“ ‘The age of Augustus! What of that? We know nothing about it.’
“ ‘Perhaps, then, the period of the Renaissance?’
“ ‘The Renaissance! A period of beggarly decadence!’
“ ‘Ah, then, to revive signifies to decline.’
“ ‘Decidedly; so far as the Renaissance goes.’
“ ‘The only period remaining is the seventeenth century.’ My voice was here stifled by groans.
“ ‘Who is this Coleopterous? Have you lived in a hole? Learn, Sir Beetle, that which is known and sanctioned now-a-days we utterly condemn and ignore, while all that is obscure, lost in the dust of oblivion, we bring to light and restore with the varnish of our enthusiasm. Depend upon it, there has never been but one really grand epoch, which lasted twenty years and three months. This was in the twelfth century, during the time of Averroes. The Saracens brought art to the highest pitch of perfection.’
“ ‘Let us leave these driveling fools,’ I whispered to my companion.
“ ‘Willingly.’
“Our next flight was across the garden to a spot I had never seen before. Its name was taken from an ancient causeway on which it had been erected. We entered a rich tulip where a number of insects were assembled.