THE HARMONY OF VIRTUE

58 The Harmony of VirtueWilson: That also.Keshav: Then is not action the form of a quality, that is tosay, the shape in which it expresses itself?Wilson: So it seems.Keshav: So we find that virtue has a form.Wilson: But may not qualities have a form apart fromaction?Treneth: For example, thought.Keshav: But the expression of thought is included in actionfor our purpose.Treneth: For our purpose only.Keshav: As you please. I merely want to use one projectionfrom the rock and not imperil my neck by clutching twoin one hand.Treneth: I am satisfied.Keshav: I suppose, Broome, you mean by form a concreteshape?Wilson: I suppose so.Keshav: Then you must see that qualities unexpressed inaction are wholly chaotic and formless; and I mean within thescope of action, the expression of thought and the act of sittingor standing or lying down and the act of being indolentand anything that by any legitimate stretch of language may becalled an act.Wilson: I too am satisfied.Keshav: Then we are agreed that a quality must possessform, that is to say, express itself in action or it will not bea virtue?Treneth: May it not prefer to express itself in perfume andcolour?Keshav: I had forgotten that.Now if we inquire what colour is, we shall see that it is nothingconcrete but merely an effect on the retina of the eye, and itsprosperity lies in the eye that sees it, and if the retina of the eyeis perfect, every different shade impresses itself, but if imperfect,then the eye is blind to one or more colours. Will you agreewith me when I say that anything to which we give the name ofcolour must be the reverse of concrete?