The House of the Beautiful

This quote is by George MacDonald, who was a 19th century writer, pastor, poet, etc. He had a major influence on C.S. Lewis and others. He wrote this to his father as he began to fall in love with Christianity:

"One of my greatest difficulties in considering to think of religion was that I should have to give up my beautiful thoughts and my love for things God had made. But I find that the happiness springing from all things not in themselves sinful is much increased by religion. God is the God of the beautiful, Religion is the love of the Beautiful, and Heaven the House of the Beautiful – nature is tenfold brighter in the sun of righteousness, and my love of nature is more intense since I became a Christian."