the first person of the Trinity, as seem to have been made to Abraham, Moses, and Ezekiel.

The third, by the manifestation of a form properly belonging to them, but not necessarily seen; as of the Risen Christ to His disciples when the doors were shut. And the fourth, by their operation on the human form which they influence or inspire; as in the shining of the face of Moses.1

are in or

through crea

It is evident that in all these cases, wherever there is form at all, it is the form of some creature to us known. § 3. And these It is no new form peculiar to spirit, nor can it be. We can conceive of none. Our inquiry is simply ture forms therefore, by what modifications those creature familiar to us. forms to us known, as of a lamb, a bird, or a human creature, may be explained as signs or habitations of Divinity, or of angelic essence, and not creatures such as they seem.

This may be done in two ways. First, by effecting some change in the appearance of the creature incon§ 4. Supersistent with its actual nature; as by giving it natural charcolossal size, or unnatural colour or material, as of gold, or silver, or flame, instead of flesh; or taking

impressed on these either by consistent with

acter may be

phenomena in

their common

away its property of matter altogether, and forming it of light or shade, or in an intermediate step, nature (comof cloud or vapour; or explaining it by terrible pare Chap. IV. concomitant circumstances, as of wounds in the $16), body, or strange lights and seemings round about it; or joining of two bodies together, as in angels' wings. Of all which means of attaining supernatural character (which, though in their nature ordinary and vulgar, are yet effective and very glorious in mighty hands) we have already seen the limits in speaking of the Imagination.

But the second means of obtaining supernatural character is that with which we are now concerned, namely, § 5. Or by inretaining the actual form in its full and material herent dignity. presence, and, without aid from any external interpretation whatsoever, to raise that form by mere inherent dignity to

1 [The Bible references in § 2 are Exodus iii. 2; 1 Kings xix. 18, 19; Matthew iii. 16; John i. 29; Genesis xxii. 11; Ezekiel i. 1; John xx. 19; Exodus xxxiv. 29.]

such pitch of power and impressiveness as cannot but assert and stamp it for superhuman.

On the north side of the Campo Santo at Pisa, are a series of paintings from the Old Testament history by Benozzo Gozzoli. In the earlier of these, angelic presences, mingled with human, occur frequently, illustrated by no awfulness of light, nor incorporeal tracing. Clear revealed they move, in human forms, in the broad daylight and on the open earth, side by side, and hand in hand with men. But they never miss of the angel.'

He who can do this, has reached the last pinnacle and utmost power of ideal, or any other art. He stands in no need, thenceforward, of cloud, or lightning, or tempest, or terror of mystery. His sublime is independent of the elements. It is of that which shall stand when they shall melt with fervent heat, and light the firmament when the sun is as sackcloth of hair.2

§ 6. First, Of the expression of Inspiration.

Let us consider by what means this has been effected, so far as they are by analysis traceable; and that is not far, for here, as always, we find that the greater part of what has been rightly accomplished has been done by faith and intense feeling, and cannot, by aid of any rules or teaching, be either tried, estimated, or imitated.

And first, of the expression of supernatural influence on forms actually human, as of Sibyl or Prophet. It is evident that not only here is it unnecessary, but we are not altogether at liberty to trust for expression to the utmost ennobling of the human form; for we cannot do more than this, when that form is to be the actual representation, and not the recipient of Divine presence. Hence, in order to retain the actual humanity definitely we must leave upon it such signs of the operation of Sin and the liability to Death as are consistent with human ideality; and often more than these, definite signs of immediate and active evil, when the prophetic spirit is to be expressed in men such as were Saul and Balaam ; neither may we ever, with just discrimination, touch the

1 [See the passage from a letter of Ruskin cited in the Introduction above, p. xxx., where the fresco, drawn by Ruskin in the plate, is described.]

2 [2 Peter iii. 10; Revelations vi. 12.]