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nor from the workman looking askance at his unhandsome material；
comes a first proposal to pour in cement and make fast the
underworld； out of sight。 But fate spares not that suggestion to
the able and the unlucky at their task of making neat work of the
means； the distribution； the traffick of life。
The springs； then； the profound wells； the streams； are of all the
means of our lives those which we should wish to see open to the
sun； with their waters on their progress and their way to us； but；
no； they are lapped in lead。
King Pandion and his friends lie not under heavier seals。
Yet we have been delighted； elsewhere； by open floods。 The hiding…
place that nature and the simpler crafts allot to the waters of
wells are； at their deepest； in communication with the open sky。 No
other mine is so visited； for the noonday sun himself is visible
there； and it is fine to think of the waters of this planet； shallow
and profound； all charged with shining suns； a multitude of waters
multiplying suns； and carrying that remote fire； as it were； within
their unalterable freshness。 Not a pool without this visitant； or
without passages of stars。 As for the wells of the Equator； you may
think of them in their last recesses as the daily bathing…places of
light； a luminous fancy is able so to scatter fitful figures of the
sun； and to plunge them in thousands within those deeps。
Round images lie in the dark waters； but in the bright waters the
sun is shattered out of its circle； scattered into waves； broken
across stones； and rippled over sand； and in the shallow rivers that
fall through chestnut woods the image is mingled with the mobile
figures of leaves。 To all these waters the agile air has perpetual
access。 Not so can great towns be watered； it will be said with
reason； and this is precisely the ill…luck of great towns。
Nevertheless； there are towns； not； in a sense； so great； that have
the grace of visible wells； such as Venice； where every campo has
its circle of carved stone； its clashing of dark copper on the
pavement； its soft kiss of the copper vessel with the surface of the
water below； and the cheerful work of the cable。
Or the Romans knew how to cause the parted floods to measure their
plain with the strong； steady； and level flight of arches from the
watersheds in the hills to the and city； and having the waters
captive； they knew how to compel them to take part； by fountains； in
this Roman triumph。 They had the wit to boast thus of their
brilliant prisoner。
None more splendid came bound to Rome； or graced captivity with a
more invincible liberty of the heart。 And the captivity and the
leap of the heart of the waters have outlived their captors。 They
have remained in Rome； and have remained alone。 Over them the
victory was longer than empire； and their thousands of loud voices
have never ceased to confess the conquest of the cold floods；
separated long ago； drawn one by one； alive； to the head and front
of the world。
Of such a transit is made no secret。 It was the most manifest fact
of Rome。 You could not look to the city from the mountains or to
the distance from the city without seeing the approach of those
perpetual waterswaters bound upon daily tasks and minute services。
This； then； was the style of a master； who does not lapse from
〃incidental greatness；〃 has no mean precision； out of sight； to
prepare the finish of his phrases； and does not think the means and
the approaches are to be plotted and concealed。 Without anxiety；
without haste； and without misgiving are all great things to be
done； and neither interruption in the doing nor ruin after they are
done finds anything in them to betray。 There was never any disgrace
of means； and when the world sees the work broken through there is
no disgrace of discovery。 The labour of Michelangelo's chisel；
little more than begun； a Roman structure long exposed in disarray
upon these the light of day looks full； and the Roman and the
Florentine have their unrefuted praise。
THE FOOT
Time was when no good news made a journey； and no friend came near；
but a welcome was uttered； or at least thought； for the travelling
feet of the wayfarer or the herald。 The feet； the feet were
beautiful on the mountains； their toil was the price of all
communication； and their reward the first service and refreshment。
They were blessed and bathed； they suffered； but they were friends
with the earth； dews in grass at morning； shallow rivers at noon；
gave them coolness。 They must have grown hard upon their mountain
paths； yet never so hard but they needed and had the first pity and
the readiest succour。 It was never easy for the feet of man to
travel this earth； shod or unshod； and his feet are delicate； like
his colour。
If they suffered hardship once； they suffer privation now。 Yet the
feet should have more of the acquaintance of earth； and know more of
flowers； freshness； cool brooks； wild thyme； and salt sand than does
anything else about us。 It is their calling； and the hands might be
glad to be stroked for a day by grass and struck by buttercups； as
the feet are of those who go barefoot； and the nostrils might be
flattered to be； like them； so long near moss。 The face has only
now and then； for a resting…while； their privilege。
If our feet are now so severed from the natural ground； they have
inevitably lost life and strength by the separation。 It is only the
entirely unshod that have lively feet。 Watch a peasant who never
wears shoes； except for a few unkind hours once a week； and you may
see the play of his talk in his mobile feet； they become as dramatic
as his hands。 Fresh as the air； brown with the light； and healthy
from the field； not used to darkness； not grown in prison； the foot
of the contadino is not abashed。 It is the foot of high life that
is prim； and never lifts a heel against its dull conditions； for it
has forgotten liberty。 It is more active now than it lately was
certainly the foot of woman is more active； but whether on the pedal
or in the stirrup； or clad for a walk； or armed for a game； or
decked for the waltz； it is in bonds。 It is； at any rate；
inarticulate。
It has no longer a distinct and divided life； or none that is
visible and sensible。 Whereas the whole living body has naturally
such infinite distinctness that the sense of touch differs； as it
were； with every nerve； and the fingers are so separate that it was
believed of them of old that each one had its angel； yet the modern
foot is； as much as possible； deprived of all that delicate
distinction： undone； unspecialized； sent back to lower forms of
indiscriminate life。 It is as though a landscape with separate
sweetness in every tree should be rudely painted with the blank
blank； not simplegeneralities of a vulgar hand。 Or as though one
should take the pleasures of a day of happiness in a wholesale
fash