If she is genuine and strong, she says her say and makes her protest, and passes back again, uncontaminated, into the quiet villages, as pure and free as ever.

That is the case with genius.

But if the spring of her energy is not all her own--is not quite untainted, she parts with her old grace and glory, losing it in hard unloving talk, in selfish intercourse, in striving after the advantages of comfort and wealth.
She stays, and is dissipated--she is conformed to the image of the world.

That is what happens to mere talent." The only other conversation with him that impressed itself very distinctly upon my mind was about religion.

He had been thinking--so he told me--very deeply about Christianity, its strength and weakness.