to me from Zawis himself; of fine texture, artful design, and artistic workmanship. I fear some evil purpose lurks beneath it.”
“Beware, highness, of the beauty that bewilders,” said Tertius. “The powers of Satan are guileful; and he knows howto add splendor to material, and adornment to handicraft in order the better to entice the faithful. He endows the hand with unnatural skill, and guides the fingers to exquisite manipulation. He adorns his gifts with beauty to charm the eye, and costliness to win appreciation. He emblazons art upon the walls of the unbelievers; and decorates the chambers of the infidel with the wonders that entice the taste. He decks the heads of heretics with jewels, and replenishes the coffers of the Jew with wealth. He fills the unholy souls of scoffers with the knowledge of stars, and lays open the mysteries of planets to their research. He unlocks the complications of disease to their inquiries, and even fills their lips with the words that utter charity and wisdom. He makes them prosperous, and renowned, and honored by kings and cities, in order that he may the more effectually entice souls into his satanic kingdom by their means, and extend the dominion of hades. Satan spreads the witchery of these temptations before the eyes, the tastes, the intellect, the comfort, and the household sensibilities of men in order that he may employ all methods to destroy faith and render souls his slaves forever.
“Better a thousand times poverty, pain, suffering, want, self-chastisement and all evils on this earth,
