ian, the last of the Pagans, did _not_ cry, _Vicisti
Galilae_! Mr. Swinburne, however, as a merely carnal poet, employed the
legend in his splendid "Proserpina," using it with superb effect in the
young Pagan's retort, "Thou hast conquered, O pale Galilean!--thy dead
shall go down to thee dead." But now the "sovereign voice" speaks through
Sir Edwin Arnold, and the legend must stand as history.

Under the guidance of the "sovereign voice" Sir Edwin is able to
enlighten us on the physiology of angels. These creatures are usually
painted with wings. But this is a mistake. They are wingless; for where
these live there blows no wind, Nor aught spreads, gross as air, nor any
kind Of substance, whereby spirits' march is stopped.

Sir Edwin knows all about them. Angels do not need wings, and have none,
moving apparently _in vacuo_. But what havoc this truth would make in
the picture galleries of Europe. Raphael himself was mistaken. He took
angels to be a species of fowl, whereas they are--well, Sir Edwin does
not tell us. He tells us what they are _not_. What they are is, as
usual, left to the fancy of the reader, who pays his money and takes his
choice. Only he must beware of _wings_.

Positively the most gratifying thing in Sir Edwin's book is this. Under
the influence of the "sovereign voice" he is able to tell us how God
Almighty likes to be designated. Perhaps it is better not to name him at
all, but if we _must_ name him--and it seems hard to refrain from some
term or other--we should call him _Eloi_. That is what Jesus called him,
and we see no reason why it should not become fashionable.

Sir Edwin Arnold's method of dishing up Jesus Christ is certainly
artful. It does credit to his _Daily Telegraph_ training. Everybody
knows that one of the chief difficulties of novelists is to make their
wonderful heroes act and talk. Sir Edwin does not jump this difficulty.
He shirks it. He takes up the story of Jesus after his death,
resurrection, and ascension. Three years are allowed to elapse, to give
the risen Nazarene time to get clean away, and then Sir Edwin begins
business. After a preliminary section, in, which the three Magi are
brought upon the scene, the body of the poem opens with Mary Magdalene,
who does nearly all the talking to the very end. Indeed the poem should
have been called after her, for it is really "Mary Magdalene on Jesus
Christ." The lady gives her reminiscences--that is, Sir Edwin gives them
for her