboardfrombeingsullied.Whathesuddenlysawonthisblankpaper,itossibleformetotell;butsomethinghadcaughthiseye.Hetookitupwithas