"But art?"--responded I--"you do not mean That art is nothing but a thing of thought, Or, less than that, of fancy? Nay, I claim That it is somewhat--a grand entity-- An organism of lofty principles, Informed with subtlest life, and clothed upon With usage and tradition of the men Who, working in those sunny provinces Where it holds eminent domain, have brought To build its temple and adorn its walls The usufruct of countless lives. So far Is art from being creature of man's thought That it is subject of his knowledge--stands In mighty mystery, and challenges The study of the world; rules noblest minds Like law or like religion; is a power To which the proudest artist-spirits bow With humblest homage. Is astronomy The creature of man's thought? Is chemistry? Yet these hold not, in this our universe, A form more definite, nor yet a place In human knowledge more beyond dispute, Than art itself. To this embodiment Of theory--of dogmas, if you will-- This body aggregate of truth revealed In growing light of ages to the eyes Touched to perception, I devote my life." "Nay, you're too fast," she said: "let alchemy And old astrology present your thought. These were somewhat; these were grand entities; But they went out like candles in thin air When knowledge came. The sciences are things Of law, of force, relations, measurements, Affinities and combinations, all The definite, demonstrable effects Of first and second causes. Between these And men's opinions, braced by usages, The space is wide. The thing which you call art Is anything but definite in form, Or fixed in law. It has as many shapes As worshippers. The world has many books, Written by earnest men, about this art; But having read them, we are no more wise Than he whose observation of the sun Is taken by kaleidoscope. The more He sees in it, the more he is confused. The sun works, doubtless, many fine effects With what he sees, but he sees not the sun." "But art is art," I said. "You'd cheat my sense. And mock my reason too. Ay, art is art. Things must have being that have history."