The idea of knighthood implies that of activity. The pattern saint
and flower of chivalry is one who gladly fights and would as gladly
die in noble causes. The words pronounced of old times on the
dubbing of a knight, "Be gentle, valiant, and fortunate," are not
words which could realise themselves in the dullard or the churl.
To the good knight, the ardent love of beauty, in all its aspects
is indispensable. The fair lady of his dreams is the spiritual
bright-shining of goodness, which expresses itself to him fitly
and sweetly in material and visible things. Hence he is always
poet, and fighter in some cause. And he is impelled to fight because
the love of beauty burns so hot within him that he cannot abide
to see it outraged. His very gentleness of heart is the spur of
his valour. Champion and knight as well as thinker and student,
the Son of Hermes is of necessity a reformer of men, a redeemer
of the world. It is not enough for him to know the doctrine, he
must likewise do the will of the gods, and bid the kingdom of the
Lord come upon earth without, even as in the heaven within his heart.
For the rule of his Order is the Law of Love, and "Love seeketh
ssnot her own."
The End
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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