Crawley thrashes Lord Steyne within
an inch of his wicked life. The great
novelist, who happened also to be a
great writer, knew that the whole
scene, in conception and execution,
was a stroke of genius. But while
this supreme rapture belongs to a
chosen few, it may be shared by all
those who are ready to open the ima-
gination to its approach. It is one of
the great rewards of the artist that
while other kinds of joy are often
pathetically short-lived, his joy, hav-
ing brought forth enduring works, is,
in a sense, imperishable. And it not
only endures; it renews itself in kin-
dred moments and experiences which
it bestows upon those who approach
it sympathetically. There are lines
in the "Divine Comedy" which thrill
us to-day as they must have thrilled
Dante; there are passages in the

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v?