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saints and downright villains all delightfully mixed up； and all
treated as one。 And then his alchemy！ Oh dear； night and day
the experiments are going on； and every man who brings a new
prescription is welcome as a brother。 But this alchemy is； you
know； only the material counterpart of a poet's craving for
Beauty； the eternal Beauty。 'The makers of gold and the makers
of verse；' they are the twin creators that sway the world's
secret desire for mystery； and what in my father is the genius of
curiositythe very essence of all scientific geniusin me is
the desire for beauty。 Do you remember Pater's phrase about
Leonardo da Vinci； 'curiosity and the desire of beauty'？〃
It was the desire of beauty that made her a poet； her 〃nerves of
delight〃 were always quivering at the contact of beauty。 To
those who knew her in England； all the life of the tiny figure
seemed to concentrate itself in the eyes； they turned towards
beauty as the sunflower turns towards the sun； opening wider and
wider until one saw nothing but the eyes。
She was dressed always in clinging dresses of Eastern silk； and
as she was so small； and her long black hair hung straight down
her back； you might have taken her for a child。 She spoke
little； and in a low voice； like gentle music； and she seemed；
wherever she was； to be alone。
Through that soul I seemed to touch and take hold upon the East。
And first there was the wisdom of the East。 I have never known
any one who seemed to exist on such 〃large draughts of
intellectual day〃 as this child of seventeen； to whom one could
tell all one's personal troubles and agitations； as to a wise old
woman。 In the East； maturity comes early； and this child had
already lived through all a woman's life。 But there was
something else； something hardly personal； something which
belonged to a consciousness older than the Christian； which I
realised； wondered at； and admired； in her passionate
tranquillity of mind； before which everything mean and trivial
and temporary caught fire and burnt away in smoke。 Her body was
never without suffering； or her heart without conflict； but
neither the body's weakness nor the heart's violence could
disturb that fixed contemplation； as of Buddha on his
lotus…throne。
And along with this wisdom； as of age or of the age of a race；
there was what I can hardly call less than an agony of sensation。
Pain or pleasure transported her； and the whole of pain or
pleasure might be held in a flower's cup or the imagined frown of
a friend。 It was never found in those things which to others
seemed things of importance。 At the age of twelve she passed the
Matriculation of the Madras University； and awoke to find herself
famous throughout India。 〃Honestly；〃 she said to me； 〃I was not
pleased； such things did not appeal to me。〃 But here； in a
letter from Hyderabad； bidding one 〃share a March morning〃 with
her； there is； at the mere contact of the sun； this outburst：
〃Come and share my exquisite March morning with me： this
sumptuous blaze of gold and sapphire sky； these scarlet lilies
that adorn the sunshine； the voluptuous scents of neem and
champak and serisha that beat upon the languid air with their
implacable sweetness； the thousand little gold and blue and
silver breasted birds bursting with the shrill ecstasy of life in
nesting time。 All is hot and fierce and passionate； ardent and
unashamed in its exulting and importunate desire for life and
love。 And； do you know that the scarlet lilies are woven petal by
petal from my heart's blood； these little quivering birds are my
soul made incarnate music； these heavy perfumes are my emotions
dissolved into aerial essence； this flaming blue and gold sky is
the 'very me；' that part of me that incessantly and in… solently；
yes； and a little deliberately； triumphs over that other parta
thing of nerves and tissues that suffers and cries out； and that
must die to…morrow perhaps； or twenty years hence。〃
Then there was her humour； which was part of her strange wisdom；
and was always awake and on the watch。 In all her letters；
written in exquisite English prose； but with an ardent imagery
and a vehement sincerity of emotion which make them； like the
poems； indeed almost more directly； un…English； Oriental； there
was always this intellectual； critical sense of humour； which
could laugh at one's own enthusiasm as frankly as that enthusiasm
had been set down。 And partly the humour； like the delicate
reserve of her manner； was a mask or a shelter。 〃I have taught
myself；〃 she writes to me from India； 〃to be commonplace and like
everybody else superficially。 Every one thinks I am so nice and
cheerful； so 'brave；' all the banal things that are so
comfortable to be。 My mother knows me only as 'such a tranquil
child； but so strong…willed。' A tranquil child！〃 And she writes
again； with deeper significance： 〃I too have learnt the subtle
philosophy of living from moment to moment。 Yes； it is a subtle
philosophy； though it appears merely an epicurean doctrine：
'Eat； drink； and be merry； for to…morrow we die。' I have gone
through so many yesterdays when I strove with Death that I have
realised to its full the wisdom of that sentence； and it is to me
not merely a figure of speech； but a literal fact。 Any to…morrow
I might die。 It is scarcely two months since I came back from
the grave： is it worth while to be anything but radiantly glad？
Of all things that life or perhaps my temperament has given me I
prize the gift of laughter as beyond price。〃
Her desire； always； was to be 〃a wild free thing of the air like
the birds； with a song in my heart。〃 A spirit of too much fire
in too frail a body； it was rarely that her desire was fully
granted。 But in Italy she found what she could not find in
England； and from Italy her letters are radiant。 〃This Italy is
made of gold；〃 she writes from Florence； 〃the gold of dawn and
daylight； the gold of the stars； and； now dancing in weird
enchanting rhythms through this magic month of May； the gold of
fireflies in the perfumed darkness'aerial gold。' I long to
catch the subtle music of their fairy dances and make a poem with
a rhythm like the quick irregular wild flash of their sudden
movements。 Would it not be wonderful？ One black night I stood
in a garden with fireflies in my hair like darting restless stars
caught in a mesh of darkness。 It gave me a strange sensation； as
if I were not human at all； but an elfin spirit。 I wonder why
these little things move me so deeply？ It is because I have a
most 'unbalanced intellect；' I suppose。〃 Then； looking out on
Florence； she cries； 〃God！ how beautiful it is； and how glad I am
that I am alive to…day！〃 And she tells me that she is drinking
in the beauty like wine； 〃wine； golden and scented； and shining；
fit for the gods； and the gods have drunk it； the dead gods of
Etruria； two thousand years ago。 Did I say dead？ No； for the
g