One may ask, "Is the quality of appreciating beauty more spiritual than the craving for knowledge?" I would say in answer, where does knowledge come from? Knowledge comes by observation; observation comes by love of beauty. The first thing is that the flower attracts one's attention, and then one begins to find out where the flower comes from, what is its nature and character, what benefit it is, how to rear this plant. The first thing is that one is attracted by its beauty; the next thing is, one wants to fund out its nature. From this comes all knowledge.

There is a kind of artificial learning, not a natural learning, which may be called time-saving. Someone says, "Now people have learned in their lives and they have discovered things for us and written about them in books, and I must learn that by reading the book." But he does not know that he has not learned what that person who has written the book has learned. For instance, someone who has read the books of Luther Burbank, if he has read fifty books on horticulture, has not learned what Luther Burbank had learned. For he had made experiments for himself; he had been in the garden; his joy was such that he could not explain. No doubt another person will benefit by what he has given, but another person cannot enjoy what he has enjoyed, unless he pursues the same course.