HEINRICH HEINE - Repositories

46 I^eine,
real forms of the Italian people. Nature
has here got back from the artists
the capital she formerly lent to them;
and see ! it is restored with handsoiiic
interest. Nature, which formerly su})-
plied the artist with models, now copies
the masterpieces created by the artist
from her own models. The sense of
the beautiful has permeated the whole
nation, and as formerly the flesh exercised
its influence over the spirit, so now
the spirit influences the flesh. Not
fruitless is the worship of those beautiful
iMadoiinas, of the fair altar pictures
that impress themselves on the soul of
the bridegroom, while the bride carries
devoutly in her breast the features of
some beautiful saint. Through such
elective affinity a race of beings has
here arisen fairer than the sweet soil
whereon it blossoms and the .sunny sky
that sheds a halo round it like a frame
of gold.
POOR
PETER.
Grete and Hans come dancing by,
They shout for very glee ;
Poor Peter stands all silently,
And white as chalk is he.