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Devil； why fearest thou the eye of a man？
〃It is not the first time I have been a witness to your opinions
on the infirmity of gratitude；〃 said Zanoni。
Nicot suppressed an exclamation； and； after gloomily surveying
Zanoni with an eye villanous and sinister； but full of hate
impotent and unutterable； said； 〃I know you not；what would you
of me？〃
〃Your absence。 Leave us！〃
Nicot sprang forward a step； with hands clenched； and showing his
teeth from ear to ear； like a wild beast incensed。 Zanoni stood
motionless； and smiled at him in scorn。 Nicot halted abruptly；
as if fixed and fascinated by the look； shivered from head to
foot； and sullenly； and with a visible effort； as if impelled by
a power not his own； turned away。
Glyndon's eyes followed him in surprise。
〃And what know you of this man？〃 said Zanoni。
〃I know him as one like myself；a follower of art。〃
〃Of ART！ Do not so profane that glorious word。 What Nature is
to God； art should be to man；a sublime； beneficent； genial； and
warm creation。 That wretch may be a PAINTER； not an ARTIST。〃
〃And pardon me if I ask what YOU know of one you thus disparage？〃
〃I know thus much； that you are beneath my care if it be
necessary to warn you against him； his own lips show the
hideousness of his heart。 Why should I tell you of the crimes he
has committed？ He SPEAKS crime！〃
〃You do not seem； Signor Zanoni； to be one of the admirers of the
dawning Revolution。 Perhaps you are prejudiced against the man
because you dislike the opinions？〃
〃What opinions？〃
Glyndon paused； somewhat puzzled to define； but at length he
said； 〃Nay； I must wrong you； for you； of all men； I suppose；
cannot discredit the doctrine that preaches the infinite
improvement of the human species。〃
〃You are right； the few in every age improve the many； the many
now may be as wise as the few were； but improvement is at a
standstill； if you tell me that the many now are as wise as the
few ARE。〃
〃I comprehend you； you will not allow the law of universal
equality！〃
〃Law！ If the whole world conspired to enforce the falsehood they
could not make it LAW。 Level all conditions to…day； and you only
smooth away all obstacles to tyranny to…morrow。 A nation that
aspires to EQUALITY is unfit for FREEDOM。 Throughout all
creation； from the archangel to the worm； from Olympus to the
pebble； from the radiant and completed planet to the nebula that
hardens through ages of mist and slime into the habitable world；
the first law of Nature is inequality。〃
〃Harsh doctrine； if applied to states。 Are the cruel disparities
of life never to be removed？〃
〃Disparities of the PHYSICAL life？ Oh； let us hope so。 But
disparities of the INTELLECTUAL and the MORAL； never！ Universal
equality of intelligence； of mind； of genius； of virtue！no
teacher left to the world！ no men wiser； better than others；
were it not an impossible condition； WHAT A HOPELESS PROSPECT FOR
HUMANITY！ No； while the world lasts； the sun will gild the
mountain…top before it shines upon the plain。 Diffuse all the
knowledge the earth contains equally over all mankind to…day； and
some men will be wiser than the rest to…morrow。 And THIS is not
a harsh； but a loving law；the REAL law of improvement； the
wiser the few in one generation； the wiser will be the multitude
the next！〃
As Zanoni thus spoke； they moved on through the smiling gardens；
and the beautiful bay lay sparkling in the noontide。 A gentle
breeze just cooled the sunbeam； and stirred the ocean； and in the
inexpressible clearness of the atmosphere there was something
that rejoiced the senses。 The very soul seemed to grow lighter
and purer in that lucid air。
〃And these men； to commence their era of improvement and
equality； are jealous even of the Creator。 They would deny an
intelligence；a God！〃 said Zanoni； as if involuntarily。 〃Are
you an artist； and； looking on the world； can you listen to such
a dogma？ Between God and genius there is a necessary link；
there is almost a correspondent language。 Well said the
Pythagorean （Sextus； the Pythagorean。）； 'A good intellect is the
chorus of divinity。'〃
Struck and touched with these sentiments； which he little
expected to fall from one to whom he ascribed those powers which
the superstitions of childhood ascribe to the darker agencies；
Glyndon said： 〃And yet you have confessed that your life；
separated from that of others； is one that man should dread to
share。 Is there； then； a connection between magic and religion？〃
〃Magic！ And what is magic！ When the traveller beholds in Persia
the ruins of palaces and temples； the ignorant inhabitants inform
him they were the work of magicians。 What is beyond their own
power； the vulgar cannot comprehend to be lawfully in the power
of others。 But if by magic you mean a perpetual research amongst
all that is more latent and obscure in Nature； I answer； I
profess that magic； and that he who does so comes but nearer to
the fountain of all belief。 Knowest thou not that magic was
taught in the schools of old？ But how； and by whom？ As the last
and most solemn lesson； by the Priests who ministered to the
Temple。 （Psellus de Daemon （MS。）） And you； who would be a
painter； is not there a magic also in that art you would advance？
Must you not； after long study of the Beautiful that has been；
seize upon new and airy combinations of a beauty that is to be？
See you not that the grander art； whether of poet or of painter；
ever seeking for the TRUE； abhors the REAL； that you must seize
Nature as her master； not lackey her as her slave？
You demand mastery over the past； a conception of the future。
Has not the art that is truly noble for its domain the future and
the past？ You would conjure the invisible beings to your charm；
and what is painting but the fixing into substance the Invisible？
Are you discontented with this world？ This world was never meant
for genius！ To exist； it must create another。 What magician can
do more； nay； what science can do as much？ There are two avenues
from the little passions and the drear calamities of earth； both
lead to heaven and away from hell；art and science。 But art is
more godlike than science； science discovers； art creates。 You
have faculties that may command art； be contented with your lot。
The astronomer who catalogues the stars cannot add one atom to
the universe； the poet can call a universe from the atom； the
chemist may heal with his drugs the infirmities of the human
form； the painter； or the sculptor； fixes into everlasting youth
forms divine； which no disease can ravage； and no years impair。
Renounce those wandering fancies that lead you now to myself； and
now to yon orator of the human race； to us two； who are the
antipodes of each other！ Your pencil is your wand； your canvas
may raise Utopias fairer than Condorcet dreams of。 I press not
yet for your decision； but what man of genius ever asked more to
cheer his path to the grave than love and glory？〃
〃But；〃 said Glyndon； fixing his eyes earnestly on Zanoni； 〃if
there be a power to baffle the grave itself〃
Zanoni's brow darkened。 〃And were this so；〃 he said； after a
pause； 〃would it be so sweet a lot to outlive all you loved； and
to recoil from every human tie？ Perhaps the fairest immortality
on earth is that of a noble name。〃
〃You do not answer me；you equivocate。 I have read of the long
lives far beyond the date common experience assigns to man；〃
persisted Glyndon； 〃which some of the alchemists enjoyed。 Is the
golden elixir but a fable？〃
〃If not； and these men discovered it； they died； because they
refused to live！ There may be a mournful warning in your
conjecture。 Turn once more to the easel and the canvas！〃
So saying； Zanoni waved his hand； and； with downcast eyes and a
slow step； bent his way back into the city。
CHAPTER 2。VIII。
The Goddess Wisdom。
To some she is the goddess great；
To some the milch cow of the field；
Their care is but to calculate
What butter she will yield。
From Schiller。
This last conversation with Zanoni left upon the mind of Glyndon
a tranquillising and salutary effect。
From the confused mists of his fancy glittered forth again those
happy； golden schemes which part from the young ambition of art；
to play in the air； to illumine the space like rays that kindle
from the sun。 And with these projects mingled also the vision of
a love purer and serener than his life yet had known。 His mind
went back into that fair childhood of genius； when the forbidden
fruit is not yet tasted； and we know of no land beyond the Eden
which is gladdened by an Eve。 Insensibly before him there rose
the scenes of a home； with his art sufficing for all excitement；
and Viola's love circling occupation with happiness and content；
and in the midst of thes