s set in its true
and serviceable course, it moves under the luminous attraction of
pleasure on the one side, and with a stout moral purpose of going about
some useful business on the other. If the artist works without delight,
he passes away into space, and perishes of cold: if he works only for
delight, he falls into the sun, and extinguishes himself in ashes. On
the whole, this last is the fate, I do not say the most to be feared,
but which Art has generally hitherto suffered, and which the great
nations of the earth have suffered with it.

15. For, while most distinctly you may perceive in past history that Art
has never been produced, except by nations who took pleasure in it, just
as assuredly, and even more plainly, you may perceive that Art has
always destroyed the power and life of those who pursued it for pleasure
only. Surely this fact must have struck you as you glanced at the career
of the great nations of the earth: surely it must have occurred to you
as a point for serious questioning, how far, even in our days, we were
wise in promoting the advancement of pleasures which appeared as yet
only to have corrupted the souls and numbed the strength of those who
attained to them. I have been complaining of England that she despises
the Arts; but I might, with still more appearance of justice, complain
that she does not rather dread them than despise. For, what has been the
source of the ruin of nations since the world began? Has it been plague,
or famine, earthquake-shock or volcano-flame? None of these ever
prevailed against a great people, so as to make their name pass from the
earth. In every period and place of national decline, you will find
other causes than these at work to bring it about, namely, luxury,
effeminacy, love of pleasure, fineness in Art, ingenuity in enjoyment.
What is the main lesson which, as far as we seek any in our classical
reading, we gather for our youth from ancient history? Surely this--that
simplicity of life, of language, and of manners gives strength to a
nation; and that luxuriousness of life, subtlety of language, and
smoothness of manners bring weakness and destruction on a nation. While
men possess little and desire less, they remain brave and noble: while
they are scornful of all the arts of luxury, and are in the sight of
other nations as barbarians, their swords are irresistible and their
sway illimitable: but let them become sensitive to the refinements of
taste, and qu