PoetslikeSophokles，andstatesmenlikeAlexander，thoughtitnotbeneaththeirdignitytoengagepubliclyingymnasticsports。
　　Theirconceptionsofdivinitywereframedinaccordancewiththesegeneralhabits。Thoughsometimes，asinthecaseofHephaistos，theexigenciesoftheparticularmythrequiredthedeitytobephysicallyimperfect，yetordinarilytheGreekgodwassimplyanimmortalman，completeinstrengthandbeauty。Thedeitywasnotinvestedwiththehumanformasameresymbol。Theycouldconceivenoloftierwayofrepresentinghim。Thegrandeststatue，expressingmostadequatelythecalmnessofabsolutelyunfetteredstrength，mightwell，intheireyes，beaveritableportraitofdivinity。ToaGreek，beautyofformwasaconsecratedthing。Morethanonceaculpritgotoffwithhislifebecauseitwouldhavebeenthoughtsacrilegioustoputanendtosuchasymmetricalcreature。Andforasimilarreason，theGreeks，thoughperhapsnotmorehumanethantheEuropeansoftheMiddleAges，rarelyallowedthehumanbodytobemutilatedortortured。Thecondemnedcriminalmustbemarredaslittleaspossible；andhewas，therefore，quietlypoisoned，insteadofbeinghung，beheaded，orbrokenonthewheel。
　　IsnottheunapproachableexcellenceofGreekstatuary——thatartneversinceequalled，andmostlikely，fromtheabsenceoftheneedfulsocialstimulus，destinednevertobeequalled——alreadysufficientlyexplained？Consider，saysourauthor，thenatureoftheGreeksculptor’spreparation。Thesemenhaveobservedthehumanbodynakedandinmovement，inthebathandthegymnasium，insacreddancesandpublicgames。Theyhavenotedthoseformsandattitudesinwhicharerevealedvigour，health，andactivity。
　　Andduringthreeorfourhundredyearstheyhavethusmodified，correctedanddevelopedtheirnotionsofcorporealbeauty。Thereis，therefore，nothingsurprisinginthefactthatGreeksculpturefinallyarrivedattheidealmodel，theperfecttype，asitwas，ofthehumanbody。Ourhighestnotionsofphysicalbeauty，downtothepresentday，havebeenbequeathedtousbytheGreeks。Theearliestmodernsculptorswhoabandonedthebony，hideous，starvelingfiguresofthemonkishMiddleAges，learnedtheirfirstlessonsinbetterthingsfromGreekbas-reliefs。Andif，to-day，forgettingourhalf-developedbodies，inefficientlynourished，becauseofourexcessivebrain-work，andwiththeirmusclesweakandflabbyfromwantofstrenuousexercise，wewishtocontemplatethehumanforminitsgrandestperfection，wemustgotoHellenicartforourmodels。
　　TheGreekswere，inthehighestsenseoftheword，anintellectualrace；buttheyneverallowedthemindtotyrannizeoverthebody。Spiritualperfection，accompaniedbycorporealfeebleness，wastheinventionofasceticism；andtheGreekswereneverascetics。Diogenesmightscornsuperfluousluxuries，butifheeverrolledandtumbledhistubaboutasRabelaissayshedid，itisclearthatthevictoryofspiritoverbodyformednopartofhistheoryofthings。SuchanideawouldhavebeenincomprehensibletoaGreekinPlato’stime。Theirconscienceswerenotoveractive。Theywerenotburdenedwithasenseofsinfulness。Theiraspirationsweredecidedlyfinite；andtheybelievedinsecuringthemaximumcompletenessofthisterrestriallife。Consequentlytheyneversetthephysicalbelowtheintellectual。Toreturntoourauthor，theynever，intheirstatues，subordinatedsymmetrytoexpression，thebodytothehead。Theywereinterestednotonlyintheprominenceofthebrows，thewidthoftheforehead，andthecurvatureofthelips，butquiteasmuchinthemassivenessofthechest，thecompactnessofthethighs，andthesolidityofthearmsandlegs。
　　Notonlytheface，butthewholebody，hadforthemitsphysiognomy。Theyleftpicturesquenesstothepainter，anddramaticfervourtothepoet；andkeepingstrictlybeforetheireyesthenarrowbutexaltedproblemofrepresentingthebeautyofsymmetry，theyfilledtheirsanctuariesandpublicplaceswiththosegrandmotionlesspeopleofbrass，gold，ivory，copper，andmarble，inwhomhumanityrecognizesitshighestartistictypes。
　　StatuarywasthecentralartofGreece。Nootherartwassopopular，orsocompletelyexpressedthenationallife。Thenumberofstatueswasenormous。Inlaterdays，whenRomehadspoiledtheGreekworldofitstreasures，theImperialCitypossessedapopulationofstatuesalmostequalinnumbertoitspopulationofhumanbeings。Andatthepresentday，afterallthedestructiveaccidentsofsomanyinterveningcenturies，itisestimatedthatmorethansixtythousandstatueshavebeenobtainedfromRomeanditssuburbsalone。
　　IncitingthisadmirableexpositionasaspecimenofM。Taine’smethodofdealingwithhissubject，wehaverefrainedfromdisturbingthepellucidcurrentofthoughtbycriticismsofourown。Wethinktheforegoingexplanationcorrectenough，sofarasitgoes，thoughitdealswiththemerestrudimentsofthesubject，andreallydoesnothingtowardelucidatingthedeepermysteriesofartisticproduction。ForthisthereisneededaprofounderpsychologythanM。Taine’s。Butwhetherhistheoryofartbeadequateornot，therecanbebutoneopinionastothebrillianteloquencewithwhichitissetforth。
　　INaveryinterestingessayonBritishandForeignCharacteristics，publishedafewyearsago，Mr。W。R。GregquotesthefamousletteroftheTurkishcaditoMr。Layard，withthecommentthat“itcontainsthegermandelementofawisdomtowhichourbusyandbustlingexistenceisastranger“；andheusesitasatextforaninstructivesermononthe“gospelofleisure。“Heurges，withjustice，thatthetooeagerandrestlessmodernman，absorbedinproblemsofindustrialdevelopment，maylearnawholesomelessonfromthecontemplationofhisOrientalbrother，whocaresnottosay，“Behold，thisstarspinnethroundthatstar，andthisotherstarwithatailcomethandgoethinsomanyyears“；whoaspiresnotaftera“doublestomach，“norhopestoattaintoParadiseby“seekingwithhiseyes。“Ifanyonemaybethoughttostandinneedofsomesuchlesson，itistheAmericanofto-day。JustasfarastheTurkcarrieshisapathytoexcess，doestheAmericancarrytoexcesshisrestlessness。ButjustbecausetheincuriousidlenessoftheTurkisexcessive，soastobedetrimentaltocompletenessofliving，itisunfittosupplyuswiththehintsweneedconcerningthecauses，character，andeffectsofourover-activity。Asermonofleisure，ifitistobeofpracticalusetous，mustnotbeasermonoflaziness。TheOrientalstateofmindisincompatiblewithprogressiveimprovementofanysort，physical，intellectual，ormoral。Itisoneofthephenomenaattendantuponthearrivalofacommunityatastationaryconditionbeforeithasacquiredacomplexcivilization。Anditappearsserviceableratherasabackgrounduponwhichtoexhibitinreliefourmodernturmoil，thanbyreasonofanylessonwhichitisitselflikelytoconvey。
　　Letusinpreferencestudyoneofthemosteminentlyprogressiveofallthecommunitiesthathaveexisted。LetustakeanexamplequitedifferentfromanythatcanbedrawnfromOrientallife，butalmostequallycontrastedwithanythatcanbefoundamongourselves；andletus，withtheaidofit，examinetherespectiveeffectsofleisureandofhurryuponthecultureofthecommunity。
　　Whatdomoderncriticsmeanbythe“healthycompleteness“ofancientlife，whichtheyaresofondofcontrastingwiththe“heated，““discontented，“orimperfectandone-sidedexistenceofmoderncommunities？Isthisameresetofphrases，suitedtosomeimaginarywantoftheliterarycritic，butansweringtonothingreal？Aretheytobesummarilydisposedofasrestinguponsometacitassumptionofthatold-grannyismwhichdelightsinasseveratingthattimesarenotwhattheyusedtobe？Isthecontrastanimaginaryone，duetothesoftened，cheerfullightwithwhichwearewonttocontemplateclassicantiquitythroughthecharmedmediumofitsincomparableliterature？Orisitarealcontrast，worthyoftheattentionandanalysisofthehistoricalinquirer？Theanswertothesequerieswillleadusfarintothediscussionofthesubjectwhichwehavepropounded，andweshallbestreachitbyconsideringsomeaspectsofthesocialconditionofancientGreece。ThelessonstobelearnedfromthatwonderfulcountryarenotyetexhaustedEachtimethatwereturntothatrichestofhistoricmines，anddelvefaithfullyandcarefully，weshallbesuretodigupsomejewelworthcarryingaway。
　　AndinconsideringancientGreece，weshalldowelltoconfineourattention，forthesakeofdefinitenessofconception，toasinglecity。ComparativelyhomogeneousasGreekcivilizationwas，therewasneverthelessagreatdealofdifferencebetweenthesocialcircumstancesofsundryofitsciviccommunities。WhatwastrueofAthenswasfrequentlynottrueofSpartaorThebes，andgeneralassertionsaboutancientGreeceareoftenlikelytobecollectonlyinalooseandgeneralway。Inspeaking，therefore，ofGreece，ImustbeunderstoodinthemainasreferringtoAthens，theeyeandlightofGreece，thenucleusandcentreofHellenicculture。
　　LetusnotefirstthatAthenswasalargecitysurroundedbypleasantvillage-suburbs，——thedemesofAttika，——verymuchasBostoniscloselygirdledbyruralplaceslikeBrookline，JamaicaPlain，andtherest，villageaftervillageratherthicklycoveringacircuitoffromtentotwentymiles’radius。ThepopulationofAthenswithitssuburbsmayperhapshaveexceededhalfamillion；butthenumberofadultfreemenbearingarmsdidnotexceedtwenty-fivethousand。[67]Foreveryoneofthesefreementherewerefourorfiveslaves；notignorant，degradedlabourers，belongingtoaninferiortypeofhumanity，andbearingthemarksofalowercasteintheirverypersonalformationandinthecolouroftheirskin，likeourlately-enslavednegroes；
　　butintelligent，skilledlabourers，belongingusuallytotheHellenic，andatanyratetotheAryanrace，asfairandperhapsashandsomeastheirmasters，andnotsubjectedtoespecialignominyorhardship。Theseslaves，ofwhomtherewereatleastonehundredthousandadultmales，relievedthetwenty-fivethousandfreemenofnearlyalltheseveredrudgeryoflife；andtheresultwasanamountofleisureperhapsneversinceknownonanequalscaleinhistory。
　　TherelationsofmasterandslaveinancientAthensconstituted，ofcourse，averydifferentphenomenonfromanythingwhichthehistoryofourownSouthernStateshastoofferus。OurSouthernslaveholderslivedinanageofindustrialdevelopment；theyweremoney-makers:theyhadtheirfullshareofbusinessinmanagingtheoperationsforwhichtheirlabourerssuppliedthecrudephysicalforce。ItwasnotsoinAthens。Theeraofcivilizationfoundeduponorganizedindustryhadnotbegun；money-makinghadnotcometobe，withtheGreeks，theoneall-importantendoflife；andmeresubsistence，whichisnowdifficult，wastheneasy。TheAthenianlivedinamild，genial，healthyclimate，inacountrywhichhasalwaysbeennotablefortheactivityandlongevityofitsinhabitants。Hewasfrugalinhishabits，——awine-drinkerandaneaterofmeat，butrarelyaddictedtogluttonyorintemperance。Hisdresswasinexpensive，fortheGreekclimatemadebutlittleprotectionnecessary，andthegymnastichabitsoftheGreeksledthemtoesteemmorehighlythebeautyofthebodythanthatofitscovering。Hishousewassimple，notbeingintendedforsocialpurposes，whileofwhatweshouldcallhome-lifetheGreekshadnone。Thehousewasashelteratnight，aplacewherethefrugalmealmightbetaken，aplacewherethewifemightstay，andlookafterthehouseholdslavesorattendtothechildren。AndthisbringsustoanothernotablefeatureofAthenianlife。Thewifehavingnopositioninsociety，beingnothing，indeed，butasortofhouseholdutensil，howgreatlywaslifesimplified！Whatadoorforexpenditurewasthere，asyetsecurelyclosed，andwhichnoonehadthoughtofopening！Nomilliner’sordressmaker’sbills，noeveningparties，noProteanfashions，noelegantfurniture，noimperiousnecessityforKleanthestooutshineKleon，nocoaches，noChateauMargaux，nojourneystoArkadiainthesummer！Insuchastateofsociety，asonemayeasilysee，thelabourofonemanwouldsupporthalfadozen。ItcosttheAthenianbutafewcentsdailytolive，andeventhesefewcentsmightbeearnedbyhisslaves。Weneednot，therefore，besurprisedtolearnthatinancientAthenstherewerenopaupersorbeggars。Theremightbepoverty，butindigencewasunknown；andbecauseoftheabsenceoffashion，style，anddisplay，evenpovertyentailednouncomfortablelossofsocialposition。TheAtheniansvaluedwealthhighly，nodoubt，asasourceofcontributionstopublicfestivalsandtothenecessitiesofthestate。Butasfarasthecircumstancesofdailylifego，thedifferencebetweentherichmanandthepoormanwasimmeasurablylessthaninanymoderncommunity，andtheincentivestotheacquirementofwealthwere，asaconsequence，comparativelyslight。