X. Studies and Sketches for Pictures and Decorations: 684.
684.
Truth the sun.
falsehood a mask.
innocence,
malignity.
Fire destroys falsehood,
that is sophistry, and
restores truth, driving out
darkness.
Fire may be represented as the destroy of
all sophistry, and as the
image and demonstration of truth;
because it is light and drives
out darkness which conceals
all essences [or subtle things].
TRUTH.
Fire destroys all sophistry, that is deceit;
and maintains truth alone, that is gold.
Truth at last cannot be hidden.
Dissimulation is of no avail. Dissimulation is
to no purpose before
so great a judge.
Falsehood puts on a mask.
Nothing is hidden under the sun.
Fire is to represent truth because it
destroys all sophistry and lies; and the
mask is for lying and falsehood
which conceal truth.