thus perfection was to be  found in the achievements of past time, and men aspired to write as good books, paint as beautiful pictures, or lead as saintly the great figures of old.

지금 이구조는 to 이하 write ,paint , lead가 같이 걸린 거잖아요. 근데 write as good books 와 paint as beautiful pictures 는 뒤에 as 이하가 생략된 구조 로 쓴건가요

 (이것처럼 aspired to write as good books (as of past time) 처럼 된건가요 )