Java's ancient monuments are eloquent evidence of that innate consciousness of something beyond earthly existence which moves men to propitiate the principle of life by sacrifice in temples as gloriously divine as mortal hand can raise. Fear, however, especially where Buddhism moulded their thought by contemplation intent upon absorption of self, entered little into the religion of the children of this pearl of islands. Nature, beautiful, almighty nature, guided them and their work; even the terror inspired by the cosmic ...
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Java's ancient monuments are eloquent evidence of that innate consciousness of something beyond earthly existence which moves men to propitiate the principle of life by sacrifice in temples as gloriously divine as mortal hand can raise. Fear, however, especially where Buddhism moulded their thought by contemplation intent upon absorption of self, entered little into the religion of the children of this pearl of islands. Nature, beautiful, almighty nature, guided them and their work; even the terror inspired by the cosmic energy throbbing under their feet, by frequent volcanic upheavals dealing destruction and death, flowered into promise of new joy, thanks to the consummate art of their builders and sculptors, whose master minds, conceiving grandly, devising boldly and finishing with elaborate ornament, emphasised most cunningly the lofty yet lovely majesty of their natural surroundings. They made them images of the Supreme Being in his different aspects and symbolised attributes, free from the abject dread which dominated his worship by other earthlings of his fashioning in other climes, whose notion of All-Power was more one of Vengeance than of All-Sufficiency. They lived and meditated and wrought, impressing their mentality upon the material world given for their use; and so they created marvels of beauty, developed an architecture which belongs pre-eminently to their luxuriant soil under the clear blue of their sky, in the brilliant light of their sun.
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Add this copy of Monumental Java, With Illustrations, and Vignettes to cart. $20.00, good condition, Sold by DogStar Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lancaster, PA, UNITED STATES, published 1985 by Asian Educational Services.
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Seller's Description:
Good+ in Very Good-dust jacket. Photograph reproductions; 8vo 8"-9" tall; 302 pages; Reprint of the classic 1912 text with facsimile reproductions of the author's photos and drawings. Soundly bound in red cloth with gilt title lettering. Pictorial dust jacket is bright and clean with mild rippling to the laminate; a small triangle clipped from the front flap. Prior owner has corner creased about 10-15 pages and there is a phrase underlined on about the same number of pages. G++/VG-
