A single question remained, the age-old cry of anguish: “How could one so beautiful be so base?” - Jack Vance

And I understand they are, in a sense, artists? That is to say, they understand the creative process, the sublimation of fact to symbol and the use of symbol to suggest emotion?

“Our ancient creed is correct. Rather than submitting to change we must divert the influences which conduce in such a direction.”
Ramus Imph listened with patient good humor. “The remarks of the sagacious Servant are persuasive, even though they fail to correspond with reality.”

He looked around the landscape. Drenched in the golden haze of late afternoon it seemed wonderfully tranquil and beautiful, though permeated with a sense of remoteness and even melancholy, like a scene remembered from one’s youth.