A collection of artistic and philosophical essays of Nicholas Roerich, the keynote of which is the conquering of materialism through beauty and knowledge. Nicholas Roerich (1874-1947) is known first and foremost as a painter. His paintings, of which there are thousands around the world, explorethe mythic origins, the natural beauty, and the spiritual strivings of humanity and of the world. But Nicholas Roerich was as prolific a writer as he was a painter. He wrote books, poetry, and almost-daily essays on life and events (called Diary Leaves). Many of these writingshave been unavailable for decades. They will therefore be new to many readers. It is our hope that bringing these volumes to light again will expand awareness of the vast range and depth of Roerich's interests and insights into human nature and cultural history.