Thecasechosenforillustrationisaverysimpleone，——thatofastateofsocietyinwhichoneofthepredominantfeelingsismelancholy。Thisisnotanarbitrarysupposition，forsuchatimehasoccurredmorethanonceinhumanhistory；inAsia，inthesixthcenturybeforeChrist，andespeciallyinEurope，fromthefourthtothetenthcenturiesofourera。Toproducesuchastateoffeeling，fiveorsixgenerationsofdecadence，accompaniedwithdiminutionofpopulation，foreigninvasions，famines，pestilences，andincreasingdifficultyinprocuringthenecessariesoflife，areamplysufficient。Itthenhappensthatmenlosecourageandhope，andconsiderlifeanevil。Now，admittingthatamongtheartistswholiveinsuchatime，therearelikelytobethesamerelativenumbersofmelancholy，joyous，orindifferenttemperamentsasatothertimes，letusseehowtheywillbeaffectedbyreigningcircumstances。
　　Letusfirstremember，saysTaine，thattheevilswhichdepressthepublicwillalsodepresstheartist。Hisrisksarenolessthanthoseoflessgiftedpeople。Heisliabletosufferfromplagueorfamine，toberuinedbyunfairtaxationorconscription，ortoseehischildrenmassacredandhiswifeledintocaptivitybybarbarians。Andiftheseillsdonotreachhimpersonally，hemustatleastbeholdthosearoundhimaffectedbythem。Inthisway，ifheisjoyousbytemperament，hemustinevitablybecomelessjoyous；ifheismelancholy，hemustbecomemoremelancholy。
　　Secondly，havingbeenrearedamongmelancholycontemporaries，hiseducationwillhaveexerteduponhimacorrespondinginfluence。
　　Theprevailingreligiousdoctrine，accommodatedtothestateofaffairs，willtellhimthattheearthisaplaceofexile，lifeanevil，gayetyasnare，andhismostprofitableoccupationwillbetogetreadytodie。Philosophy，constructingitssystemofmoralsinconformitytotheexistingphenomenaofdecadence，willtellhimthathehadbetterneverhavebeenborn。Dailyconversationwillinformhimofhorribleevents，ofthedevastationofaprovince，thesackofatownbytheGoths，theoppressionoftheneighbouringpeasantsbytheimperialtax-collectors，orthecivilwarthathasjustburstoutbetweenhalfadozenpretenderstothethrone。Ashetravelsabout，hebeholdssignsofmourninganddespair，crowdsofbeggars，peopledyingofhunger，abrokenbridgewhichnooneismending，anabandonedsuburbwhichisgoingtoruin，fieldschokedwithweeds，theblackenedwallsofburnedhouses。Suchsightsandimpressions，repeatedfromchildhoodtooldageandwemustrememberthatthishasactuallybeenthestateofthingsinwhatarenowthefairestpartsoftheglobe，cannotfailtodeepenwhateverelementsofmelancholytheremaybealreadyintheartist’sdisposition。
　　Theoperationofallthesecauseswillbeenhancedbythatverypeculiarityoftheartistwhichconstituteshistalent。For，accordingtothedefinitionsabovegiven，thatwhichmakeshimanartistishiscapacityforseizingupontheessentialcharacteristicsandthesalienttraitsofsurroundingobjectsandevents。Othermenseethingsinpartfragmentarily；hecatchesthespiritoftheensemble。Andinthiswayhewillverylikelyexaggerateinhisworksthegeneralaverageofcontemporaryfeeling。
　　Lastly，ourauthorremindsusthatamanwhowritesorpaintsdoesnotremainalonebeforehiseaselorhiswriting-desk。Hegoesout，looksabouthim，receivessuggestionsfromfriends，fromrivals，frombooks，andworksofartwheneveraccessible，andhearsthecriticismsofthepublicuponhisownproductionsandthoseofhiscontemporaries。Inordertosucceed，hemustnotonlysatisfytosomeextentthepopulartaste，buthemustfeelthatthepublicisinsympathywithhim。Ifinthisperiodofsocialdecadenceandgloomheendeavourstorepresentgay，brilliant，ortriumphantideas，hewillfindhimselflefttohisownresources；and，asTainerightlysays，thepowerofanisolatedmanisalwaysinsignificant。Hisworkwillbelikelytobemediocre。IfheattemptstowritelikeRabelaisorpaintlikeRubens，hewillgetneitherassistancenorsympathyfromapublicwhichprefersthepicturesofRembrandt，themelodiesofChopin，andthepoetryofHeine。
　　Havingthusexplainedhispositionbythisextremeinstance，signifiedforthesakeofclearness，Tainegoesontoapplysuchgeneralconsiderationstofourhistoricepochs，takeninalltheircomplexity。HediscussestheaspectpresentedbyartinancientGreece，inthefeudalandCatholicMiddleAges，inthecentralizedmonarchiesoftheseventeenthcentury，andinthescientific，industrialdemocracyinwhichwenowlive。Outoftheseweshallselect，asperhapsthesimplest，thecaseofancientGreece，stillfollowingourauthorclosely，thoughnecessarilyomittingmanyinterestingdetails。
　　TheancientGreeks，observesTaine，understoodlifeinanewandoriginalmanner。Theirenergieswereneitherabsorbedbyagreatreligiousconception，asinthecaseoftheHindusandEgyptians，norbyavastsocialorganization，asinthecaseoftheAssyriansandPersians，norbyapurelyindustrialandcommercialregime，asinthecaseofthePhoeniciansandCarthaginians。
　　Insteadofatheocracyorarigidsystemofcastes，insteadofamonarchywithahierarchyofcivilofficials，themenofthisraceinventedapeculiarinstitution，theCity，eachcitygivingrisetootherslikeitself，andfromcolonytocolonyreproducingitselfindefinitely。AsingleGreekcity，forinstance，Miletos，producedthreehundredothercities，colonizingwiththemtheentirecoastoftheBlackSea。Eachcitywassubstantiallyself-ruling；andtheideaofacoalescenceofseveralcitiesintoanationwasonewhichtheGreekmindrarelyconceived，andneverwasabletoputintooperation。
　　Inthesecities，labourwasforthemostpartcarriedonbyslaves。InAthenstherewerefourorfiveforeachcitizen，andinplaceslikeKorinthandAiginatheslavepopulationissaidtohavenumberedfourorfivehundredthousand。Besides，theGreekcitizenhadlittleneedofpersonalservice。Helivedoutofdoors，and，likemostSouthernpeople，wascomparativelyabstemiousinhishabits。Hisdinnerswereslight，hisclothingwassimple，hishousewasscantilyfurnished，beingintendedchieflyforadentosleepin。
　　Servingneitherkingnorpriest，thecitizenwasfreeandsovereigninhisowncity。Heelectedhisownmagistrates，andmighthimselfserveascity-ruler，asjuror，orasjudge。
　　Representationwasunknown。Legislationwascarriedonbyallthecitizensassembledinmass。Thereforepoliticsandwarwerethesoleorchiefemploymentsofthecitizen。War，indeed，cameinfornoslightshareofhisattention。Forsocietywasnotsowellprotectedasinthesemoderndays。MostoftheseGreekcities，scatteredoverthecoastsoftheAigeian，theBlackSea，andtheMediterranean，weresurroundedbytribesofbarbarians，Scythians，GaulsSpaniards，andAfricans。Thecitizenmustthereforekeeponhisguard，liketheEnglishmanofto-dayinNewZealand，orliketheinhabitantofaMassachusettstowninthoseventeenthcentury。OtherwiseGaulsSamnites，orBithynians，assavageasNorthAmericanIndians，wouldbesuretoencampupontheblackenedruinsofhistown。Moreover，theGreekcitieshadtheirquarrelswitheachother，andtheirlawsofwarwereverybarbarous。Aconqueredcitywasliabletoberazedtotheground，itsmaleinhabitantsputtothesword，itswomensoldasslaves。
　　Undersuchcircumstances，accordingtoTaine’shappyexpression，acitizenmustbeapoliticianandwarrior，onpainofdeath。Andnotonlyfear，butambitionalsotendedtomakehimso。Foreachcitystrovetosubjectortohumiliateitsneighbours，toacquiretribute，ortoexacthomagefromitsrivals。Thusthecitizenpassedhislifeinthepublicsquare，discussingalliances，treaties，andconstitutions，hearingspeeches，orspeakinghimself，andfinallygoingaboardofhisshiptofighthisneighbourGreeks，ortosailagainstEgyptorPersia。
　　Warandpoliticsassubsidiarytoitwasthenthechiefpursuitoflife。Butastherewasnoorganizedindustry，sotherewerenomachinesofwarfare。Allfightingwasdonehandtohand。
　　Therefore，thegreatthinginpreparingforwarwasnottotransformthesoldiersintoprecisely-actingautomata，asinamodernarmy，buttomakeeachseparatesoldierasvigorousandactiveaspossible。TheleadingobjectofGreekeducationwastomakemenphysicallyperfect。Inthisrespect，SpartamaybetakenasthetypicalGreekcommunity，fornowhereelsewasphysicaldevelopmentsoentirelymadethegreatendofsociallife。InthesemattersSpartawasalwaysregardedbytheothercitiesastakingthelead，——ashavingattainedtheidealafterwhichallalikewerestriving。NowSparta，situatedinthemidstofanumerousconqueredpopulationofMesseniansandHelots，waspartlyagreatgymnasiumandpartlyaperpetualcamp。Hercitizenswerealwaysintraining。TheentiresocialconstitutionofSpartawasshapedwithaviewtothebreedingandbringingupofastrongandbeautifulrace。Feebleorill-formedinfantswereputtodeath。Theageatwhichcitizensmightmarrywasprescribedbylaw；andtheStatepairedoffmenandwomenasthemodernbreederpairsoffhorses，withasoleviewtotheexcellenceoftheoff-spring。Awifewasnotahelpmate，butabearerofathletes。Womenboxed，wrestled，andraced；acircumstancereferredtointhefollowingpassageofAristophanes，asrenderedbyMr。Felton:——
　　Hail！Lampito，dearestofLakonianwomen。
　　Howshinesthybeauty，Omysweetestfriend！
　　Howfairthycolour，fulloflifethyframe！
　　Why，thoucouldstchokeabull。
　　Yes，bytheTwain；
　　ForIdopracticethegymnasticart，And，leaping，strikemybackbonewithmyheels。
　　Insooth，thybustislovelytobehold。
　　Theyoungmenlivedtogether，likesoldiersinacamp。Theyateout-of-doors，atapublictable。Theirfarewasassimpleasthatofamodernuniversityboat-crewbeforearace。Theysleptintheopenair，andspenttheirwakinghoursinwrestling，boxing，runningraces，throwingquoits，andengaginginmockbattles。
　　ThiswasthewayinwhichtheSpartanslived；andthoughnoothercitycarriedthisdisciplinetosuchanextent，yetinallaverylargeportionofthecitizen’slifewasspentinmakinghimselfhardyandrobust。
　　Theidealman，intheeyesofaGreek，was，thereforenotthecontemplativeordelicatelysusceptiblethinkerbutthenakedathlete，withfirmfleshandswellingmuscles。Mostoftheirbarbarianneighbourswereashamedtobeseenundressed，buttheGreeksseemtohavefeltlittleembarrassmentinappearingnakedinpublic。Theirgymnastichabitsentirelytransformedtheirsenseofshame。TheirOlympicandotherpublicgameswereatriumphantdisplayofnakedphysicalperfection。YoungmenofthenoblestfamiliesandfromthefarthestGreekcoloniescametothem，andwrestledandran，undraped，beforecountlessmultitudesofadmiringspectators。Note，too，assignificant，thattheGreekerabeganwiththeOlympicgames，andthattimewasreckonedbytheintervalsbetweenthem；aswellasthefactthatthegrandestlyricpoetryofantiquitywaswrittenincelebrationofthesegymnasticcontests。Thevictorinthefoot-racegavehisnametothecurrentOlympiad；andonreachinghome，wasreceivedbyhisfellow-citizensasifhehadbeenageneralreturningfromasuccessfulcampaign。TobethemostbeautifulmaninGreecewasintheeyesofaGreektheheightofhumanfelicity；andwiththeGreeks，beautynecessarilyincludedstrength。Soardentlydidthisgiftedpeopleadmirecorporealperfectionthattheyactuallyworshippedit。AccordingtoHerodotos，ayoungSicilianwasdeifiedonaccountofhisbeauty，andafterhisdeathaltarswereraisedtohim。ThevastintellectualpowerofPlatoandSokratesdidnotpreventthemfromsharingthisuniversalenthusiasm。