contemptuous indifference for one who could do no more to amuse him being
a true measure of the royal greatness. Face to face with even the least
of these grave and pious men, how paltry and unclean are all those
courtly figures; not _there_ was dignity, in the palace chambers and the
stately gardens, but in the poor rooms where the solitaries of Port-Royal
prayed and studied and taught. Whether or not the ideal for mankind,
their life was worthy of man. And what is rarer than a life to which
that praise can be given?



IX.


It is amusing to note the superficial forms of reaction against
scientific positivism. The triumph of Darwin was signalized by the
invention of that happy word Agnostic, which had great vogue. But
agnosticism, as a fashion, was far too reasonable to endure. There came
a rumour of Oriental magic, (how the world repeats itself!) and presently
every one who had nothing better to do gossipped about "esoteric
Buddhism"--the saving adjective sounded well in a drawing-room. It did
not hold very long, even with the novelists; for the English taste this
esotericism was too exotic. Somebody suggested that the old
table-turning and spirit-rapping, which had homely associations, might be
re-considered in a scientific light, and the idea was seized upon.
Superstition pranked in the professor's spectacles, it set up a
laboratory, and printed grave reports. Day by day its sphere widened.
Hypnotism brought matter for the marvel-mongers, and there followed a
long procession of words in limping Greek--a little difficult till
practice had made perfect. Another fortunate terminologist hit upon the