Page:The Classical Heritage of the Middle Ages.djvu/338

320 THE CLASSICAL HERITAGE [chap. Mentem mortcUia tangunt: the incidents of one human life present analogies to the actual or imagi- native experience of others. Whatever happens to man has something of the universal in it, and may be typical of analogous experiences coming to other men under different circumstances. Occurrences most palpably presenting elements which may be verified in common human experience are best suited for litera- ture and art. The featui-es of a story that fire the artist's imagination are those which are most readily verifiable in his own life or spiritual experience ; he is likely to represent these and omit the rest. The story is thus freed from its special circumstances and becomes more widely typical. All human events, and still more their presentations in art, have some- thing of the symbolical in them, and may be taken as allegories of other human situations and spiritual experience. The stories of the Old Testament were of wide religious application, that is, were widely representa- tive of relations between God and man ; so they con- tained elements of the universal. The story of Jonas, of Moses striking the rock, or of Daniel among the lions, might be taken as a partly allegorical presenta- tion of the universal truth of divine rescue of trusting humanity. This, however, is different from treat- ing those stories as symbolical of certain subsequent events, to wit, the facts and import of Christ's life on earth. But Jesus had thus specifically applied the story of Jonas to his own death and resurrection ; and again had said, " As Moses lifted up the brazen ser- pent in the wilderness, so shall the Son of Man be