and the German Protestant composers even now were not so very far behind
the Netherland ones. The Catholic Church could no longer claim the great
Albrecht Durer, and, if art ceased to create images of the saints, with
which the childish minds of the common people practised idolatry, so much
the better. The Infinite and Eternal was no subject for the artist. The
humanization of God only belittled his infinite and illimitable nature.
Earthly life offered art material enough. Man himself would be the
worthiest model for imitation, and perhaps no earlier epoch had created
handsomer likenesses of men and women than would now be produced by
evangelical artists.

To their own surprise, during this conversation they had reached the
Hiltner house, and Erasmus invited his friend to come to his room and
over a glass of wine answer him, as he had had the last word. But Wolf
had already drunk at his own home more of the fiery Wurzburg from the
precentor's cellar than usual. Besides, much as he still had to say in
reply to Erasmus, the sensible young man deemed it advisable to avoid the
syndic's house for the present. The confessor's suspicion had been
aroused, and De Soto was a Dominican, who certainly did not stand far
from the Holy Inquisition.

Therefore while Erasmus, with burning head and great excitement, was
still urging his friend to come in, Wolf unexpectedly bade him a hasty
and resolute farewell.




CHAPTER XXIII.