material from the ,google ,print        
project47         ,every attempt has    
been made to replicate the original as  
printed4 ,some  typographical errors    
have been corrected2 a list follows the 
text4 ,no   attempt has been made to    
correct the ,german spelling4 ,the      
footnotes                               
follow the text4                        
7etext transcriber's note7              
,,the                                   
,,philosophy ,,of ,,life1               
,,and                                   
,,philosophy ,,of ,,language1           
,,in ,a                          ,course
 of ,lectures4                          
,,by ,,frederick ,,von ,,schlegel4      
,,translated ,,from ,,the ,,german      
,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,a4 ,j4 ,w4           
,,morrison1 ,m4,a4                      
,,new ,,york3                           
,,harper  ,,brothers1 ,,publishers1     
#hb ,,cliff ,,street4                   
#ahdh4     ,,contents4    ,,philosophy  
,,of ,,life4    ,,lecture ,i4           

,page   ,of the thinking ,soul as the   
,center of ,consciousness1 and of the   
false   ,procedure of ,reason           
#g    ,,lecture ,,ii4   ,of the loving  
,soul as the ,center of the moral ,life2
 and of ,marriage #bh    ,,lecture      
,,iii4   ,of the ,soul's ,share in      
,knowledge1 and of ,revelation          
#dh    ,,lecture ,,iv4   ,of the ,soul  
in relation to ,nature                  
#gj    ,,lecture ,v4   ,of the ,soul of 
,man in relation to ,god                
#ie    ,,lecture ,,vi4   ,of the ,wisdom
 of the divine ,order of ,things in     
,nature1 and of the   ,relation of      
,nature to the other ,life and to the   
,invisible ,world    #aae    ,,lecture  
,,vii4   ,of the divine ,wisdom as      
manifested in the ,realm of ,truth1 and 
of   the ,conflict of the ,age with     
,error                                  
#ada    ,,lecture ,,viii4   ,of the     
divine ,order in the ,history of the    
,world and the ,relation of   ,states   
#afb    ,,lecture ,,ix4   ,of the true  

,destination of ,philosophy3 and of the 
apparent ,schism   but essential ,unity 
between a right ,faith and highest      
,certainty1 as   the ,center of ,light  
and ,life in the ,consciousness         
#ahe    ,,lecture ,x4   ,of the twofold 
,spirit of ,truth and ,error in         
,science2 of the ,conflict   of ,faith  
with ,infidelity                        
#bjf    ,,lecture ,,xi4   ,of the       
,relation of ,truth and ,science to     
,life1 and of ,mind in its application  
to ,reality                             
#bcb    ,,lecture ,,xii4   ,of the      
symbolical ,nature and ,constitution of 
,life with reference to   ,art and the  
moral ,relations of ,man                
#bef    ,,lecture ,,xiii4   ,of the     
,spirit of ,truth and ,life in its      
application to ,politics1 or of the     
,christian ,constitution of the ,state  
and the ,christian ,idea of             
,jurisprudence                          
#bgg    ,,lecture ,,xiv4   ,of the      
,division of ,ranks1 and of the         

reciprocal ,relations of ,states1       
according to the ,christian ,idea4 ,of  
,science as a ,power2 of its            
,constitution1   and of the right       
,regulation of it                       
#cja    ,,lecture ,,xv4   ,of the true  
,idea of a ,theocracy2 of the ,might of 
,science1 and of the   final            
,restoration and ,perfection of the     
human ,consciousness        #cbj        
,,philosophy ,,of ,,language4           
,preface of the ,german ,editor         
#cda    ,,lecture ,i4                   
#cdc    ,,lecture ,,ii4                 
#cfd    ,,lecture ,,iii4                
#chb    ,,lecture ,,iv4                 
#djb    ,,lecture ,v4                   
#dbd    ,,lecture ,,vi4                 
#ddd    ,,lecture ,,vii4                
#dfi    ,,lecture ,,viii4               
#dic    ,,lecture ,,ix4                 
#ead    ,,lecture ,x4                   
#ecg     ,,preface4   ,these fifteen    
,lectures on the ,philosophy of ,life   
are intended to give1 as far as         

possible1 a full and clear exposition of
 the most interesting topics that can   
engage human attention4 ,in the opening 
they treat of the soul1 first of all as 
forming the center of consciousness1    
and1 secondly1 of its co-operation with 
mind or spirit in science1 that is1 the 
acquisition of a right knowledge of man 
and nature1 and of their several        
relations to the ,deity4 ,these matters 
occupy five ,lectures of the whole      
series4 ,the next three treat of the    
laws of divine wisdom and providence1 as
 discernible in outward nature1 in the  
world of thought1 and in the history of 
mankind4 ,the last seven contain an     
attempt to trace the development of     
man's mind or spirit1 both within       
himself and in science and public life4 
,tracing its gradual expansion1 as      
unfolded either by the legitimate       
pursuit of a restoration to original    
excellence1 or by the struggle with the 
opposing spirit of the times1 they      
follow the human race through its       

progressive gradations1 up to the       
closing term of perfection4             
,,philosophy ,,of ,,life4     ,,lecture 
,i4  ,,of ,,the ,,thinking ,,soul ,,as  
,,the ,,center ,,of ,,consciousness1    
,,and ,,of ,,the ,,false ,,procedure    
,,of ,,reason4   8,there are10 says a   
poet as ingenious as profound1#a 8more  
things in heaven and earth than are     
dreamt of in our philosophy40 ,this     
sentiment1 which ,genius accidentally   
let drop1 is in the main applicable also
 to the philosophy of our own day2 and1 
with a slight modification1 ,i shall be 
ready to adopt it as my own4 ,the only  
change that is requisite to make it     
available for my purpose would be the   
addition--8and also between heaven and  
earth are there many things which are   
not dreamt of in our philosophy40 ,and  
exactly because philosophy1 for the most
 part1 does nothing but                 
dream--scientifically dream1 it may     
be--therefore is it ignorant1 ay1 has no
 inkling even of much which1            

nevertheless1 in all propriety it ought 
to know4 ,it loses sight of its true    
object1 it quits the firm ground where1 
standing secure1 it might pursue its own
 avocations without let or hinderance1  
whenever1 abandoning its own proper     
region1 it either soars up to heaven to 
weave there its fine-spun webs of       
dialectics1 and to build its            
metaphysical castles in the air1 or     
else1 losing itself on the earth1 it    
violently interferes with external      
reality1 and determines to shape the    
world according to its own fancy1 and to
 reform it at will4 ,half way between   
these two devious courses lies the true 
road2 and the proper region of          
philosophy is even that spiritual inner 
life between heaven and earth4  ,on both
 sides1 many and manifold errors were   
committed even in the earlier and better
 days of enlightened antiquity4 ,plato  
himself1 the greatest of the great      
thinkers of ,greece1 set up in his      
,republic the model of an ideal polity1 

which1 in this respect1 can not bear the
 test of examination4 ,his design indeed
 finds1 in some measure1 its apology in 
the disorders and corruption which1 even
 in his day1 had infected all the free  
states of ,greece1 whether great or     
small4 ,his work1 too1 by the           
highly-finished style of the whole1 the 
vivid perspicuity of its narrative1 its 
rich profusion of pregnant ideas and    
noble sentiments1 stands out in         
dignified contrast to the crude and     
ill-digested schemes of legislation so  
hastily propounded in our own day4      
,still1 it will ever remain the weak    
point of this great man4 ,one needs not 
to be a ,plato to see how absolutely    
unfeasible1 not to say practically      
absurd1 are many of the propositions of 
this ,platonic ideal4 ,accordingly1 it  
has ever been the fruitful occasion1 not
 only among cotemporaries1 but also with
 posterity1 of ridicule to the ignorant 
and of censure to the wise4 ,in this    
respect it can not but excite our regret

 that such great and noble powers of    
mind should have been wasted in         
following a false direction1 and in     
pursuit of an unattainable end4 ,the    
oldest philosophers of ,greece1 on the  
other hand--those first bold adventurers
 on the wide ocean of thought--combined 
together the elements of things1 water1 
or air1 or fire1 or atoms1 or1 lastly1  
the all-ruling intellect#b itself1 into 
as many different systems of the        
universe4 ,if1 however1 each in his own 
way thus set forth a peculiar creed of  
nature1 we must ever bear in mind that  
the popular religion1 with its poetical 
imagery1 and the fabulous mythology of  
antiquity1 as affording not only no     
sufficient1 but absolutely no answer to 
the inquiring mind1 as to the essence of
 things1 and the first cause of all1    
could not possibly satisfy these earlier
 thinkers4 ,consequently1 they might    
well feel tempted to find1 each for     
himself1 a way to honor nature1 and to  
contemplate the supreme ,being4 ,since  

then1 however1 the world has grown older
 by nearly twenty-five centuries1 and   
much1 in the mean while1 has been       
accomplished by1 or fallen to the share 
of1 the human race4 ,but when philosophy
 would pretend to regard this long      
succession of ages1 and all its fruits1 
as suddenly erased from the records of  
existence1 and for the sake of change   
would start afresh1 so perilous an      
experiment can scarcely lead to any good
 result1 but in all probability1 and to 
judge from past experience1 will only   
give rise to numberless and interminable
 disputes4 ,such an open space in       
thought--cleared from all the traces of 
an earlier existence 7a                 
smoothly-polished marble tablet1 as it  
were1 like the tabula rasa of a recent  
ephemeral philosophy7--would only serve 
as an arena for the useless though      
daring ventures of unprofitable         
speculation1 and could never form a safe
 basis for solid thought1 or for any    
permanent manifestation of intellectual 

life4  ,in itself it is nothing         
surprising if young and inexperienced   
minds1 occupying themselves prematurely1
 or in a perverted sense1 with the grand
 ideas of ,god and ,nature1 liberty and 
the march of thought1 should be wholly  
overmastered and carried away with them4
 ,it has often happened before now1 and 
it is no new thing if youthful and      
ardent temperaments should either yield 
to the seductive temptation to make1 not
 to say create1 a new religion of their 
own2 or else feel a deceitful impulse to
 censure and to change all that is      
already in existence1 and1 if possible1 
to reform the whole world by their      
newly-acquired ideas4  ,that this       
twofold aberration and misuse of        
philosophical thought must prove        
universally injurious1 and prejudicial  
both to education and the whole world1  
is so evident that it can scarcely be   
necessary to dwell upon it4 ,its effect 
has been to cause men1 especially those 
whose minds have been formed in the     

great and comprehensive duties of       
practical life1 to view the thing       
altogether in an evil light1 although it
 must be confessed there is much        
injustice in this sweeping condemnation4
 ,in several of the great statesmen of  
,rome we may observe a similar contempt 
for ,grecian philosophy as useless and  
unprofitable4 ,and yet1 as is happily   
indicated by its ,greek name1 this whole
 effort was assuredly based upon a noble
 conception1 and1 when duly regulated1 a
 salutary principle4 ,for in this       
beautiful word1 according to its        
original acceptation1 science is not    
regarded as already finished and mature1
 but is rather set forth as an object of
 search--of a noble curiosity and of a  
pure enthusiasm for great and sublime   
truths1 while at the same time it       
implies the wise use of such knowledge4 
,merely1 however1 to check and to hinder
 the aberrations of a false philosophy1 
is not by itself sufficient4 ,it is only
 by laying down and leveling the right  

road of a philosophy of life1 that a    
thorough remedy for the evil is to be   
found4 ,true philosophy1 therefore1     
honoring that which has been given from 
above and that which is existent from   
without1 must neither raise itself in   
hostility to the one1 nor attempt to    
interfere violently with the other4 ,for
 it is exactly when1 keeping modestly   
within its proper limits of the inner   
spiritual life1 it makes itself the     
handmaid neither of theology nor of     
politics1 that it best asserts its true 
dignity and maintains its independence  
on its own peculiar domain4 ,and thus1  
even while it abstains most scrupulously
 from intermeddling with the positive   
and actual1 will it operate most        
powerfully on alien and remote branches 
of inquiry1 and by teaching them to     
consider objects in a freer and more    
general light1 indirectly it will       
exercise on them a salutary influence4  
,thus1 while it proceeds along its      
appointed path1 it will1 as it were     

without effort1 disperse many a mist    
which spreads its dangerous delusion    
over the whole of human existence1 or   
remove1 perhaps1 many a stone of        
stumbling1 which offends the age and    
divides the minds of men in strife and  
discord4 ,in this manner1 consequently1 
will it most beautifully attest its     
healing virtue1 and at the same time    
best fulfill its proper destination4    
,the object1 therefore1 of philosophy is
 the inner mental life 7geistige        
,leben71 not merely this or that        
individual faculty in any partial       
direction1 but man's spiritual life with
 all its rich and manifold energies4    
,with respect to form and method3 the   
philosophy of life sets out from a      
single assumption--that of life1 or1 in 
other words1 of a consciousness to a    
certain degree awakened and manifoldly  
developed by experience--since it has   
for its object1 and purposes to make    
known the entire consciousness1 and not 
merely a single phase of it4 ,now1 such 

an end would be hindered rather than    
promoted by a highly elaborate or       
minutely exhaustive form1 and a         
painfully artificial method2 and it is  
herein that the difference lies between 
a philosophy of life and the philosophy 
of the school4 ,if philosophy be        
regarded merely as one part of a general
 scientific education1 then is the      
instruction in method 7whether under the
 old traditionary name of ,logic or any 
other7 the chief point to be regarded4  
,for such a mere elementary course1     
passing over1 or at least postponing for
 a while the consideration of the       
matter1 as possessing as yet but a very 
remote interest for the student1 and1 in
 the default of an adequate internal    
experience of his own1 incapable of     
being understood by him1 concerns itself
 rather with the practice of methodical 
thought1 both as necessary for the      
future1 and as applicable to all        
matters4 ,but the preliminary exercise  
in philosophical thinking is only the   

introduction to philosophy1 and not     
philosophy itself4 ,this school-teaching
 of philosophy might1 perhaps1 be       
rendered productive of the most         
excellent consequences1 if only it were 
directed to the history of the human    
intellect4 ,what could be more          
interesting than a history which should 
enter into the spirit1 and distinctly   
embody the various systems which the    
inventive subtilety of the ,greeks gave 
birth to1 or which1 taking a still wider
 range1 should embrace the science of   
the ,egyptians1 and some ,asiatic       
nations1 and illustrate the no less     
wonderful nor less manifold systems of  
the ,hindoos--those ,greeks of the      
primeval world8 ,but this1 perhaps1     
would be to encroach upon the peculiar  
domain of erudition1 and might1         
moreover1 fail to furnish equal interest
 for all2 and1 at any rate1 the history 
of philosophy is not philosophy itself4 
,now1 the distinction between the       
philosophy of life and the philosophy of

 the school will appear in very         
different lights1 according to the      
peculiarity of view which predominates  
in the several philosophical systems4   
,that species of philosophy which       
revolves in the dialectical orbit of    
abstract ideas1 according to its        
peculiar character1 presupposes and     
requires a well-practiced talent of     
abstraction1 perpetually ascending      
through higher grades to the very       
highest1 and even then boldly venturing 
a step beyond4 ,in short1 as may be     
easily shown in the instance of modern  
,german science1 the being              
unintelligible is set up as a kind of   
essential characteristic of a true and  
truly scientific philosophy4 ,i1 for my 
part1 must confess that ,i feel a great 
distrust of that philosophy which dwells
 in inaccessible light1 where the       
inventor indeed asserts of himself1 that
 he finds himself in an unattainable    
certainty and clearness of insight1     
giving us all the while to understand   

thereby that he does see well enough    
how1 of all other mortals1 scarcely any1
 or1 perhaps1 strictly speaking1 no one1
 understands or is capable of           
understanding him4 ,in all such cases it
 is only the false light of some        
internal ignis fatuus that produces this
 illusion of the unintelligible1 or1    
rather1 of nonsense4 ,in this pursuit of
 wholly abstract and unintelligible     
thought1 the philosophy of the school is
 naturally enough esteemed above every  
other1 and regarded as pre-eminently the
 true science--i4e41 the unintelligible4
  ,in such a system a philosophy of life
 means nothing more than a kind of      
translation of its abstruser mysteries  
into a more popular form1 and an        
adaptation of them to the capacity of   
ordinary minds4 ,but even such popular  
adaptations1 though evincing no common  
powers of language and illustration1 in 
spite of their apparent clearness1 when 
closer examined1 are found as           
unintelligible as the recondite         

originals4 ,for1 inasmuch as the        
subject-matter of these abstract        
speculations was1 from the very first1  
confused and unintelligible1 it was     
consequently incapable of being made    
clear even by the most perspicuous of   
styles4 ,but the true living philosophy 
has no relation or sympathy with this   
continuous advance up to the            
unintelligible heights of empty         
abstraction4 ,since the objects it      
treats of are none other than those     
which every man of a cultivated mind1   
and1 in any degree accustomed to observe
 his own consciousness1 both has and    
recognizes within himself1 there is     
nothing to prevent its exposition being 
throughout clear1 easy1 and forcible4   
,here the relation is reversed4 ,in such
 a system the philosophy of life is the 
chief and paramount object of interest2 
while the philosophy of the school1 or  
the scientific teaching of it in the    
schools1 however necessary and valuable 
in its place1 is still1 as compared with

 the whole thing itself1 only secondary 
and subordinate4 ,in the philosophy of  
life1 moreover1 the method adopted must 
also be a living one4 ,consequently it  
is not1 by any means1 a thing to be     
neglected4 ,but still it need not to be 
applied with equal rigor throughout1 or 
to appear prominently in every part1    
but1 on all occasions1 must be governed 
in these respects by what the particular
 end in view may demand4  ,a few        
illustrations1 drawn from daily         
experience1 will1 perhaps1 serve to     
explain my meaning4 ,generally speaking1
 the most important arts and pursuits of
 life are ultimately based on           
mathematics4 ,this science furnishes    
them1 as it were1 with the method they  
observe2 but it is not practicable1 nor1
 indeed1 has man the leisure1 to revert 
on every occasion1 with methodical      
exactness1 to these elements1 but1      
assuming the principles to be well known
 and admitted1 he attends rather to the 
results essential to the end he has in  

view4 ,the economical management of the 
smallest as well as of the largest      
household1 rests1 in the end1 on the    
elementary principles of arithmetic2 but
 what would come of it if1 on every     
occasion1 we were to go back to the     
simple 8one-times-one0 of the           
multiplication table1 and reflected upon
 and sought for the proofs that the     
principle is really valid and can       
confidently be relied on in practice8   
,in the same way the art of war is      
founded on geometry2 but when the       
general arranges his troops for battle1 
does he consult his ,euclid to satisfy  
himself of the correctness and          
advantages of his position8 ,lastly1    
when the astronomer1 whose vocation is  
pre-eminently dependent on accurate     
calculation1 when he would make us      
acquainted with the phenomena of the    
sidereal heavens1 confines himself      
almost entirely to them1 without        
wearying those whom he wishes to        
interest1 with the complicated          

reckonings which1 however1 in all       
probability1 he was obliged himself to  
go through4 ,with all these arts and    
pursuits of practical life1 the         
intellectual business of thinking--of   
such thinking at least as is common to  
most men--and of communicating thought1 
has a sort of affinity and resemblance4 
,for1 unquestionably1 it is one among   
the many problems of philosophy to      
establish a wise economy and prudent    
stewardship of that ever-shifting mass  
of incoming and outgoing thoughts which 
make up our intellectual estate and     
property4 ,and this is the more         
necessary the greater are the treasures 
of thought possessed by our age4 ,for1  
in the highly rapid interchange of and  
traffic in ideas1 which is carrying on1 
the receipts and disbursements are not  
always duly balanced4 ,there is much    
cause1 therefore1 to fear lest a        
thoughtless and lavish dissipation of   
the noblest mental endowments should    
become prevalent1 or a false and        

baseless credit-system in thought spring
 up amid an absolute deficiency of a    
solid and permanent capital safely      
invested in fundamental ideas and       
lasting truths4 ,as for the second      
simile3 ,i should1 by all means1 wish to
 gain a victory1 not indeed for you1 but
 with you1 over some of the many errors 
and many semblances of thought1 which   
are1 however1 but cheats and            
counterfeits which distract the minds of
 the present generation1 disturb the    
harmony of life1 and banish peace even  
from the intellectual world4 ,and as    
respects the third illustration3 ,i     
should indeed rejoice as having1 in a   
great measure1 attained my object1 if   
only ,i shall succeed in directing your 
attention to some star in the higher    
region of intellect1 which hitherto was 
either totally unknown1 or1 at least1   
never before fully observed4  ,but above
 all1 ,i think it necessary to observe  
further1 that in the same way as        
philosophy loses sight of its true      

object and appropriate matter1 when     
either it passes into and merges in     
theology1 or meddles with external      
politics1 so also does it mar its proper
 form when it attempts to mimic the     
rigorous method of mathematics4 ,in the 
middle of the last century scarcely was 
there to be found a ,german manual for  
any of the sciences that did not ape the
 mathematical style1 and where every    
single position in the long array of    
interminable paragraphs did not conclude
 with the solemn act of demonstrative   
phraseology4 ,but it is also well known 
that the philosophy which was propounded
 in this inappropriate form and method  
was crammed full of1 nay1 rather1 was   
hardly any thing more than a tissue of  
arbitrary1 now forgotten1 hypotheses1   
which have not brought the world at all 
nearer to the truth--not at least to    
that truth which philosophy is in search
 of1 and which is something higher than 
a mere example of accurate computation4 
,and even in the present day--although1 

indeed1 the application is made in a    
very different way from                 
formerly--,german philosophy is any     
thing but free from those algebraic     
formularies1 in which all things1 even  
the most opposite1 admit of being       
comprised and blended together4 ,but1 be
 it as it may1 this elaborate structure 
of mechanical demonstration can never   
produce a true1 intrinsic1 and full     
conviction4 ,the method which philosophy
 really requires is quite different1    
being absolutely internal and           
intellectual 7geistige74 ,as in a       
correct architectural structure it is   
necessary that all its parts should be  
in unison1 and such as the eye can take 
in easily and agreeably1 so in every    
philosophical communication1 the solid  
simple basis being laid1 the arrangement
 of all the parts1 and the careful      
rejection and exclusion of all foreign  
matter1 is the most essential point1    
both for internal correctness and       
external perspicuity4 ,but1 in truth1   

the matter in hand bears a far closer   
resemblance and affinity to natural     
objects which live and grow1 than to any
 lifeless edifice of stone2 to a great  
tree1 for instance1 nobly and           
beautifully spreading out on all sides  
in its many arms and branches4 ,as such 
a tree strikes the hasty and passing    
glance1 it forms a somewhat irregular   
and not strictly finished whole2 there  
it stands1 just as the stem has shot up 
from the root1 and has divided itself   
into a certain number of branches1 and  
twigs1 and leaves1 which livingly move  
backward and forward in the free air4   
,but examine it more closely1 and how   
perfect appears its whole structure6 how
 wonderful the symmetry1 how minutely   
regular the organization of all its     
parts1 even of each little leaf and     
delicate fiber6 ,in the same way will   
the ever-growing tree of human          
consciousness and life appear in        
philosophy1 whenever it is not torn from
 its roots and stripped of its leaves by

 a pretended wisdom1 but is vividly     
apprehended by a true science1 and      
exhibited and presented to the mind in  
its life and its growth4  ,not only1    
however1 the arrangement of the whole1  
but also the connection of the several  
parts of a philosophical treatise or    
development1 is of a higher kind than   
any mere mechanical joining1 such1 for  
instance1 as that by which two pieces of
 wood are nailed or glued together4 ,if 
,i must illustrate this connection by a 
simile from animated nature1 the facts  
of magnetism will best serve my purpose4
 ,once magnetically excited1 the iron   
needle comes into invisible contact and 
connection with the whole globe and its 
opposite poles2 and this magnetic clew  
has guided the bold circumnavigator into
 new and unknown regions of the world4  
,now1 the intrinsic vital coherence of  
the several thoughts of philosophy      
resembles this magnetic attraction2 and 
no such rude1 mechanical1 and1 in fact1 
mere external conjunction of thought1   

like that lately alluded to1 can satisfy
 the requirements of philosophical      
connection4  ,but the supreme intrinsic 
unity of philosophical thought1 or of a 
philosophical series of ideas1 is quite 
different from every thing hitherto     
mentioned4 ,it belongs not to nature1   
but to life2 it is not derived from the 
latter by way of figure or illustration1
 but is a part and constituent of it1   
and goes to the very root and soil of   
the moral life4 ,what ,i mean is1 the   
unity of sentiment--the fixed character1
 remaining ever the same and true to    
itself--the inner necessary sequence of 
the thoughts--which1 in life no less    
than in the system and philosophical    
theory1 invariably makes a great and    
profound impression on our minds1 and   
commands our respect1 even when it does 
not carry along with it our convictions4
 ,this1 however1 is dependent on no     
form1 and no mere method can attain to  
it4 ,how often1 for instance1 in some   
famous political harangue1 which perhaps

 the speaker1 like the rhapsodist of    
old1 poured forth on the spur of the    
moment1 do we at once recognize and     
admire this character in the thoughts1  
this consistency of sentiment8 ,how     
often1 on the contrary1 in another      
composed with the most exquisite        
research and strict method1 and         
apparently a far more elaborate and     
finished creation of the intellect1 we  
have only to pierce through the         
systematic exterior to find that it is  
nothing but an ill-connected and        
chance-medley of conflicting assumptions
 and opinions taken from all quarters1  
and the crude views of the author       
himself1 devoid of all solidity1 and    
resting on no firm basis1 without       
character1 and wholly destitute of true 
intrinsic unity8  ,if now1 in the       
present course of ,lectures1 ,i shall   
succeed in laying before you my subject 
in that clearness and distinctness which
 are necessary to enable you to         
comprehend the whole1 and1 while taking 

a survey of it1 to judge of the         
agreement of the several parts1 you will
 find1 ,i trust1 no difficulty in       
discovering the fundamental idea and    
sentiment4 ,and further1 ,i would       
venture to entreat you not to judge     
hastily of this sentiment from single   
expressions1 and least of all at the    
very outset1 but1 waiting for its       
progressive development1 to judge of it 
on the whole4 ,lastly1 ,i would also    
indulge a hope that the views of an     
individual thinker1 if perspicuously    
enunciated1 may1 even where they fail of
 conviction1 and though points of       
difference still subsist1 produce no    
revolting impression on your minds2 but1
 by exercising a healing influence on   
many a rankling wound in thought and    
life1 produce among us some of the      
fairest fruits of true philosophy4      
,hitherto we have been considering1     
first of all1 the object and proper     
sphere of the philosophy of life2 and1  
secondly1 its appropriate form of       

communication1 as well as all other     
methods which are alien and foreign to  
it4 ,of great and decisive importance   
for the whole course and further        
development of philosophical inquiry is 
it to determine1 in the next place1 the 
starting-point from which it ought to   
set out4 ,it will not do to believe that
 we have found this in any axiom or     
postulate such as are usually placed at 
the head of a system4 ,for such a       
purpose we must rather investigate the  
inmost foundation--the root out of which
 springs the characteristic feature of a
 philosophical view4 ,now1 in the       
philosophy of life the whole            
consciousness1 with all its different   
phases and faculties1 must inevitably be
 taken for the foundation1 the soul     
being considered as the center thereof4 
,this simple basis being once laid1 it  
may be further developed in very        
different ways4 ,for it is1 ,i might    
almost say1 a matter of indifference    
from what point in the circumference or 

periphery we set out in order to arrive 
at the center1 with the design of giving
 a further development to this as the   
foundation of the whole4 ,but in order  
to illustrate this simple method of     
studying life from its true central     
point1 which is intermediate between the
 two wrong courses already indicated1   
and in order to make1 by contrast1 my   
meaning the plainer1 ,i would here1 in a
 few words1 characterize the false      
starting-point from which the prevailing
 philosophy of a day--whether that of   
,france in the eighteenth century or the
 more recent systems of ,germany--has   
hitherto1 for the most part1 proceeded4 
,false do ,i call it1 both on account of
 the results to which it has led1 and   
also of its own intrinsic nature4 ,in   
one case as well as in the other1 the   
starting-point was invariably some      
controverted point of the reason--some  
opposition or other to the legitimacy of
 the reason--under which term1 however1 
little else generally was understood    

than an opposition of the reason itself 
to some other principle equally valid   
and extensive4 ,the principal1 or1      
rather1 only way which foreign          
philosophy took in this pursuit1 was to 
reduce every thing to sensation as      
opposed to reason1 and to derive every  
thing from it alone1 so as to make the  
reason itself merely a secondary        
faculty1 no original and independent    
power1 and ultimately nothing else than 
a sort of chemical precipitate and      
residuum from the material              
impressions4#c ,but however much may be 
conceded to these and to the external   
senses1 and however great a share they  
may justly claim in the whole inner     
property of the thinking man1 still it  
is evident that the perception of these 
sensuous impressions1 the inner         
coherence--in short1 the unity of the   
consciousness in which they are         
collected--can never1 as indeed it has  
often been objected on the other side1  
have come into the mind from without4   

,this was not1 however1 the end which   
this doctrine had exclusively1 or even  
principally1 in view4 ,the ultimate     
result to which they hoped to come by   
the aid of this premise was simply the  
negation of the suprasensible4 ,whatever
 in any degree transcends the material  
impression1 or sensuous experience1 as  
well as all possible knowledge of1 and  
faith therein1 not merely in respect to 
a positive religion1 but absolutely     
whatever is noble1 beautiful1 and       
great--whatever can lead the mind to1 or
 can be referred to a something         
suprasensible and divine--all this1     
wherever it may be found1 whether in    
life or thought1 in history or in       
nature--ay1 even in art itself--it was  
the ultimate object of this foreign     
philosophy to decry1 to involve in      
doubt1 to attack and to overthrow1 and  
to bring down to the level of the common
 and material1 or to plunge it into the 
skeptical abyss of absolute unbelief4   
,the first step in this system was a    

seeming subordination of reason to      
sensation1 as a derivative of it--a mere
 slough which it throws off in its      
transformations4 ,afterward1 however1   
the warfare against the suprasensible   
was waged entirely with the arms of     
reason itself4 ,the reason1 indeed1     
which supplied these weapons was not one
 scientifically cultivated and morally  
regulated1 but thoroughly sophistical   
and wholly perverted1 which1 however1   
put into requisition all the weapons of 
a brilliant but skeptical wit1 and moved
 in the ever-varied turnings of a most  
ingenious and attractive style4 ,here1  
where the question was no longer the    
abrogation of any single dogma of       
positive religion1 but where the        
opposition to the divine had become the 
ruling tendency of philosophy1 it is not
 easy to refrain from characterizing it 
as atheistical--what1 indeed1 in its    
inmost spirit it really was1 and also   
historically proved itself by its       
results4  ,the other course adopted by  

,french philosophy1 in the times        
immediately preceding the ,revolution1  
was to lay aside the weapons of wit1 and
 to employ a burning eloquence as more  
likely to attract and to carry away     
minds naturally noble4 ,it had1         
consequently1 if possible1 still more   
fatal results than the former4 ,the     
reason1 as the peculiar character of man
 in a civilized state--so it was        
argued--is like civilized man himself1  
an artificial creation1 and in its      
essence totally unnatural2 and the      
savage state of nature is the only one  
properly adapted to man4 ,as the means  
of emancipation from an artificial and  
corrupt civilization1 the well-known    
theory of the social contract was       
advanced4 ,our whole age has learned    
dearly enough the lesson1 that this     
dogma1 practically applied on a large   
scale1 may1 indeed1 lead to a despotism 
of liberty1 and to the lust of conquest1
 but can as little effect the           
re-establishment of a true civilization 

as it can bring back the state of       
nature4 ,it would be a work of          
supererogation to dwell upon the        
pernicious results or the intrinsic     
hollowness of this system4 ,it is1      
however1 worth while to remark1 that1 in
 this theory also1 the beginning was    
made with an opposition to reason4      
,starting with a depreciation of it as  
an artificial state and a departure from
 nature1 at the last it threw itself1   
and the whole existing frame of society1
 into the arms of reason1 and thereby   
sought to gain for the latter an        
unlimited authority over all laws1 both 
human and divine4 ,a somewhat similar   
phenomenon may every where be observed1 
and the same course will invariably be  
taken when philosophy allows itself to  
set out with some question or impugning 
of the reason1 and1 in its              
exclusiveness1 makes this dialectical   
faculty the basis of its investigations4
  ,modern ,german philosophy1 wholly    
different from the ,french1 both in form

 and spirit1 has1 from its narrow       
metaphysical sphere1 been of far less   
extensive influence2 and1 even if it has
 occasionally led to anarchy1 it has    
been simply an anarchy of ideas4 ,and   
yet1 notwithstanding its different      
character1 a similar course of inversion
 is noticeable in it4 ,beginning with a 
strict1 not to say absolute1 limitation 
of the reason1 and with an opposition to
 its assumptions1 it also ended in its  
investiture with supreme authority--not 
to say in its deification4 ,the         
founder#d of the modern philosophy of   
,germany commenced his teaching with a  
lengthy demonstration that the reason is
 totally incapable of attaining to a    
knowledge of the suprasensible1 and     
that1 by attempting it1 it does but     
involve itself in endless disputes and  
difficulties4 ,and then1 on this assumed
 incompetency of the reason for the     
suprasensible was based the doctrine of 
the need1 the necessity of faith--nay1  
faith itself4#e ,but this arbitrary     

faith appeared to have but little       
reliance on itself2 and1 when closely   
viewed1 turned out to be the old reason1
 which1 after being solemnly displaced  
from the front of the philosophical     
palace1 was now again1 slightly altered 
and disguised1 set up behind it as a    
useful but humble postern4 ,dissatisfied
 with such a system1 the philosophical  
,me 7,ich1 ,ego7 chose another and a new
 road1 that of absolute science1#f in   
which it might1 from the very first1 do 
as it pleased--might bluster and fluster
 at will4 ,but soon it became plain1    
that in this idealistic doctrine there  
was no room for any but a subjective    
reason-god devoid of all objective      
reality4 ,in it the absolute ,ego or ,me
 of each individual was substituted for 
and identified with the divine4 ,against
 this certainty of the 8,me10 therefore1
 there arose first of all a suspicion1  
and lastly the reproach of atheism4     
,but1 in truth1 we ought to be extremely
 scrupulous in applying this term in all

 cases where the question does not turn 
on a rude denial of the truth1 but      
rather on a highly erroneous confusion  
of ideas4 ,at least1 it would be well   
if1 in such a case1 we were to          
distinguish the imputed atheism by the  
epithet of scientific1 in order to      
indicate thereby that the censure and   
the name apply in truth only to the     
error of the system1 and not to the     
character of the author4 ,for with such 
a scientific atheism1 the sternest      
stoicism in the moral doctrine may1 as  
indeed was actually the case here1 be   
easily combined4 ,quite weary1 however1 
of the transcendent vacuity of this     
ideal reason and mere dialectical       
reasoning1 ,german philosophy now took a
 different road4 ,it turned more to the 
side of nature1#g in whose arms she     
threw herself in perfect admiration1    
thinking to find there alone life and   
the fullness thereof4 ,now1 although    
this new philosophy of nature has borne 
many noble fruits of science1 still even

 it has been haunted by that delusive   
phantom of the ,absolute1 and it is not 
free from liability to the reproach of a
 pantheistic deification of ,nature4    
,but properly and accurately speaking1  
it was not nature itself that was set up
 as the supreme object of veneration1   
but this same phantom of reason1 which  
was taken as the basis and fundamental  
principle of nature4 ,it was1 in short1 
nothing but the old metaphysical        
one-times-one#h in a somewhat novel     
application and more vivid form4 ,here1 
therefore1 also did the system commence 
with a seeming disgust at the reason1   
and with a subordination of it to       
nature1 in order to conclude with the   
absolute principle of the reason4       
,viewed1 however1 as a philosophical    
science of nature1 it has rather to     
answer for some occasional errors and   
perverse extravagances1 than for any    
thoroughly consequent and systematic    
carrying out of the ingrafted error into
 all its parts4 ,moreover1 a broad      

distinction must undoubtedly be drawn   
between its different advocates and     
promulgators4 ,in these last days       
,german philosophy has1 in a measure at 
least1 reverted again into the empty    
vacuum of the absolute idea4#i ,the     
latter1 indeed1 and the idol of absolute
 reason which is enshrined therein1 is  
no more a mere inward conception1 but is
 objectively understood and set up as   
the fundamental principle of all entity4
 ,but still1 when we consider how the   
essence of mind is expressly made to    
consist in negation1 and how also the   
spirit of negation is predominant       
through the whole system1 a still worse 
substitution appears to have taken      
place1 inasmuch as1 instead of the      
living ,god1 this spirit of negation1 so
 opposed to ,him1 is1 in erroneous      
abstraction1 set up and made a god of4  
,here1 therefore1 as well as elsewhere1 
a metaphysical lie assumes the place of 
a divine reality4  ,thus1 then1 do we   
every where observe a strange internal  

correspondence and affinity between the 
several aberrations of our age4 ,here   
the remotest mental extremes1 which     
externally seem to repel each other1    
suddenly converge at the same point of  
delusive light1 or rather of brilliant  
darkness4 ,instances of this            
correspondence startle us where we least
 expect to meet with them4 ,an ,english 
poet1#aj perhaps the greatest1 certainly
 the most remarkable poet of our age1 in
 his tragic delineation of the oldest   
fratricide1 has portrayed the prime     
mover of this deed1 the enemy of the    
human race1 and the king of the         
bottomless pit1 as the bold censurer of 
the divine order of things1 and the head
 of all discontented spirits1 and leader
 of the opposition of the whole         
creation4 ,in this light he has painted 
him with unparalleled boldness1 and with
 such moving and astonishing            
truthfulness1 that all previous         
descriptions by the greatest poets seem 
but arbitrary and unreal phantoms when  

compared with this portrait1 which was  
evidently a favorite sketch1 for the    
author's secret partiality betrays      
itself in the skill and pains with which
 he has lavished on this dark figure all
 the magic colors of his fancy4 ,thus1  
then1 in this poetic creation1 the same 
hostile principle--the same absolute1   
i4e41 evil spirit of negation and       
contradiction that forms the            
consummation of the errors of ,german   
philosophy1 notwithstanding its abstract
 unintelligibility--is enthroned amid   
the disordered system4 ,and so1 by a    
strange law of 8pre-established         
harmony10 the anti-,christian poet and  
these anti-,christian thinkers          
unexpectedly meet together at the point 
of a spurious sublimity4 ,in any case1  
however1 this last instance forms the   
third stage of idealistic confusion1 and
 certainly the last grade of scientific 
atheism4  ,now1 briefly to recapitulate 
my own convictions and my view of the   
relation subsisting between the         

philosophy of life which ,i propose to  
set before you1 and the prevalent       
philosophy and science of the age1 the  
following few remarks will suffice4 ,i  
honor and admire the discoveries so     
pregnant with important results which   
natural philosophy has made in our days1
 but especially the gigantic strides    
which the study of nature in ,france has
 taken2 so far1 at least1 as they       
contain and have established a real and 
solid advance of human science2 so far1 
too1 as ,i am acquainted with them1 and 
in my sphere understand them4 ,on the   
other hand1 ,i can not but take         
exception to that admixture of          
materialism which has been infused into 
them by the ruling philosophical system 
of a previous age1 which in ,france has 
still so many followers4 ,i honor1 too1 
and love ,german science1 with its      
diligent and comprehensive research4    
,nay1 ,i value the natural philosophy of
 ,germany even still more than that of  
,france1 since1 while it adopts the same

 great discoveries1 it views them in a  
more spiritual light4 ,as for that      
idealistic jargon1 however1 which runs  
parallel and is interwoven with it1 on  
which1 indeed1 it was originally based1 
and from which even now it is any thing 
but clear--this ,i can not regard in any
 other light than1 what it really is1 an
 intellectual delusion of the most      
pernicious kind1 and one which will     
inevitably produce the most destructive 
and fatal consequences on the human     
mind4  ,what has been now said will     
suffice for our notice of the opposing  
systems of philosophy4 ,henceforward we 
shall have no need to turn our looks to 
this side1 but shall be able to give our
 attention solely and calmly to the     
development of that which ,i have       
already announced1 and have now to      
communicate to you4 ,previously1        
however1 to entering upon this subject1 
it seemed to me advisable1 by           
contrasting the false starting-point    
with the true center of philosophy1 to  

set the latter before you in a clearer  
and distincter light4  ,the dialectical 
faculty of abstraction is naturally the 
predominant one1 and the most completely
 evolved in the thinking mind4          
,accordingly1 most thinkers have set it 
up as the basis of their speculations1  
in order to arrive the more rapidly at  
the desired end of an absolute science2 
or1 if the habit of mind be more        
disposed that way1 at an absolute       
not-knowing1 and the rejection of all   
certainty2 which1 in the main1 is quite 
as false1 and1 in this respect1         
identical with the former4 ,but it is   
not sufficient to follow any such a     
partial course1 and to start from any   
one side merely of the human            
consciousness4 ,on the right and sure   
road of a complete and thorough         
investigation1 our first duty is to     
study the human consciousness in its    
fullness and living development1 in all 
its faculties and powers4 ,and then1 in 
the second place1 when1 by thus assuming

 a position in the center1 man has      
enabled himself to take a complete      
survey of the whole1 he may             
unquestionably proceed to inquire what  
kind and what degree of knowledge1 with 
such a consciousness1 he is capable of  
attaining1 both of the external world   
and of the suprasensible1 and how far   
the latter is conceivable and its       
existence possible4 ,now1 just as       
generally the soul is the principle of  
all life in nature1 so is the thinking  
soul the center of the human            
consciousness4 ,but in the thinking soul
 is comprised the reason which          
distinguishes1 combines1 and infers1 no 
less than the fancy which devises1      
invents1 and suggests4 ,standing in the 
center between the two1 the thinking    
soul embraces both faculties4 ,but it   
also forms the turning-point of         
transition between the understanding and
 the will2 and1 as the connecting link1 
fills up the gulf which otherwise would 
lie between and divide the two4 ,it     

comprises1 also1 all sorts and degrees  
of conceptions1 from the absolutely     
necessary1 precisely definite1 and      
permanently unchangeable1 down to those 
which arise and pass away half          
involuntarily--from those in no degree  
clearly developed up to those which have
 been advanced to the highest clearness 
of the understanding--those which are   
witnessed with a calm indifference1 and 
those also which excite a gentle longing
 or kindle a burning resolve4 ,the      
thinking soul is the common store-house 
where the whole of these conceptions are
 successively lodged4 ,indeed1 to       
describe it in general terms1 it is but 
the inner pulse of thought1             
corresponding to the pulsation of the   
blood in the living body4  ,this general
 description1 it must be confessed1 is  
very far from being an adequate         
explanation of the matter1 and at best  
does but imperfectly convey our meaning4
 ,but perhaps a different line of       
thought1 however bold and hazardous it  

may seem1 may bring us far more simply  
to the point at present in view--a more 
accurate description1 namely1 of the    
peculiar property of the human mind1 and
 of the characteristic feature which    
distinguishes man from other beings     
equally finite1 but endowed in the same 
manner with consciousness4 ,that the    
rational soul1 or the reason1           
distinguishes him from the brutes1 is a 
remark common and trite enough4 ,but    
this is only one aspect of the matter3  
and must we always cast our looks       
downward1 and never upward8 ,what ,i    
mean is this3 supposing that there are  
other created spirits and finite        
intelligences besides men1 might not the
 comparison of their purely spiritual   
consciousness with man's serve1 perhaps 
in an eminent degree1 to elucidate the  
distinctive properties of the human     
consciousness in that other aspect which
 is too commonly neglected8 ,i am far   
from intending to make this matter a    
subject of investigation in the present 

place4 ,i take it merely as an          
hypothesis1 warranted1 indeed1 by       
universal tradition1 and solely as an   
aid to elucidate the matter in hand4    
,universal1 however1 ,i may well call   
this tradition1 since1 agreeing in the  
main with what ,holy ,writ asserts1 the 
oldest and most civilized nations of    
antiquity 7among whom ,i need only      
mention the ,egyptians1 and especially  
the ,persians and the ,hindoos7 have    
admitted1 as a well-established fact1   
the existence of such finite            
intelligences and created spirits1      
invisible indeed to man1 but not        
altogether alien to him4 ,and as for the
 ,greeks and ,romans1 if occasionally   
they allude to the genius of ,socrates  
as something strange and singular1 this 
was only because the wise ,athenian     
spoke of this subject in peculiar       
language1 and referred to it more       
habitually than was the wont of his     
countrymen and cotemporaries4 ,otherwise
 it was the general belief1 both of     

,greeks and ,romans1 that every man has 
his guardian spirit or genius4 ,now this
 hypothesis being once admitted to be   
possible1 let us inquire in what light  
were these ancients accustomed to       
regard1 and what ought we to conceive of
 the peculiar nature of these spiritual 
beings in conformity with the           
representation of so universal a        
tradition8  ,now1 in the first place1   
they have always been thought of as pure
 spiritual beings1 having no such gross 
terrestrial body as man has4 ,at least1 
if they were supposed to require and    
possess a body as the organ and medium  
of their spiritual operations1 it was   
considered to be of a special kind--an  
ethereal body of light1 but invisible to
 the human eye4 ,but this incorporeity  
is little more than a negative quality4 
,a more positive and a profounder       
distinction lies perhaps in this1 that  
these pure spiritual beings are wholly  
free from that weakness of character1 or
 frailty1 which is so peculiar to man4  

,that pervading internal mutability1    
that undecided vacillation between doing
 and letting alone1 that reciprocation  
between effort and relaxation--the wide 
gulf between volition and execution1 the
 thought and the carrying into          
effect--nothing of all this admits of   
being applied or transferred to these   
pure spiritual beings without           
contradicting the very idea of their    
essence4 ,it is thus only1 or not at    
all1 that we can conceive of them4      
,coming and going like the lightning1   
and rapid as the light1 they never grow 
weary of their endless activity4 ,they  
need no rest1 except the spiritual      
contemplation which constitutes their   
essence4 ,all their thoughts are marked 
with unity and identity4 ,with them the 
conception is at the same time a deed1  
and the purpose and the execution are   
simultaneous4 ,every thing1 too1 in them
 has the stamp of eternity4 ,this       
prerogative1 however1 has1 it must be   
confessed1 its disadvantages4 ,when once

 they have deviated from the true       
center1 they go on forever in their     
devious course4  ,but still1 all this is
 little more than a description of the  
whole idea which ,i have allowed myself1
 merely with a view of employing it as a
 passage to the point which is at       
present in question4 ,that purpose was1 
on the supposition of the existence of  
such superior beings1 accurately to     
indicate which of man's powers1 or      
faculties of mind and soul1 may rightly 
be attributed to them4 ,now1 to my mind1
 the distinction is very strikingly     
suggested in the well-known sentiment of
 one of our famous poets4 ,thus he      
addresses man--8,thy knowledge thou     
sharest with superior beings20 superior1
 for in the clearness of their eternal  
science they undoubtedly stand far      
higher than men3 and then he continues1 
8,but art thou hast alone40#aa ,but1    
now1 what else is art than fancy become 
visible1 and assuming a bodily shape1 or
 word1 or sound8 ,it is1 therefore1 this

 nimble-footed1 many-shaped1            
ever-inventive fancy1 which forms the   
dangerous prerogative of man1 and can   
not be ascribed to these pure spiritual 
beings4 ,and as little justifiable would
 it be to ascribe to them that human    
reason1 with its employment of means1   
and its slow processes of deduction and 
comparison4 ,instead of this1 they      
possess the intuitive understanding1 in 
which to see and to understand are      
simultaneous and identical4 ,if1 then1  
in an accurate sense of the terms1      
neither fancy nor reason belongs to     
them1 it would further be wrong to      
attribute them a soul as distinct from  
the mind or spirit1 and as being rather 
a passive faculty of inward             
productiveness1 and change1 and internal
 growth4 ,briefly to recapitulate what  
has been said3 ,the existence of the    
brutes is simple1 because in them the   
soul is completely mixed up and merged  
in the organic body1 and is one with it2
 on the destruction of the latter it    

reverts to the elements1 or is absorbed 
in the general soul of nature4 ,twofold1
 however1 is the nature of created      
spirits1 who besides this ethereal body 
of light are nothing but mind or spirit2
 but threefold is the nature of man1 as 
consisting of spirit1 soul1 and body4#ab
 ,and this triple constitution and      
property1 this threefold life of man1   
is1 indeed1 not in itself that          
pre-eminence1 although it is closely    
connected with that superior excellence 
which ennobles and distinguishes man    
from all other created beings4 ,i allude
 to that prerogative by which he alone  
of all created beings is invested with  
the ,divine image and likeness4 ,this   
threefold principle is the simple basis 
of all philosophy2 and the philosophical
 system which is constructed on such a  
foundation is the philosophy of life1   
which therefore has even 8words of      
life40 ,it is no idle speculation1 and  
no unintelligible hypothesis4 ,it is not
 more difficult1 and needs not to be    

more obscure1 than any other discourse  
on spiritual subjects2 but it can and   
may be as easy and as clear as the      
reading of a writing1 the observation of
 nature1 and the study of history4 ,for 
it is1 in truth1 nothing else than a    
simple theory of spiritual life1 drawn  
from life itself1 and the simple        
understanding thereof4 ,if1 however1 it 
becomes abstract and unintelligible1    
this is invariably a consequence1 and1  
for the most part1 an infallible proof  
of its having fallen into error4 ,when  
in thought we place before us the whole 
composite human individual1 then1 after 
spirit and soul1 the organic body is the
 third constituent1 or the third element
 out of which1 in combination with the  
other two1 the whole man consists and is
 compounded4 ,but the structure of the  
organic body1 its powers and laws1 must 
be left to physical science to          
investigate4 ,philosophy is the science 
of consciousness alone4 ,it has1        
therefore1 primarily to occupy itself   

with soul and spirit1 or mind1 and must 
carefully guard against transgressing   
its limits in any respect4 ,but the     
third constituent beside mind and soul1 
in which these two jointly carry on     
their operations1 needs not always1 as  
indeed the above instance proves1 to be 
an organic body4 ,in other relations of 
life1 this third1 in which both are     
united1 or which they in unison produce1
 may be the word1 the deed1 life itself1
 or the divine order on which both are  
dependent4 ,these1 then1 are the        
subjects which ,i have proposed for     
consideration4 ,but in order to complete
 this scale of life1 ,i will further    
observe--triple is the nature of man1   
but fourfold is the human consciousness4
 ,for the spirit or mind1 like the soul1
 divides and falls asunder2 or1 rather1 
is split and divided into two powers1 or
 halves--the mind1 namely1 into         
understanding and will1 the soul into   
reason and fancy4 ,these are the four   
extreme points1 or1 if the expression be

 preferred1 the four quarters of the    
inner world of consciousness4 ,all other
 faculties of the soul1 or powers of    
mind1 are merely subordinate            
ramifications of the four principal     
branches2 but the living center of the  
whole is the thinking soul4             
,,lecture ,,ii4  ,,of ,,the ,,loving    
,,soul ,,as ,,the ,,center ,,of ,,the   
,,moral ,,life2 ,,and ,,of ,,marriage4  
,the development of the human           
consciousness1 according to the triple  
principle of its existence1 or of its   
nature as compounded of spirit or mind1 
soul1 and animated body1 must begin with
 the soul1 and not with the spirit1 even
 though the latter be the most important
 and supreme4 ,for the soul is the first
 grade in the progress of development4  
,in actual life1 also1 it is the        
beginning and the permanent foundation1 
as well as the primary root of the      
collective consciousness4 ,the          
development of the spirit or mind of man
 is much later1 being first evolved in  

or out of1 by occasion of1 or with the  
co-operation of the soul4 ,but even when
 thus developed1 the mind 7under which  
term we comprise the will1 as well as   
the understanding7 is neither in all    
men1 nor always in the same individual1 
equally active4 ,in this respect we may 
apply to it what has been said of the   
wind1 which imparts vital motion and    
freshness to all the objects of outward 
nature3 we 8hear the sound thereof1 but 
we can not tell whence it comes1 nor    
whither it goeth40#ac ,the thinking     
soul1 on the contrary1 is1 properly     
speaking1 always1 though silently1      
working2 and it is highly probable that 
it is never without conceptions4 ,of    
these1 indeed1 it may either possess a  
clear or an almost totally indistinct   
consciousness1 according to that        
principle of unconscious representations
 propounded as a fundamental axiom of   
psychology by a great ,german           
philosopher#ad of earlier times1 with   
whose opinions ,i often find myself     

agreeing1 and with whom1 before all     
other men1 ,i would most gladly concur4 
,applied to the alternating states of   
sleeping and waking in the outward      
organic life1 this would merely mean    
that in sleep we always dream1 even at  
those times when our vision leaves no   
traces on our memory4 ,the great        
majority of dreams1 even those which in 
the moment of awakening we still        
remember1 are absolutely nothing but the
 conjoint impression of the bodily tone 
and the ever-varying temperament of life
 and health1 and of the disorderly      
repetition of such ideas as previously  
to sleeping had principally engaged the 
attention4 ,now1 since every opposite   
comes near to its correlative in one or 
more points of contact1 which1 as they  
establish1 also serve to maintain the   
relationship between the two1 so the    
state of the soul in dreaming will serve
 strikingly to illustrate its waking    
action4 ,of the great multitude of      
dreams1 which are for the most part     

confused and unmeaning1 some            
occasionally stand out from the rest    
extremely clear and well-connected1 in  
which the feelings oftentimes discover a
 profound significance1 or which1 at    
least1 as significant images1 interest  
the fancy4 ,and just in the same manner 
in the state of waking there passes     
before the soul no inconsiderable number
 of obscure and vague conceptions1 which
 are not much if at all clearer or more 
methodically disposed than the train of 
images which in a dream succeed one     
another without the least intrinsic     
order or connection4 ,still we should   
greatly err were we to assume1 that like
 the latter they leave no trace behind  
them on the soul4 ,on the contrary1 in  
these undeveloped beginnings of thought 
there often lies the germ of very       
definite ideas1 and especially of the   
various peculiarities of mental         
character1 as also of the impulses and  
determination which1 at first slowly and
 spontaneously formed1 eventuate in some

 definite susceptibility or direction of
 the will4 ,now1 as the external life of
 man alternates between the waking      
activity and the state of repose in     
sleep1 so1 too1 the thinking soul is    
divided between the abstracting and     
classifying ,reason and the inventive   
,fancy4#ae ,these two are1 as it were1  
the halves1 so to speak1 or the two     
poles of the thinking soul1 of which the
 one may be regarded as the positive1   
the other as the negative4 ,in respect  
to the inner fruitful cogitation        
itself--to the origination and          
production of thoughts--the imagination1
 as the reproductive faculty1 is the    
positive pole4 ,as for the fancy1       
properly so called--the poetic fancy1 or
 that which plays an important part in  
the inclinations and passions--it is    
only a particular species and operation 
of this faculty1 which in its general   
form also manifests itself in many other
 directions and spheres of human thought
 and action4 ,to it belongs1 for        

instance1 that talent of extensive      
combination which distinguishes all the 
great discoverers in mathematics4       
,opposite to this productive faculty of 
thought1 the negative pole is formed by 
the classifying faculty of reason1 which
 further elaborates1 closely determines1
 and limits the materials furnished to  
it by the fancy4 ,thus1 then1 the place 
which the fancy--with all the powers1   
emotions1 and impressions which belong  
to it--assumes relatively to the        
external world1 is subordinate and      
ministerial1 since it is only within    
certain prescribed limits that it can   
duly make use of its rich productive    
energies1 realize its inmost ideas1 and 
act upon them4  ,here1 therefore1 the   
first place belongs to the ordering and 
determining reason1 and which here ought
 to hold the helm4 ,in this respect it  
may justly be called the regulative     
faculty4 ,and yet1 since the reason is1 
so to speak1 only one half of the soul1 
it must not pretend to exclusive        

authority2 while1 on the other hand1 it 
is but little likely that that which we 
may have set before our mind and        
imagination as the innermost wish of our
 hearts1 will simply on that account    
prove invariably a real and lasting     
good4  ,i called the understanding and  
the will1 the reason and the fancy1 the 
four principal branches of the human    
consciousness1 of which all other mental
 powers or faculties of the soul1       
usually ascribed to man1 are but so many
 offshoots4 ,these other powers1        
however1 can not with perfect propriety 
be called subordinate1 since in another 
point of view they may1 perhaps1 be     
entitled to assume a higher rank4       
,assigned#af faculties is1 therefore1   
what ,i should prefer to term them4 ,now
 of such faculties belonging to the     
domain of the combining and             
distinguishing reason1 the memory and   
the conscience are pre-eminently to be  
mentioned4 ,for the memory also in      
another way is a combining1 just as the 

conscience is a distinguishing          
faculty--the latter1 however1 being so  
not only in another1 but even in a far  
higher sense4 ,but we must postpone for 
the present the further consideration of
 this matter1 and consider rather those 
faculties or functions which are under  
the influence of1 or at least           
immediately connected with1 the fancy4  
,these are the senses1 and the          
inclinations or instincts4 ,with regard1
 then1 to the senses3 in the first      
place1 ,i would simply call your        
attention to the fact1 that the triple  
principle of human existence--according 
to which the latter consists of a spirit
 or mind1 of a soul1 and of a living    
body or a bodily manifestation--is      
repeated as it were in miniature in     
every smaller and narrower sphere of    
man's consciousness4 ,this is especially
 the case with the external senses4     
,thus viewing them1 however1 we should  
have to reckon but three senses instead 
of the usual number of five4 ,this can  

be managed easily enough by taking the  
three lower and counting them as one1   
since they constitute pre-eminently the 
corporeal sense1 as contradistinguished 
from the other two1 which are both      
higher and more incorporeal4 ,for to the
 three lower senses1 not only is a      
material contact indispensable1 but     
also1 as in the case of smell1 a sort of
 chemical assimilation with matter4 ,no 
doubt1 in the act of seeing and hearing 
there is likewise a certain but         
imperceptible contact of the nerves of  
the eye and ear with the waves of light 
and the undulations of the air2 but     
still this contact is of a different    
kind from the former1 and of another and
 indeed of a higher nature1 producing   
the relations of tone1 color1 and shape4
 ,now1 in this classification1 the eye  
is the mind or spirit's sense for beauty
 of form and grace of motion4 ,it is so 
in truth1 not merely in those who are   
endowed with a taste for the arts or the
 artistic eye1 but far more universally1

 being diffused in a greater or less    
degree through the whole human family4  
,special gifts of it1 or1 rather1 higher
 though varying endowments1 are to be   
found in some highly-favored            
individuals2 and in the same way the ear
 for music is not imparted to all who   
possess the general organ of hearing1   
which we very properly term the soul's  
sense4 ,the external senses man shares1 
indeed1 in common with the brutes1 in   
some of whom they are found of an       
exquisite and highly-developed          
susceptibility4 ,but these higher       
endowments of eye and ear1 and above all
 the natural artistic feeling for beauty
 of form1 and the musical talent1 are   
the prerogatives of man1 conferred upon 
him by his peculiar faculty of fancy4   
,on this account they1 like that        
faculty1 are distributed unequally among
 men1 though they are not on that       
account less real and undeniable4  ,the 
brutes1 ,i said1 do not possess them4   
,no doubt there is a certain melodious  

rhythm perceptible in the songs of      
birds4 ,some1 also1 of the more         
eminently docile and sagacious of       
terrestial animals do indeed evince     
peculiar signs of pleasure in the music 
of man4 ,still ,i would call this but so
 many single1 unconnected echoes or     
reverberations of fancy1 since every    
thing like free choice1 further         
development1 or intrinsic coherence1 is 
wanting to them--all is broken1 abrupt1 
and incapable of being formed into a    
whole4 ,in the same manner the artistic 
instinct and skill of some animals      
exhibits1 no doubt1 a certain likeness  
in its operations to the rational works 
of man1 but still it ever remains a     
resemblance at best1 and is forever     
divided from reason by a wide and       
impassable gulf4 ,it is1 as it were1 the
 indistinct trace of a weather-worn and 
nearly obliterated inscription--the     
dying notes of some far-off music4 ,and 
hence the agreeable1 but1 at the same   
time1 melancholy1 impression which such 

things make upon our feelings4 ,a       
something human seems to be stirring in 
them4 ,they appear to revive a faint but
 nearly-forgotten allusion to an        
originally close and intrinsic relation 
between animated nature in its highest  
developments and man as its former      
master and as the divinely-appointed    
lord of the whole earthly creation4 ,but
 if the influence and the operation of  
the fancy on the external senses be thus
 indistinct and difficult to be traced1 
it is far more apparent1 as also far    
greater and more decided1 on the        
inclinations1 instincts1 and passions   
which form the second class of the      
faculties subordinate to the fancy4 ,it 
can easily be shown how even the        
simplest instincts of self-preservation1
 and the gratification of the most      
natural wants1 are in man perceptibly   
affected by the working of fancy1 so as 
to be manifoldly diversified thereby4   
,but still more is this the case with   
the higher impulses and instincts1 as   

confirmed and strengthened by use and   
indulgence1 especially when1 in their   
most violent and intensest development1 
they become passions4 ,for1 in this     
shape1 both by this excess and by the   
false direction they give to the mental 
powers1 originally designed for nobler  
and more exalted purposes1 they form so 
many moral perversities and faults of   
character4 ,i would here1 in the first  
place1 call your attention to the fact1 
that in all the passions1 when1 by their
 intensity1 they become immoral1 the    
fancy exercises an essential and        
co-operating influence4 ,and1 in the    
second place1 ,i would remind you that  
in the same way as in the external      
senses generally1 so also in all the    
principal phases of ill-regulated       
passion1 the threefold principle of     
human existence manifests itself once   
more1 and is even repeated anew in all  
the several forms and subdivisions of   
these special spheres4  ,now1 the first 
of these false tendencies and moral     

infirmities--unbounded pride and        
haughtiness--is essentially a mental    
blindness and aberration2 and vanity1   
with its delusions1 is the same disease 
in a lower and milder phase4 ,and all   
will admit that the source of this moral
 failing is an overweening love of self4
 ,but in self-conceit the co-operating  
influence of fancy is easily and        
distinctly traceable4 ,as to the second 
of those infirmities which distract and 
disturb life3 ,i should also be disposed
 to consider the sensual passionateness 
or passionate sensuality as a disease   
indeed1 but of a brutalizing            
tendency--an inflammatory habit1 a fever
 of the soul1 which either spends itself
 in acute and violent paroxysms1 or with
 slower but certain progress secretly   
undermines and subverts all man's better
 qualities4 ,in either case1 the true   
source of the evil--the irresistible    
energy and the false magic of this      
passion--lies in an over-excited1       
deluded1 or poisoned fancy4 ,the natural

 instinct itself1 in so far as it is    
inborn and agreeable to nature1 is      
obnoxious to no reproach4 ,the blame    
lies altogether in the want of          
principle1 or that weakness of character
 which half-voluntarily concedes to the 
mere instinct an unlimited authority1   
or1 at least1 is incapable of exercising
 over it a due control4 ,the third false
 direction of man's instincts which1    
after the two already noticed1 involves 
human society in the greatest disorder1 
and most fatally disturbs the peace of  
individuals1 is an unlimited love of    
gain1 selfishness1 and avarice4 ,no     
doubt1 in a certain modified and lower  
sense1 the hope of advantage or profit  
is the motive that prompts every        
enterprise2 at least1 according to the  
judgment of the world1 nothing is       
undertaken or transacted without a view 
to some object of a selfishness more or 
less refined4 ,but when we look to the  
worst and most violent cases of this    
disease--an insatiable avarice and a    

morbid love of gain1 then we at once see
 the baneful effects which the fancy1   
dwelling exclusively on material        
property and chinking coin1 has on this 
moral disease1 where1 with the golden   
treasure1 mind and soul are shut up and 
buried1 and both completely numbed and  
petrified1 in the same way that1 by     
certain organic diseases of the body1   
the heart becomes ossified4  ,by these  
pernicious passions1 the higher moral   
organ of life is in different ways      
attacked and destroyed4 ,in the first   
case1 that of the blinding of the mind  
by pride and vanity1 the moral judgment 
is perverted and falsified4 ,in the     
second case1 where the soul is          
brutalized by a life of sensuality1 the 
moral sense is clouded1 loses all its   
delicacy1 and is at last totally        
obliterated4 ,in the third instance1    
that of a thorough numbness of the inner
 life produced by selfishness and       
avarice1 the idea of moral duty is in   
the end totally lost1 dies away1 and    

becomes extinct1 while the dead ,mammon 
is regarded as the supreme good of life1
 and1 being set up as the sole object of
 human exertion1 is substituted for the 
best and noblest acquisition of mind and
 soul4 ,the three passions which we have
 already examined are founded indeed on 
a positive pursuit1 however false may be
 the extent or perverted the direction  
in which it is carried out4 ,we might   
now proceed with our speculation1 and1  
progressively developing it from the    
same point of view1 extend and apply it 
to the aggressive passions1 which are   
based on a merely negative pursuit--the 
attack1 annihilation1 and destruction of
 their objects4 ,i allude to the passion
 of hatred1 in its three different      
elements or species1 viz41 anger1       
malice1 and revenge4 ,but to enter      
further upon such investigations would  
be inappropriate in the present place4  
,generally1 indeed1 in touching upon    
matters so universally known1 my object 
has been merely to consider and exhibit 

them from their psychological side1 in  
order to show partly how the triple     
principle of human existence1 according 
to mind or spirit1 and soul1 and the    
third element1 wherein the former two   
conjointly operate1 finds its           
application1 and is repeated1 as it     
were1 in miniature1 in the narrower     
sphere of the natural inclination1 both 
good and bad1 and also in that of the   
external senses4 ,at the same time it   
was also my wish to call attention to   
the fact1 that the dominion of the fancy
 over its subordinate faculties1 whether
 of the external senses or the          
instincts1 manifests itself likewise in 
the pernicious passions1 as exercising  
over them a very baneful influence1 and1
 indeed1 as being the principal source  
of the prevailing aberrations4  ,these  
three passions and leading defects of   
character1 which destroy the inward     
peace of individuals and disturb the    
order of society1 may be regarded as so 
many ,stygian floods1 so many dark      

subterranean streams of lava and fire1  
which1 bursting from the crater of a    
burning fancy1 pour down upon the region
 of the will1 there again to break out  
in lawless deeds and violent            
catastrophes1 or1 perhaps1 what is far  
worse1 to lie smoldering in a life      
frittered away in worthless pursuits1   
without object or meaning1 or in the    
frivolous routine of an ordinary        
existence4  ,having thus fully set forth
 the injurious influence of a disordered
 fancy on the deadly and pernicious     
passions of man1 we shall be more at    
liberty to consider the other and better
 aspect of this mental faculty4 ,for    
fancy1 which1 as his peculiar           
prerogative1 distinguishes man from all 
other intellectual beings1 is a living  
and fruitful source of good no less than
 of evil4 ,accordingly1 in the higher   
aims of his good instincts1 noble       
inclinations1 and true enthusiasms1     
fancy gives life and stability to his   
exertions1 and arouses and calls to his 

aid all the energies of mind and        
intellect4  ,but here ,i must make the  
preliminary remark1 that in the ethical 
domain generally1 and in all moral      
matters and relations1 nothing but a    
very fine line divides right from wrong4
 ,the fault lies not unfrequently in the
 undue exaggeration or false application
 of a right principle4 ,pride and       
vanity1 for instance1 are the commonest 
subjects of the world's censure2 but who
 would banish from existence a true     
sense of honor1 and a noble thirst of   
fame4 ,and how would society lose all   
its tone and its true ring1 if we were  
to withdraw from it all those precious  
metals6 ,avarice and the love of gain   
are1 no doubt1 fruitful sources of evil1
 and bring into society a thousand--nay1
 we may rather say1 without             
exaggeration1 ten thousand times ten    
thousand woes4 ,they are the occasion of
 countless feuds and endless litigation2
 so that the prevention and settlement  
of these numberless commercial quarrels 

and disputes about property occupy the  
chief part of the attention1 and absorb 
the best energies of domestic           
government4 ,but a gainful industry1    
directed to utility1 and even to private
 utility--labor and assiduity which have
 no other end in view than a lawful gain
 and a fair profit1 which not merely    
does not violate the rights of others1  
but even pays a due regard to their     
interests1 will be universally          
recognized as an essential part of the  
frame of society4 ,it forms1 indeed1 the
 alimentary sap of life1 which1 as it   
ascends through its different vessels1  
diffuses every where both health and    
strength4  ,lastly1 we will now consider
 that other instinct of our nature1     
which1 even as the strongest1 most      
requires moral regulation and treatment4
 ,by all noble natures among civilized  
nations1 in their best and purest times1
 this instinct has1 by means of various 
moral relations1 been spontaneously     
associated with a higher element4 ,and1 

indeed1 taken simply as inclination1 it 
possesses some degree of affinity       
therewith4 ,such a strong inclination   
and hearty love1 elevated to the bond of
 fidelity1 receives thereby a solemn    
consecration1 and is even1 according to 
the divine dispensation1 regarded as a  
sanctuary4 ,and it is in truth the moral
 sanctuary of earthly existence1 on     
which ,god's first and earliest blessing
 still rests4 ,it is1 moreover1 the     
foundation on which is built the        
happiness and the moral welfare of races
 and nations4 ,this soul-connecting link
 of love1 which constitutes the family  
union1 is the source from which emanate 
the strong and beautiful ties of a      
mother's love1 of filial duty1 and of   
fraternal affection between brethren and
 kindred1 which together make up the    
invisible soul1 and1 as it were1 the    
inner vital fluid of the nerves of human
 society4 ,and here1 too1 the great     
family problem of education must be     
taken into account--and by education ,i 

mean the whole moral training of the    
rising generation4 ,for1 however        
numerous and excellent may be the       
institutions founded by the state1 or   
conducted by private individuals1 for   
special branches and objects1 or for    
particular classes and ages1 still1 on  
the whole1 education must be regarded as
 pre-eminently the business and duty of 
the family4 ,for it is in the family    
that education commences1 and there1    
also1 it terminates and concludes at the
 moment when the young man1 mature of   
mind and years1 and the grown-up maiden1
 leave the paternal roof to found a new 
family of their own4 ,in seasons of     
danger1 and of wide-spread and stalking 
corruption1 men are wont to feel--but   
often1 alas6 too late--how entirely the 
whole frame1 both of human and political
 society1 rests on this foundation of   
the family union4 ,not merely by the    
phenomena of our own times1 but by the  
examples of the most civilized nations  
of antiquity1 may this truth be         

historically proved2 and numerous       
passages can be adduced from their great
 historians in confirmation of it4 ,in  
all times and in all places a moral     
revolution within the domestic circle   
has preceded the public outbreaks of    
general anarchy1 which have thrown whole
 nations into confusion1 and undermined 
the best-ordered and wisely-constituted 
states4 ,when all the principal joists  
of a building have started1 and all its 
stays and fastenings1 from the roof to  
the foundation1 have become loose1 then 
will the first storm of accident easily 
demolish the whole structure1 or the    
first spark set the dry and rotten      
edifice in flames4  ,next in order and  
dignity to this soul-binding tie of a   
noble and virtuous love1 which promotes 
and preserves the intimate union of all 
the parts of social life1 another       
species or form of a lofty1 a good1 and 
a beautiful--nay1 even of a             
sublime--endeavor1 shows itself in what 
we call enthusiasm4 ,the latter has for 

its positive object a thought which the 
soul having once intellectually         
embraced1 is ever after filled and      
possessed with4 ,but the mere inward    
idea does not suffice here1 however it  
may in the case of the simple conception
 or admiration of a noble thought4 ,the 
distinctive characteristic of enthusiasm
 is rather the untiring energy with     
which1 even at great personal sacrifice1
 it labors to realize1 or to preserve in
 realization1 the idea which has once   
fully possessed the soul4 ,the commonest
 form or species of this enthusiasm is  
patriotism1 or the love of country1     
which best and most plainly manifests   
itself in seasons of national danger or 
calamity4 ,as the daily life of the     
individual alternates between labor and 
rest1 and the refreshing sleep of the   
night renews the strength which has been
 exhausted by the toils of the day1 so  
is it on a larger scale with the public 
life of the state in its alternations   
between peace and war4 ,for although    

peace is justly prized and desired1 as  
the greatest of public blessings1 still 
it is some comfort and compensation for 
its unavoidable absence1 to know that   
the presence of war1 and the struggle   
with its dangers and hardships1 first   
awaken and call into being many of man's
 best energies and noblest virtues1     
which1 in uninterrupted peace and       
tranquillity1 must have remained forever
 dormant4 ,but1 as is every where the   
case throughout the moral domain1 a     
spurious enthusiasm stands close        
alongside of the true and genuine       
species1 and requires to be carefully   
distinguished from it4 ,forced to speak 
of the love of country1 and to paint its
 genuine traits1 ,i rejoice that ,i am  
standing on one of its chosen and most  
familiar scenes1 where my hearers will  
understand me at the first sound1 when  
,i declare that the true enthusiasm of  
patriotism reveals itself most plainly  
in misfortune--in the midst of deep and 
lasting calamities4 ,another            

characteristic is1 that it does not     
arbitrarily set up its object1 or       
capriciously make its own occasion1 but 
at the first call of its hereditary     
sovereign rushes to the post of danger4 
,the second mark1 therefore1 of a true  
patriotism is obedience1 but an         
obedience associated with the forward   
energies of a fixed and prepared        
resolve1 which far outruns the exact    
requisitions of duty1 and gives rise to 
a true and real equality--the equality  
of self-sacrifice1 wherein the high and 
noble vie with the poor and lowly in the
 magnanimous oblation to their country  
of their best and dearest possessions4  
,another generally known and admitted   
species of enthusiasm1 viz41 a taste for
 the arts1 has not so universal a       
foundation in the constitution of the   
human mind as the feeling of patriotism1
 but implies a particular mental        
disposition1 and certain natural        
endowments1 and consequently the sphere 
of its operation is far narrower4 ,but  

here1 also1 as in the former case1      
enthusiasm manifests itself as a        
property or state of the soul which is  
far from being contented with a calm    
philosophical contemplation1 or         
admiration1 of its inward thought1 but  
which1 longing eagerly to realize and   
exhibit externally the idea with which  
it is possessed1 knows no rest nor peace
 till it has accomplished its cherished 
object4 ,and such an ideal enthusiasm is
 not confined to the sphere of art      
alone1 but even in the calmer regions of
 science is its influence felt4 ,it is1 
in short1 the animating impulse of all  
great inventions1 creations1 and        
discoveries4 ,without it ,columbus would
 never have been able to overcome all   
the dangers and obstacles which beset   
the first design and the final          
consummation of his bold conception4    
,but in the latter instances the object 
of enthusiasm is no longer a pure ideal1
 like that which animates the artist1   
but something great or new in the region

 of useful science1 or of practical     
life4 ,in every case1 however1          
enthusiasm has for its object a         
something positive and real1 which1 even
 if it be not one which captivates the  
soul with its transcendent beauty and   
excellence1 yet1 at least1 by its       
exalted nature fills it with wonder and 
admiration4 ,quite otherwise is it with 
a longing--an indefinite feeling of     
profound desire1 which is satisfied with
 no earthly object1 whether real or     
ideal1 but is ever directed to the      
eternal and the divine4 ,and although it
 presupposes1 as the condition of its   
existence1 no special genius or peculiar
 talents1 but proceeds immediately out  
of the pure source of the divinely      
created and immortal soul--out of the   
everlasting feelings of the loving      
soul--still1 from causes which are      
easily conceivable1 a pure development  
of this species is far rarer than even  
of the enthusiasm for art4 ,no doubt1 in
 certain happy temperaments1 under      

circumstances favorable to their free   
expansion1 this vague longing is        
peculiar to the age of youth1 and is    
often enough observed there4 ,indeed1 it
 is in that soft melancholy1 which is   
always joined with the half-unconscious1
 but pleasant feeling of the blooming   
fullness of life1 that lies the charm   
which the reminiscence of the days of   
youth possesses for the calm and quiet  
contemplations of old age4 ,here1 too1  
the distinctive mark between the genuine
 and the spurious manifestations of this
 feeling is both simple enough1 and     
easily found4 ,for as this longing may  
in general be explained as an inchoate  
state--a love yet to be developed--the  
question reduces itself consequently to 
the simple one of determining the nature
 of this love4 ,if1 upon the first      
development and gratification of the    
passions1 this love immediately passes  
over to and loses itself in the ordinary
 realities of life1 then is it no       
genuine manifestation of the heavenly   

feeling1 but a mere earthly and sensual 
longing4 ,but when it survives the      
youthful ebullition of the feelings1    
when it does but become deeper and more 
intense by time1 when it is satisfied   
with no joys1 and stifled by no sorrows 
of earth--when1 from the midst of the   
struggles of life1 and the pressure of  
the world1 it turns1 like a light-seeing
 eye upon the storm-tossed waves of the 
ocean of time1 to the heaven of heavens1
 watching to discover there some star of
 eternal hope--then is it that true and 
genuine longing1 which1 directing itself
 to the divine1 is itself also of a     
celestial origin4 ,out of this root     
springs almost every thing that is      
intellectually beautiful and great--even
 the love of scientific certainty       
itself1 and of a profound knowledge of  
life and nature4 ,philosophy1 indeed1   
has no other source1 and we might in    
this respect call it1 with much         
propriety1 the doctrine or the science  
of longing4 ,but even that youthful     

longing1 already noticed1 is oftentimes 
a genuine1 or1 at least1 the first      
foundation of the higher and truer      
species1 although1 unlike the latter1 it
 is as yet neither purely evolved nor   
refined by the course of time4  ,one    
general remark remains to be added4     
,this beautiful longing of youth1 a     
fruitful fancy1 and a loving soul1 are  
the best and most precious gifts of     
benignant nature1 that dispenses with so
 liberal a hand1 or1 rather1 not of     
nature1 but of that wonderful           
,intelligence that presides in and over 
it4 ,they form1 as it were1 a fair      
garden of hidden life within man4 ,but  
as the first man was placed in the      
garden of ,eden1 not merely for his idle
 enjoyment1 but1 as it is expressly     
stated1 8to dress it and to keep it10 so
 here also1 when this law of duty is    
neglected1 the inmost heart of the most 
eminent characters and of the most      
richly-endowed natures becomes1 as it   
were1 a ,paradise run wild and waste4   

,in the consideration of these three    
forms of man's higher effort--viz41     
longing1 true love1 and genuine         
enthusiasm--,i have throughout silently 
implied1 what no one can possibly deny1 
the co-operating influence of fancy4 ,as
 in the evil passions it exercises an   
injurious1 inflammatory1 and destructive
 effect1 so also it co-operates         
beneficially with the longing which is  
directed to the good and the divine1 and
 imparts to it its animating ardor1 and 
its highest energy4 ,in the pure        
longing1 indeed1 the inventive fancy is 
dissolved in what has ceased to be an   
earthly feeling1 and has become         
completely identified with the living   
soul4 ,but in the love and enthusiasm   
which are directed to some actual       
object1 it is the sustaining flame of   
life1 and of all loftier aspirations    
which1 as they spring from the source of
 fancy1 attest its co-operation4 ,it may
 be that the pure spirits are filled and
 pervaded with that loving veneration of

 the ,deity which makes up their        
blissful existence1 simply by means of  
the intuitive understanding and the pure
 will1 without even any admixture of    
fancy4 ,a human love or enthusiasm1     
however1 which should be totally devoid 
of fancy1 and free from its influence1  
will very rarely1 if ever1 be met with1 
and is but barely conceivable4 ,this1   
however1 does not involve any reproach  
or censure against man's love and       
enthusiasm1 as though they were unreal  
and founded on an untruth4 ,for nothing 
can be more erroneous than to suppose   
that the fancy must invariably be untrue
 and deceiving1 or at least             
self-deceived4 ,such a supposition is   
derived merely from one species of      
it--the poetical fancy4 ,and yet even   
this1 in its genuine manifestations1    
contains beneath its privileged and     
permitted garb of external untruth1 a   
rich store and living source of great   
and profound verities1 of a peculiar    
kind1 and belonging to an internal truth

 of nature4 ,or1 perhaps1 this          
misconception of fancy in general may   
have its origin in that abortion or     
corruption of it which operates so      
powerfully in the evil passions1 which  
is undoubtedly in the highest degree    
deceptive and delusive4 ,in and by      
itself1 and taken in its widest         
signification1 this faculty of fancy is1
 generally speaking1 the living         
productive thought--the faculty of      
internal fertility--and which also with 
its outward organs1 both of an earthly  
and a higher sense1 apprehends the whole
 external world4 ,it enters1 therefore1 
with a living interest into every good  
as well as base pursuit of man1 and     
giving new shapes of its own to all that
 it has once apprehended1 labors to     
invest it with a living form1 to apply  
and to realize it4 ,in itself1          
therefore1 and in its pure and uncorrupt
 state1 far from clashing with the      
divine truth 7which1 however1 is not in 
every case identical with the ordinary  

reality71 fancy1 as we shall show more  
fully in another place1 admits of being 
easily reconciled with it4 ,but of human
 things we must always judge by a human 
standard1 and with due allowance4 ,even 
supposing that1 in the case of a true   
love and a genuine enthusiasm1 a passing
 thought may be detected1 a momentary   
excitement or manifestation which goes  
beyond the exact line of the actual     
truth--even in such a case this love and
 this enthusiasm would not therefore be 
less real and genuine--still would not  
all be exaggeration that might seem so  
to the unsympathizing and unenthusiastic
 intellect4 ,at all events1 it must ever
 remain undeniable1 that emergencies    
occur in human life which are not met by
 the rigorous and mathematical          
formularies of ethical science1 and     
where by nothing but a noble sacrifice  
of love far transcending all the common 
and general requisitions of the         
practical reason--by nothing but a lofty
 energy and resolute enthusiasm--can a  

man extricate himself from his          
perplexities and arrive at a happy      
result4 ,at least1 it will not do to    
overlook or misrepresent this element of
 human life1 even though it must be     
admitted that it is not exempt from     
those traces of human infirmity which   
are also but too apparent in the other  
aspect of it1 the one1 viz41 in which   
the formal reason decides every thing1  
and is supreme4  ,as1 therefore1 the    
thinking soul is the living center of   
the human consciousness1 so1 on the     
other hand1 the loving soul is the      
middle point and the foundation of all  
moral life1 as it shows itself in that  
soul-bond of love1 which1 while it      
constitutes marriage1 is tied and       
completed therein4 ,on this union1 then1
 which1 as historically represented1    
appears to be the true commencement of  
civilized life1 it will be necessary to 
say a few words2 and the present seems  
the most appropriate place for them4    
,now1 both in philosophy and in all     

general speculation1 there are many     
reasoners who would derive every thing  
from material sensations1 and seek to   
degrade all that is regarded as high and
 noble by mankind4 ,so here1 also1 in   
the world's mode of judging of this     
union--which1 however1 all              
publicly-acknowledged principles regard 
as holy--it1 and all that belongs to it1
 is accounted for by some evanescent    
passion1 some sensual impression1 or    
some interested view or other1 while the
 existence of any thing like true and   
genuine love is absolutely denied4 ,but1
 in the first place1 in the case of a   
union which embraces the entire man--his
 sensuous as well as his rational1 or1  
as ,i should prefer to say1 his earthly 
no less than his spiritual nature and   
temperament--it can not fairly be urged 
in objection to it1 that both the       
elements of his mixed constitution are  
present in it4 ,on the contrary1 it is  
obviously most unjust1 in our estimate  
of it1 violently to separate what1 even 

in the least corrupted disposition and  
purest characters1 are most closely     
interwoven1 or1 rather1 fused together1 
and to subject them to an invidious and 
destructive analysis4 ,this is not the  
way to determine the characteristics of 
a true and of a false love4 ,the        
distinction between them must rather be 
sought by a simpler method1 similar to  
that which we followed in the case of   
longing and enthusiasm--by considering  
merely the total result4 ,a feeling of  
this kind may appear at the beginning   
never so violent2 it may even amuse     
itself with a thorough mental           
hallucination1 which betrays itself in  
its very outward aspect1 with the       
profoundest veneration1 nay1 deification
 of its admired object2 but in married  
life this intense admiration soon gives 
place to satiety or indifference1 and   
imbittered by mutual distrust and       
misunderstanding1 it terminates in      
incurable discord4 ,in such a case the  
feeling1 even in its ardent beginnings1 

was no true love1 but simply passion4   
,but in those happy unions1 where the   
first passionate ardor of youth yields  
only to an ever-growing and still purer 
development of mutual good-will and     
confidence--while self-sacrifice and    
patient endurance1 both in good and evil
 fortune1 do but cherish the same deep  
affection and calm friendship--here1    
from the very first1 it was true and    
genuine love4 ,for1 however much the    
outward appearances of human life may   
seem to contradict it1 there is not in  
nature1 and even in the higher region1  
any love without a return4 ,and as all  
true love is reciprocal1 so also is true
 love lasting and indestructible2 or1 to
 8speak as a man10 even because it is   
the very inmost life of humanity1 it is1
 therefore1 true unto death4  ,moreover1
 in the case of a union which extends to
 the whole of life1 it is quite         
consistent that a due regard should be  
paid to the other circumstances and     
relations of existence2 only no general 

rule can be laid down in this respect4  
,this is a matter which has been left to
 the discretion of individuals1 even by 
the divine laws1 those sacred guardians 
of wedlock1 which1 however1 rigorously  
insist on the absence of all compulsion1
 inasmuch as the free consent of all    
parties is an essential condition of    
this union4 ,and as we should be        
justified in taking for granted that    
this reciprocal act of free will must   
not be any inconsiderate or extorted    
assent1 or one induced by other         
interested feeling or consideration1 so 
is this expressly asserted by the fact  
that1 according to the spirit of these  
holy laws of matrimony1 this union must 
be founded on mutual affection1 and     
regarded as an indissoluble bond of     
souls1 and not as a mere civil contract 
or deed of sale and transfer of rank and
 property4 ,the latter1 as well as all  
else1 are mere subordinate matters4     
,three things1 according to ,god's moral
 government of the world1 are           

indispensable to and required by the    
essence and spirit of these holy laws4  
,in the first place1 there must be a    
mutual consent of the will--a reciprocal
 fondness and liking1 to which the will1
 whenever it is left free and           
unshackled1 gives an appropriate        
utterance and expression4 ,in the second
 place1 these laws require that unison  
of temper which is indispensable to its 
permanence2 while1 thirdly and lastly1  
they provide that this union1 so sacred 
in the sight of all civilized nations1  
should be indissoluble4 ,in perfect     
harmony with this last condition is     
monogamy--the fundamental law of        
,christian wedlock4 ,and even among the 
heathen nations of antiquity1 though    
without the sanction of law1 yet1       
nevertheless1 under the influence of an 
instinctive sense of what is morally    
right and noble1 monogamy had           
practically become the almost universal 
rule4 ,highly important to the welfare  
of the human race is the inviolable     

maintenance of this sacred law of       
marriage4 ,so incalculable are the      
disasters which follow from its         
violation1 that ,i can safely venture to
 assert1 without fear of exaggeration1  
that a religion which would venture to  
desecrate or pull down the venerable    
sanctuary of wedlock1 and consequently  
to expose the weaker sex to degradation 
and oppression1 would even thereby      
bespeak its own falsity1 and renounce   
all pretensions to a divine origin4     
,wherever1 on the contrary1 this noble  
institution and woman's dignity are     
acknowledged and respected1 there this  
union of souls in consecrated love      
operates1 by the means of lasting       
personal intercourse1 a reciprocal      
mental influence of the most            
diversified1 salutary1 and beautiful    
kind4 ,and this influence tends to      
promote the development not only of the 
soul and character1 but also of the mind
 or spirit4 ,accordingly in this1 the   
first and the most intimate of all      

unions1 all the three principles of     
human existence--body1 soul1 and spirit1
 or mind--alike meet together1 and      
partake of a common evolution4 ,and the 
result of this mutual influence         
relatively to the different characters  
of the mental capacities and            
consciousness of the two sexes1 and the 
development of each produced thereby1   
forms1 merely in its psychological      
aspect1 a remarkable and pregnant       
phenomenon4 ,consistently1 therefore1   
with the law ,i have proposed myself1 in
 every case1 to set out in my           
investigations from life itself1 and    
from the very center thereof1 ,i can not
 well avoid1 while treating of the      
several grades of the development of    
man's consciousness1 to give some1      
though it must be but a partial1        
consideration to this interesting topic4
  ,congeniality of mind and temper      
forms1 it is confessed1 the sole basis  
of domestic peace and contentment1 and  
of a happy1 i4e41 of a well-assorted    

marriage4 ,but to determine on what this
 depends1 in each individual case1 is a 
problem which1 considering the extremely
 great and infinite varieties of human  
dispositions1 admits not of a precise or
 particular solution4 ,on this point the
 closest observers are not unfrequently 
deceived in their predictions4 ,how     
often do those agree very well of whom  
previously it would not have been       
supposed possible8 ,on the contrary1    
those frequently live most unhappily    
together of whose blissful union the    
judgment of society and the ordinary    
estimate of human character had led to  
the most favorable anticipations4       
,nevertheless1 for the latter fact a    
general reason may be given4 ,it is not 
so much the similarity of tastes and    
pursuits1 as1 rather1 the want in one of
 some mental quality possessed by the   
other1 that forms the strongest source  
of attraction between the two sexes1 so 
that the inner life or consciousness of 
the one finds its complement in that of 

the other1 or1 at least1 receives from  
it a further development and elevation4 
,for in the same way that a certain     
community of goods and property1 even   
though not complete nor enforced by law1
 yet still1 in some measure and by daily
 use1 does practically take place in    
wedlock--so1 also1 by the constant      
interchange of every thought and        
feeling1 a sort of community of         
consciousness is produced1 which derives
 its charm and value from the very      
difference in the mental character of   
the two sexes4 ,when ,i would attempt to
 give a more precise determination of   
this difference1 ,i feel how difficult  
and incomplete must be every attempt    
generally to define the varieties of    
mental character4 ,and this is          
especially the case when men take in    
hand to paint the characters of whole   
ages and nations1 and by contrasts      
endeavor distinctly to limit and sharply
 to define them4 ,thus1 for instance1   
the predominant element in the mental   

character of the ,greeks is usually said
 to be intellect--comprising under this 
term every form and manifestation of it1
 the scientific as well as the artistic1
 profundity not less than acuteness1 and
 vivid perspicuity1 together with       
critical analysis2 while energy of will1
 strength of mind1 and greatness of     
soul1 are assigned to the ,romans as    
their distinguishing peculiarity4 ,no   
doubt these descriptions are not in     
general untrue4 ,how many nicer         
limitations1 however1 and modifications 
must they undergo1 if we are not to rest
 contented with this historical         
antithesis and summary--which1 no doubt1
 are correct enough1 as far as they     
go--but desire1 rather1 to form in idea 
and to set down in words a full and     
complete image of these two nations in  
their whole intellectual life4 ,so1 too1
 as a general description of the middle 
ages1 it might be said1 with tolerable  
truth1 that in them fancy was           
predominant2 while in modern times      

reason has been gradually becoming more 
and more paramount4 ,but how many       
particulars must be added in the latter 
case1 if the truth of life is not to be 
swallowed up in a general notion4 ,but  
in a still higher degree does this      
observation apply1 when we come to speak
 not merely of nations and eras1 but of 
the mental differences of the two sexes4
 ,such mere outlines must be given and  
taken for nothing more than what they   
really are1 mere sketchy thoughts4      
,however1 they may often lead us        
farther1 giving rise occasionally to    
useful applications1 or1 at least1      
serving1 not seldom1 to exclude a false 
and delusive semblance of a thought4 ,to
 attempt1 therefore1 something of the   
kind1 ,i would make the following       
remark1 in which most voices will1 ,i   
think1 concur4 ,of the several faculties
 or aspects of human consciousness      
previously described1 soul appears to be
 most pre-eminent in the mental         
constitution of women2 so that the      

prophet who said that women have no soul
 proved himself thereby a false prophet4
 ,for it is even this rich fullness of  
soul which manifests itself in all their
 thoughts1 and words1 and deeds--that   
constitutes the great charm of the      
social intercourse of civilized nations1
 as well as the winning attractiveness  
of their more familiar conversation1 and
 in part1 also1 the harmonizing         
influence which they produce on the mind
 in the more intimate union of wedded   
life4 ,nevertheless1 ,i think we should 
altogether miss the truth1 if1 from any 
love of antithesis1 we should go on to  
append the remark1 that1 in like manner1
 mind geist generally predominates among
 men1 and is commonly to be found in a  
higher degree among them than among     
women4 ,for1 in the first place1 the    
measure both of natural capacity and    
also of acquired culture1 not only in   
themselves1 but also in the manifold    
spheres and modes of their application1 
are so exceedingly different in         

different individuals1 that it is not   
easy to form therefrom any general and  
characteristic estimate of the whole    
sex4 ,and just as it would be a most    
false exaggeration to deny to man       
altogether the possession of a soul with
 its rich fullness of feeling1 since it 
is only of its preponderance among the  
other sex that it is allowable to speak1
 so can we with as little justice refuse
 absolutely to attribute mind to woman1 
or at best ascribe it to her only in a  
very limited degree4 ,for even if the   
subtler abstractions of scientific      
reasoning are very rare among1 and      
little suited to them1 still sound      
reason and judgment are only the more   
common4 ,the understanding which women  
possess is not so much dry1 observant1  
cool1 and calculating1 as it is vivid   
and intuitively penetrating4 ,and it is 
exactly this vividness of intellect     
that1 when speaking of individuals1 we  
call mind or spirit4  ,another line of  
thought will1 perhaps1 lead us more     

directly and nearer to the end we have  
in view4 ,the external influence of     
women on the whole human community is1  
for the most part 7for here1 too1 there 
are great and memorable exceptions7     
confined to a narrow sphere of the      
immediate duties of the affections1 or  
to similar relations in the wider social
 circle4 ,so1 too1 is it inwardly as    
regards the consciousness4 ,all the     
faculties of women and their several    
manifestations lie1 if ,i may so express
 myself1 close together1 and1 as it     
were1 in a friendly circle around the   
loving soul1 as their common center4    
,with regard1 then1 to the comparison of
 the two sexes and their mental         
differences1 ,i would venture to        
observe1 that on the one side it seems  
to me that a certain harmonious fullness
 of the consciousness is the            
preponderating character2 and1 on the   
other1 its eccentric evolution4 ,not    
that ,i mean that in the sex which is   
pre-eminently called to outward         

activity1 the mind loses its grand      
center in the inner life1 or1           
comet-like1 delights to wander in vast1 
irregular orbits1 as is1 indeed1        
commonly enough asserted4 ,my meaning   
is1 simply1 that the masculine mind will
 ever dare1 as1 indeed1 it ought1 to    
move in wider circles than the feminine4
 ,the extremes of the consciousness1 if 
the expression be allowable--the        
farthest poles both of reason and       
fancy--are1 so to speak1 the property of
 the more active sex2 while the         
harmonious union and contact of both in 
the soul belong to the more sensitive4  
,all such general and characteristic    
sketches1 however1 must always be most  
imperfect4 ,still ,i believe it may be  
safely and truly said1 that1 with       
highly-favored dispositions and noble   
natures 7and these must be always       
supposed and taken for the foundation of
 such general remarks71 the gain to be  
derived from this intellectual community
 and influence1 in which one individual 

consciousness completes the other1 must 
be sought in the one sex in a greater   
development of mind and elevation of    
soul1 and in the other in a more        
harmonious adjustment and softening of  
the mental powers1 and in a far more    
sensitive excitement of the soul's      
susceptibilities4 ,but in this most     
intimate of unions1 when regarded as    
divinely blessed1 and when in reality it
 appears to be so1 then on either side  
both mind and soul are1 as it were1     
twice combined and joined together in   
closest association1 and1 if we may say 
so1 even married and wedded together4   
,consequently1 while external life      
derives from marriage its moral         
foundation and origin1 the internal life
 of man is1 as it were1 mentally renewed
 by it1 or fructified afresh and        
redoubled4     ,,lecture ,,iii4  ,,of   
,,the ,,soul',s ,,share ,,in            
,,knowledge2 ,,and ,,of ,,revelation4   
,in the first ,lecture our attention was
 directed to the thinking soul as the   

center of the whole human consciousness2
 while in the second1 ,i attempted fully
 to set before you1 and to delineate1   
the loving soul as the true middle point
 of the moral life4 ,the object of our  
present disquisition will be to         
ascertain the part which the soul takes 
in the knowledge to which man is able to
 attain4 ,the general element1 indeed1  
which the soul furnishes as its         
contribution to human knowledge1 is not 
indeed very difficult to determine2 but 
when we come to details1 there is much  
that requires to be well weighed and    
pondered4  ,now1 the soul furnishes the 
cognitive mind with language for the    
expression of its cognitions2 and it is 
even the distinctive character of human 
knowledge1 that it depends on language1 
which not only forms an essential       
constituent of it1 but is also its      
indispensable organ4 ,language1 however1
 the discursive1 but at the same time   
also the vividly figurative language of 
man1 is entirely the product of the     

soul1 which in its production first of  
all1 and pre-eminently1 manifests its   
fruitful and creative energy4 ,in this  
wonderful creation the two constituent  
faculties of the soul--fancy and        
reason--play an equal and co-ordinate   
part4 ,from the fancy it derives the    
whole of its figurative and ornamental  
portion1 and also its melodious rhythm  
and animated tone4 ,and1 moreover1 its  
inmost fundamental web and the primary  
natural roots belong also to man's      
original deep feeling of sympathy with  
outward nature1 and therefore to fancy1 
unless perhaps some would prefer to     
ascribe them at once to the soul itself1
 as still more profoundly and intimately
 akin to nature4 ,to the reason1 on the 
other hand1 language owes its logical   
order1 and its grammatical forms and    
laws of construction4 ,which part is the
 more important1 or more highly to be   
esteemed1 is a question whose solution  
will vary according to the point of view
 which in any case may be adopted as    

fundamental1 or to the different        
relations under which the whole shall be
 considered4 ,both elements1 however1   
are equally essential and indispensable4
 ,in all the instances already          
considered of the reciprocal relation of
 reason and fancy we found almost       
invariably a decided preponderance of   
one or the other2 but neither there nor 
elsewhere will reason and fancy be found
 combining in such harmonious           
proportions1 or working so thoroughly   
together1 or contributing so equally to 
the common product1 as in the wonderful 
production of language1 and in language 
itself4 ,and this is the case1 not only 
with language in general1 but also with 
all its species and noblest             
applications4 ,now this dependence of   
the cognitive mind on its organ of      
language1 discursive indeed1 but yet    
almost always figurative--this close and
 intimate connection between man's      
knowledge and his speech--is even the   
characteristic mark of human            

intelligence4 ,but the fault of most of 
the mere speculative thinkers lies even 
in this1 that they abandon the standard 
of humanity1 by seeking to wrest1 and to
 conquer an unhuman1 if we may so say1  
i4e41 a wholly independent and absolute 
knowledge1 which1 however1 it is not in 
their power to attain to1 and in pursuit
 of which they lose the certainty which 
lies within their reach1 and so at last 
grasp nothing but an absolute           
not-knowing1 or an endless controversy4 
,if1 as we can not but suppose1 a       
communication does take place among     
those spiritual beings1 who in          
intelligence are preferred to man1 then 
must the immediate speech of these      
spirits be very different from our      
half-sensuous half-rational1            
half-earthly half-heavenly language of  
nature and humanity4 ,for1 even as      
spiritual1 it can not but be            
immediate--never employing figure and   
those grammatical forms which human     
language first analyzes1 to form again  

out of them new and fresh compounds4    
,according to the two properties which  
constitute the essence of mind geist1 it
 can only be a communication1 a         
transmission1 an awakening or immission 
of thought--some wholly definite        
thought--by the will1 or else the       
communicating1 exciting1 and producing  
by the thought of some equally definite 
volition4 ,it may be that something of  
this1 or at least something not         
absolutely dissimilar1 occurs in human  
operations4 ,it is possible that this   
immediate language of mind1 as a secret 
and invisible principle of life--as a   
rare and superior element--is contained 
also in human language1 and1 as it were1
 veiled in the outer body1 which1       
however1 becomes visible only in the    
effects of a luminous and lofty         
eloquence1 in which is displayed the    
magic force of language and of a ruling 
and commanding thought4 ,taken on the   
whole1 however1 human speech is no such 
immediate and magically-working language

 of mind or spirit4 ,it is rather a     
figurative language of nature1 in which 
its great permanent hieroglyphics are   
mirrored again in miniature1 and in     
rapid succession4 ,and it retains this  
natural and figurative character even in
 the ordinary form of rational dialogue1
 which must observe so many varieties   
and details of grammar1 of which        
superior intelligences have no need for 
their immediate intercommunion1 but in  
which1 as in all other human things1    
many greater or less grammatical        
oversights creep in and give rise to    
important consequences in science and   
thought1 and also in life itself4 ,but  
in the next place1 language is          
intimately connected and co-ordinate    
with tradition1 whether sacred or       
profane1 with all the recorded fruits of
 human speculation and inquiry4 ,and as 
the word is the root out of which the   
whole stem of man's transmitted         
knowledge1 or tradition1 has grown up1  
with all its branches and offshoots1 so1

 too1 in the eloquent speech1 in the    
elegant composition1 and even in all    
lofty internal meditation--which form1  
as it were1 the leaves1 flowers1 and    
fruits of this goodly tree of living    
tradition--it is again the word by which
 the whole is carried on and ultimately 
perfected4  ,but now1 in order to       
develop still more completely1 and more 
accurately to ascertain the part which  
the soul1 as the creator of language1   
contributes to human cognition and      
knowledge1 it will be necessary to      
examine nicely the essence of reason1   
and especially in relation to its       
collateral and closely-connected1 but   
subordinate faculties4 ,above all1 it   
will be advisable to determine1 as      
accurately and carefully as possible1   
the difference between reason and       
understanding4 ,for otherwise its proper
 share in this common fruit and joint   
product of human knowledge can not be   
ascribed to each power of mind and to   
each faculty of the soul1 nor their     

proper places and due limits in the     
whole be severally assigned4  ,the      
faculties1 then1 of the soul1 which     
stand in the same close relationship to 
the reason that the senses and the      
instincts or passions do to the fancy1  
are memory and conscience4 ,now1 memory 
may be considered either as a gift1     
according to its greater or less power  
of comprehension and retention1 or as an
 art to strengthen and facilitate its   
operations by artificial means of every 
kind1 or as a problem to determine how  
far the exercise of it constitutes an   
essential part of man's intellectual    
culture and development4 ,but it is not 
in any of these points of view that we  
have here to consider it1 but simply in 
its essential conjunction with the      
reason and rationality1 which appear to 
be dependent on this union4  ,in other  
words1 we have to regard the memory     
principally as the inward clew of       
recollection and of association in the  
consciousness1 in the ever-flowing      

stream of thought and interchange of    
ideas4 ,we may1 or1 ,i might rather say1
 we must1 forget infinitely many things4
 ,but this connecting thread of memory  
being once broken1 or destroyed1 or     
lost1 the reason invariably suffers with
 it1 and is injured1 or its exercise    
limited1 or1 lastly1 is rendered totally
 confused and extinct4 ,whenever1 in the
 extreme decrepitude of old age1 memory 
fails1 reason ceases in an equal degree 
to be active and energetic1 and is      
supplanted by more or less of a foolish 
doting4 ,in sleep1 no doubt1            
consciousness is regularly interrupted1 
but still it is immediately restored    
again on awaking4 ,if the contrary were 
to take place1 if1 as is the foundation 
of many an ingenious story among the    
poets1 when suddenly awakened we could  
not recall our former memory and our    
knowledge1 then should we be continually
 falling into mistakes about ourselves  
and lose all identity of consciousness4 
,some such violent interruption or rent 

in the inward memory of                 
self-consciousness is invariably to be  
found in madness1 and is a leading      
symptom of it4 ,and here ,i would merely
 call upon you to observe a further     
illustration of what has been already   
more than once pointed out4 ,the triple 
principle of body1 soul1 and spirit is  
again repeated and manifested even in   
this sad state of mental alienation1 and
 in all its different forms and species4
 ,in true lunacy or monomania--which is 
generally harmless and quiet--a         
radically false but fixed idea is often 
associated1 and is not inconsistent with
 an extraordinary shrewdness on all     
other points4 ,nevertheless1 this fixed 
erroneous idea1 being made the center of
 all other thoughts and of the whole    
consciousness1 produces that confusion  
and that disorganization of the mind    
which characterizes this form of a      
disordered intellect4 ,but in true      
madness1 or frenzy1 the seat of the     
disease is in the soul1 which1 having   

broken loose from all the ties and      
restraints of reason and rational habit1
 appears to have fallen a prey to some  
hostile1 wild1 and raging force of      
nature4 ,in idiotcy1 lastly1 especially 
where it is inborn and conjoined with   
the perfection of the external organs of
 sense1 we must assume the existence of 
some faulty organization1 some defect in
 the brain1 or whatever else is the     
unknown but higher organ both of thought
 and life4 ,the source of the last is   
altogether physical and corporeal1      
whereas moral causes often co-operate in
 the highest degree to the production of
 the former two4 ,the deaf and dumb1 if 
left wholly to themselves1 would1 in all
 probability1 belong always to the third
 class1 since1 with the loss of speech  
they are simultaneously deprived of a   
leading condition of rationality4 ,and1 
accordingly1 the first object with those
 who undertake the difficult task of    
training these unfortunate beings is to 
furnish them with another language1 by  

means of signs1 instead of the ordinary 
audible speech of which the accident of 
birth has deprived them4 ,this instance1
 therefore1 is only a further           
confirmation of what ,i have already    
advanced1 that the intellectual         
character is1 in every respect1 most    
intimately dependent on the faculty of  
speech4 ,a more minute examination of   
these matters belongs to physical       
science4 ,nevertheless1 our passing     
remark on the triple character of this  
psychological evil1 or misfortune1 will 
not1 ,i hope1 be found inappropriate    
here1 as affording1 even in this narrow 
and special sphere of a disordered      
intellect1 a further illustration of the
 general principle of our theory of the 
human consciousness4  ,now1 the outer   
and especially the higher senses may1 by
 reason of the supremacy of the fancy1  
to which they are subordinate1 be       
termed1 with propriety1 so many applied 
faculties of imagination4 ,in the same  
way we might give the same designation  

to the inclinations and impulses--the   
good as well as the evil--if1 perhaps1  
it would not be more accurate to name   
them an imagination passed into life4   
,in a similar way the memory may be     
considered as an applied reason which in
 the application has become quite       
mechanical and habitual2 for            
unquestionably the logical arrangement  
is the chief quality in memory4 ,from   
this it derives both its value and      
scientific utility4 ,on the other hand1 
there are certain acquired mental       
aptitudes which1 though originally they 
can not be formed without the voluntary 
exercise of memory1 become at last a    
completely unconscious and mechanical   
operation--the facility1 for instance1  
of learning by heart1 or the acquisition
 of foreign languages1 or catching up of
 musical tunes4 ,in all these the reason
 has become an instinct1 just as the    
instinct of animals1 their artistic     
impulse and skill1 may be designated an 
unconscious analogy of reason4  ,in this

 subordinate faculty of the memory1 the 
reason1 agreeably to its specific       
character1 exhibits itself as a useful  
and ministering agent4 ,in conscience1  
on the contrary1 as its highest         
function1 it assumes a somewhat negative
 character4 ,but in both relations1     
whether as a ministerial or negative    
faculty of thought1 the reason1 in its  
place1 is of the highest value4 ,if     
occasionally we have seemed to detract  
from and to limit its importance1 such  
remarks have been called forth by the   
undue and overweening authority which   
the present age would claim for the     
reason4 ,this is the sole end and       
meaning of our opposition1 which is     
directed exclusively against that       
spurious reason which claims to be      
supreme1 and arrogates to itself a      
productive power2 whereas1 in truth1 it 
ought not to be the one1 and can never  
be the other4 ,the thought which        
distinguishes1 divides1 and analyzes1   
and that also which combines1 infers1   

and concludes--which1 as such1 make up  
the faculty of reason--may be so carried
 on in indefinite and infinite process1 
as ultimately to get entirely rid of its
 object-matter4 ,it is this endless     
thinking1 without a correspondent       
object1 that is the source of scientific
 error1 which1 as in all cases it arises
 solely out of this vacuum in thinking1 
can only lead to a thinking of          
nothing--a cogitation absolutely null   
and false4 ,far different is the case   
where a memory1 stored with the rich    
materials of intellectual experience1   
forms the useful basis of man's studies 
and pursuits1 or where1 as is the case  
with the apperception of the conscience1
 the object1 even while it is less      
extensive and manifold1 is the more     
highly and more intensely important4    
,now1 as the reason generally is not    
only a combining and connecting1 but    
also a distinguishing faculty of        
thought1 so likewise the conscience is a
 similar power of drawing distinctions  

in the thought and in the internal      
consciousness1 though in a higher and   
special degree1 and also in a different 
form from that which1 in all other      
instances1 is discursive reason4 ,for it
 is by a simple feeling and immediate   
perception that the conscience1 in      
obedience to the voice within man1 draws
 between right and wrong1 or good and   
evil1 the greatest of all distinctions4 
,this voice of conscience1 while it     
makes itself heard among all nations1   
nevertheless1 under the ever and        
widely-varying influence of ruling ideas
 of the age1 and of education1 and of   
custom1 speaks in different times and   
places1 in differing tones and dialects4
 ,but these differences extend only to  
subordinate matters4 ,the primary and   
essential point remains unchanged and   
never to be mistaken2 the same dominant 
tone and key-note sounds through all    
these variations--the common tongue and 
language of human nature and of an      
untaught and innate fear of ,god4 ,this 

fact has led many to regard the         
conscience as the principal source of   
all higher and divine truth2 with whom  
,i can readily concur1 so long as they  
do not mean thereby that it is the only 
source1 to the exclusion of every other4
  ,now it is surely significant that in 
,german--and all languages furnish      
numerous instances of such significant  
allusions--the word and the name of     
reason#ag is derived from that internal 
perception of the conscience which      
constitutes its highest function4 ,what1
 then1 it may be asked1 is perceived by 
this wonderful perception1 that before  
it the will inwardly retires and        
withdraws even its earlier and most     
cherished wishes8 ,the warning voice it 
is called1 in every age and nation4 ,it 
is1 as it were1 one who within us warns 
and remonstrates4 ,it is not1 therefore1
 our own ,me1 but as it were another1   
and1 as a vague feeling would suggest1  
of a higher and a different nature4 ,and
 now by its light that earlier and      

retiring will appears in like manner as 
another self--a lower false and seducing
 ,ego--an alien power which would hurry 
away ourselves and our proper ,me4 ,but 
between the two--this higher warning    
voice on the one hand1 and this         
constraining1 compelling force on the   
other--there stands a power which is    
free to decide between them4 ,and this1 
as soon as the decomposing process is   
finished1 which in the as yet undecided 
will1 or its mixed states1 separates and
 distinguishes between the good voice   
and the evil inclination--remains to us 
as our own ,ego and our proper self4    
,this inward voice1 and the immediate   
perception of it1 is an anchor on which 
the vessel of man's existence rides     
safely on the stormy sea of life1 and   
the ebb and the flow of the will4 ,in   
other words1 it is a divine focus1 or a 
sacred stay of truth4 ,but further1 it  
must be observed1 that the understanding
 of this inner perception1 as ,i have   
just painted it1 does not belong to the 

reason1 to which alone the perceiving   
can itself be ascribed4 ,the true       
intelligence thereof--its higher        
interpretation1 and explanation1 which  
adds to it1 or recognizes in it a       
reference to the divine--must1 even     
because it is an intellectual act1 be   
ascribed to the understanding4  ,the    
present1 therefore1 is the place for a  
close and accurate investigation of the 
difference between reason and           
understanding--a question of the highest
 importance for the whole theory of the 
consciousness1 and its true             
philosophical interpretation1 as well as
 absolutely for every branch of science4
 ,for this purpose ,i shall follow a    
line of thought somewhat unusual1       
perhaps1 but which on that account is   
even the more likely to carry us quickly
 to the desired end1 and to place the   
distinction in a full and clear light4  
,i lately employed the somewhat         
hypothetical comparison between man and 
a superior order of intelligences1 as a 

means of illustrating the faculty of the
 fancy as the peculiar property of the  
human consciousness4 ,and now ,i would  
go a step higher1 and from the          
acknowledged characteristics of the     
divine intelligence1 derive the means of
 determining the different functions of 
the human consciousness1 and of setting 
the relations they stand in1 not only to
 one another1 but also to a superior    
intellect4 ,in this course1 however1 ,i 
shall take nothing for granted but what 
is well known and generally             
intelligible4 ,that ,god is a ,spirit1  
is the concurrent voice of all men1     
wherever a belief in the one ,god is    
professed1 or the idea of a ,divine     
,being is diffused4 ,god is a ,spirit1  
and therefore an omniscient intellect   
and an all-mighty will are unanimously  
attributed to ,him4 ,this axiom1 with   
which a child even of the most ordinary 
intelligence can associate some kind of 
meaning1 is at the same time the        
fundamental principle which is involved 

in all that the deepest thinker can know
 of ,god4 ,the same faculties1          
therefore1 that make up the essence and 
the two functions of created            
spirits--understanding and will--may1   
without hesitation1 be attributed to the
 uncreated ,spirit2 and although this   
attribution must be understood according
 to the exalted standard of the infinite
 distance between the creature and the  
,creator1 still it is made properly and 
not merely by way of figure4  ,but now1 
in ,holy ,writ1 and in the language of  
pious adoration and prayer1 among other 
nations as well as the ,jewish1 a       
multitude of properties1 faculties1 and 
senses are ascribed to the ,deity in    
perfectly anthropomorphic descriptions  
and imagery4 ,thus mention is even made 
of ,his eye1 ,his ear1 ,his guiding     
hand1 ,his mighty arm1 and the          
omnipotent breath of ,his mouth4 ,in so 
far as these are admitted to be mere    
images there can be no objection to     
them1 and it is not easy to see how they

 can lead to any abuse4 ,and this is    
equally the case even with such         
expressions as it is plain can only be  
applicable to the ,deity in a figurative
 sense--for instance1 when human        
passions are ascribed to ,him--since1 if
 employed properly and literally1 they  
all involve more or less of             
imperfection4 ,and in the same way1     
where no forgetfulness is possible or   
conceivable1 it can only be in a        
figurative sense that it is allowable to
 speak of memory4 ,and with still less  
propriety can the faculty of conscience1
 in its human sense1 be ascribed to     
,god4 ,his balance of justice--,his     
regulative thought--is something very   
different from our mere sense of right4 
,to ascribe conscience to the ,deity    
would be to confound the judge on the   
bench with the criminal at the bar4     
,even the first man1 as long as he was  
yet innocent1 knew not conscience4 ,for 
the sense of guilt1 and the faculty of  
perceiving it1 must at the very earliest

 have come simultaneously with the      
transgression itself1 if it was not1    
rather1 consequent upon it4 ,in the     
application to the ,deity of such       
figurative language1 great license is of
 course allowable4 ,the question1       
however1 which concerns us in a         
philosophical point of view is whether1 
in the same proper sense as             
understanding and will1 so also the     
other faculties which are so peculiarly 
distinctive of man--reason and fancy1 or
 the soul--can be attributed to the     
,divine ,being4 ,now it is at once      
evident that1 far beyond all other      
figurative expressions1 it would be     
perfectly unsuitable to ascribe fancy to
 ,god4 ,we feel clearly enough that by  
so doing we should be leaving the safe  
ground of truth for the treacherous     
domain of mythology4 ,that inner mine of
 intellectual riches which man in his   
weak measure finds in the faculty of    
fancy1 is1 in the case of the ,divine   
,being1 furnished once and for all by   

,his omnipotent will2 which of itself   
creates and produces its object1 and1   
unlike created beings1 is not confined  
to any limited data or to a choice      
between them4 ,here1 then1 the ,almighty
 will itself is the full fatherly       
heart--embracing1 nourishing1 and       
sustaining all creatures--or even the   
living maternal womb of eternal         
generation1 and requires no new and     
special faculty for this end4 ,in the   
next place1 as to the soul3 the         
expression of the soul of ,god does1    
indeed1 occur in some of the less known 
,christian writers of the first         
centuries of the church1 but it soon    
fell into disuse--from a fear1 probably1
 of its leading to a confusion of idea1 
and being identified with a mere soul of
 the world4 ,but however that may be1   
the soul is simply a passive faculty1   
and therefore1 on that account alone1 is
 highly inappropriate as applied to     
,god4 ,that third property which in the 
,divine nature is associated with an    

omniscient intelligence or              
understanding1 and an omnipotent will1  
can not be called the soul of ,god1 but 
is even the spirit of love1 in which    
both understanding and will unite and   
are one4 ,and if this third property be 
added to the axiomatic definition of the
 ,deity already alluded to1 then in the 
proposition1 ,god is a spirit of love1  
the double predicate in its essential   
import involves all that man in general1
 and even the profoundest thinker1 can  
properly know of ,god4 ,all besides is a
 mere expansion or elucidation of this  
primary and fundamental thought4        
,moreover1 if it is not allowable to    
ascribe fancy or a soul to ,god1 so     
neither can ,he be spoken of as         
possessing reason as an essential       
faculty in the same proper sense as     
understanding and will are attributed to
 ,him4 ,god is indeed the author of     
reason2 and the sound reason is even    
that which adheres to the center of     
truth1 as ,he1 in creating it1 designed 

and ordered4 ,but from this it does not 
by any means follow that ,he is himself 
the reason which ,he has created1 or    
that ,he is even one with it4 ,were it  
so1 then the advocates of absolute      
science1 the rationalists1 would be in  
the right2 in such a case1 the knowledge
 of ,god were in truth a science of     
reason1 inasmuch as like can only be    
known by like4  ,but now1 if it be not  
reason1 but rather understanding1 that1 
with the co-operation of all the other  
faculties both of soul and spirit1 is   
the proper organ for acquiring a        
knowledge of the divine1 and the only   
means by which man can arrive at a right
 apprehension thereof2 then is the      
knowledge of ,god simply and entirely a 
science of experience1 although of a    
high and peculiar kind1 by reason of the
 finiteness and frailty of man as       
compared with such an object4 ,as the   
fancy is the apprehension or seizing of 
an object1 the reason a combination or  
distinction1 so the understanding is the

 faculty which penetrates1 and1 in its  
highest degree1 clearly sees through its
 object4 ,we understand a phenomenon1 a 
sensation1 an object1 when we have      
discerned its inmost meaning1 its       
peculiar character and proper           
significance4 ,and the same is the case 
even when this object be a speech and   
communication addressed to us--a word or
 discourse given us to extract its      
meaning4 ,if we have discerned the      
design which is involved in such a      
communication1 its real meaning and     
purpose1 then may we be said to have    
understood it1 even though some minuti  
in the expression may still remain      
unintelligible1 which1 as not belonging 
essentially to the whole1 we put aside  
and leave unconsidered4 ,there are1     
therefore1 many steps and degrees in    
understanding--very different phases and
 species of it4 ,a familiar instance    
will1 perhaps1 elucidate this matter4   
,we will suppose the case of an         
extremely rare and remarkable1 or1      

perhaps1 hitherto wholly unknown1 plant1
 brought to our country from a foreign  
clime4 ,the naturalist1 having examined 
its structure and organs1 assigns it to 
a particular class of the higher        
botanical genera1 where it either       
belongs to some lower species or forms  
an exception4 ,the chemist1 again1 when 
the plant is brought before his notice1 
conjectures1 from certain other         
characters1 that it is formed of such or
 such elementary parts2 while the       
physician1 on other grounds1 concludes  
that in certain diseases it will        
probably serve as a remedy1 equally if  
not more efficacious than other herbs or
 roots previously employed for that     
purpose4 ,now1 if the two last have     
judged correctly1 if their conjectures  
be confirmed by trial and experiment1   
then will all the three have understood 
the plant1 and each in his own          
department have learned and discerned   
its intrinsic character4 ,again3 how    
slowly1 step by step and gradually1 do  

men attain to the understanding of some 
ancient1 foreign1 and difficult         
language4 ,it commences1 perhaps1 with  
the long and difficult deciphering of a 
manuscript or inscription1 with an      
alphabet incomplete or imperfectly      
known1 and after much painful labor the 
final discovery of its true meaning is  
made perhaps by some fortunate accident 
which all at once throws a full light   
upon it4 ,a remarkable instance1 in our 
own days1 will both elucidate the       
matter1 and serve at the same time to   
prove how a higher ,providence regulates
 even the progress of science4 ,for more
 than a millenium and a half had the    
hieroglyphics of an ancient race        
remained unintelligible to and          
undeciphered by a posterity of aliens1  
when at last1 amid the recent commotions
 and tempests of the political world1 a 
happy accident brought the secret to    
light4 ,who can forget the brilliant and
 dazzling expectations which hailed the 
departure of the ,french expedition for 

,egypt8 ,how was all ,europe electrified
 at the bold project of planting at the 
foot of the ,pyramids a colony of       
,european art and civilization4 ,the    
enterprise itself failed1 and was soon  
forgotten amid still more important     
events and greater revolutions2 and the 
humble monument with its triple         
inscription1 which was carried away from
 ,egypt1 is all1 if we may so speak1    
that remains of it4 ,but that has       
unquestionably founded a great epoch in 
the peaceful empire of science4#ah ,for 
a whole generation the learned labored  
to decipher it with but slow and very   
imperfect success1 when at last a happy 
coincidence presents itself1 and        
suddenly the key is found4 ,and although
 of the seven hundred secret symbols1   
scarcely more than one hundred are as   
yet made out1 still even these have     
opened a wide vista into the spacious   
domain of the dark origines of man's    
history4 ,and this was effected at a    
time when man had just learned to put   

together a few characters of the great  
alphabet of nature1 and here and there  
to decipher a word or two of its        
hieroglyphical language1 while at the   
same time streams of historical         
knowledge began to flow down from the   
remotest antiquity of the human race1   
confirming and setting in the clearest  
light the best of all that we had before
 possessed1 and exciting a hope that we 
might1 perhaps1 be also able to         
understand the obscure hieroglyphics of 
our own age1 and the fearful war of     
minds which is commencing in it4  ,such 
is the course of things1 or1 rather1 the
 higher ,providence that rules therein2 
and it was to this1 chiefly1 that ,i    
wished to call your attention by this   
digression4 ,thus slow and gradual1 but 
permanent1 are the progressive steps in 
the growth and development of true human
 science1 which is founded on           
experience--the internal as well as     
external1 the higher as well as the     
lower--and on tradition1 language1 and  

revelation4 ,but1 on the contrary1 that 
false1 or1 as ,i termed it at the       
outset1 that unhuman and absolute       
knowledge1 as it pretends to embrace all
 at once1 and by one step to place us in
 full possession of the whole sum of    
human knowledge1 so1 ever fluctuating   
between being and non-being1 it soon    
dissolves into thin air1 and leaves     
nothing behind but a baseless void of   
absolute non-knowing4 ,ill would it fare
 with the knowledge of ,god and of      
divine things1 if they were left to be  
discovered1 and1 as it were1 first      
established by human reason4 ,even      
though1 in such a case1 the intellectual
 edifice were never so well built and   
compact1 still1 as it had originally    
issued out of man's thoughts1 it would  
be ever shaking before the doubt whether
 it were any thing better than an idea1 
or had any reality out of the human     
mind4  ,for this doubt is the foundation
 of all idealism1 to which1 often       
recurring under differing forms of      

error1 it does but give a fresh creation
 and new shape4 ,even from this side1   
consequently1 it is apparent that no    
living certainty and complete reality is
 attainable by it4 ,easy1 in truth1 were
 it from this position to evolve the    
ideas of the illimitable1 and the       
infinite1 and the absolute2 and of such 
developments there is no lack4 ,but they
 are at best but pure negations1 which  
do not serve in the least to explain    
that which is most necessary for us to  
understand4 ,curious1 indeed1 should ,i 
be to see the process by which1 out of  
this pet metaphysical idea of the       
absolute1 any one positive notion of    
,god--,his patience1 for example1 and   
long-suffering--is to be deduced4       
,strange1 too1 must be the way in which 
alone it could carry out the proof that 
the absolute ,deity1 or as man prefers1 
it seems1 to say1 the ,absolute1 can not
 dispense with the possession of this   
attribute of patience1 on which1        
however1 before all others1 it is       

important for man to insist4 ,moreover1 
this character of absoluteness is       
applied to the ,deity in a manner which 
is altogether false and erroneous4 ,that
 ,god1 in the mode of his existence1 is 
unlimited--that the ,first ,cause is not
 dependent on1 and can not be qualified 
by any other being1 is self-evident1 and
 is nothing but a mere identical        
proposition4 ,but this character does   
not admit of being applied to his inner 
essence1 or ,his essential attributes in
 relation to man and the whole creation4
 ,wo to all men1 nay1 we might rather   
say1 wo to all created beings1 if ,god  
were really absolute--if1 for instance1 
,his justice1 which1 however1 is the    
first and principal of all ,his         
attributes1 were not manifoldly         
modified1 limited1 and conditioned by   
,his goodness1 ,his mercy1 and ,his     
patience4 ,before such a justice of     
,god1 if it were at once to make such an
 unconditional manifestation of itself1 
the whole world in terror would sink in 

dust and ashes4 ,but it is not so4 ,man 
does hope--he must believe--ay1 we may  
go on and add1 man does know1 that the  
divine justice is not unconditional1 but
 is in an eminent degree limited by ,his
 fatherly love and goodness4  ,no doubt1
 too1 it must not1 on the other hand1 be
 forgotten1 that the divine love and    
grace are also conditioned by the       
attribute of justice1 what1 however1 in 
a certain effeminate theology of a      
recent day1 seems to have been totally  
overlooked4 ,however1 this grave error  
of a too sentimental view of divine     
things is now pretty generally          
recognized as such1 and1 for the most   
part1 abandoned4 ,moreover1 it does not 
properly lie within the scope of our    
present disquisition4 ,now1 the position
 that the justice and the grace of ,god 
mutually limit each other1 involves     
nothing unintelligible1 or1 in this     
sense1 inconceivable2 as1 however1 is   
the case with the baseless phantom of   
the absolute1 where the empty phrase    

becomes only the more unintelligible the
 more frequently it is repeated4 ,how   
much more correct1 in this respect1 were
 the definitions and distinctions of the
 great philosophers of antiquity1       
especially the ,pythagoreans4 ,with them
 the limitless and the indeterminate    
were even the imperfect and the evil1   
and the former they regarded as the     
characteristic marks of the latter2     
while the fixedly definite and positive1
 which forms the very heart and core of 
personality1 was with them identical    
with the good3 and unquestionably1      
,god's personality--the fundamental     
notion1 the proper and universal dogma  
of every religion that acknowledges the 
one true ,god--is the true center around
 which the whole inquiry revolves4 ,for 
the question is1 whether philosophy1    
while it allows this idea to stand      
indeed externally1 and apparently--for  
even in ,germany only one has been found
 bold enough to deny it expressly and   
without reserve--intends all the while  

to put it quietly aside1 and secretly to
 entomb it by refusing to see in it any 
thing more than an illusion of the      
natural feelings4 ,the point at issue is
 whether1 by so teaching1 philosophy is 
to come into direct collision with one  
of man's most universal and             
deeply-rooted feelings1 and to produce  
an eternal schism--an irreconcilable    
discord--not only between science and   
faith1 but even between science and     
life4 ,for to unsettle life1 is even the
 necessary result of rationalism4  ,but 
let us now turn from the 8,absolute0 of 
reason to the personal ,god of the      
believers among all peoples and times4  
,if1 now1 the knowledge of ,god be not a
 discovery of the reason1 whose proper  
office is to analyze and                
investigate--if1 on the contrary1 we are
 only able to understand of ,him so much
 as is given and imparted to us1 then   
the matter assumes quite another aspect4
 ,if ,god has conferred a knowledge of  
,himself upon man--if ,he has spoken to 

him1 has revealed ,himself to him--as is
 the common tradition of all ancient    
nations1 the more unanimously           
corroborated the older they are--then is
 the power to understand this divine    
communication given together and at the 
same time with it1 even though we should
 be forced to allow that this           
intellectual capacity be limited by     
human frailty and extremely imperfect4  
,to take our estimate of it as low as   
possible1 we will conceive it to be     
something like the degree of            
intelligence with which a child eighteen
 months old understands its mother4     
,much it does not understand at all2    
other things it mistakes1 or perhaps    
does not fully attend to1 and its       
answers1 too1 are not much to the       
purpose2 but something1 nevertheless1 it
 does understand--this we see clearly   
enough4 ,on this point we should not be 
likely to be led astray1 even though the
 theorist should wish to raise a doubt  
on the matter1 by attempting to prove   

that the child could not properly       
understand its mother1 since for that   
purpose it would be necessary for it to 
have previously learned thoroughly and  
methodically the elements of grammar4   
,we believe1 however1 what1 indeed1 we  
see1 that man's power of understanding  
divine things is really very imperfect4 
,for the relation between the child a   
year and a half old and its mother      
completely represents that of man to    
,god1 with the more than half-imperfect 
organs that are given him for this      
purpose--with his so manifoldly limited 
mind or spirit1 which is a spark of     
heavenly light1 indeed1 but still only a
 spark--a drop out of the ocean of the  
infinite whole--and1 moreover1 with his 
half-soul4 ,for half-soul we may and    
must call it in this respect1 since with
 the one half it is turned to the earth1
 and still wholly fraternizes with the  
sensible world2 while with the other it 
is directed to1 and is percipient of1   
the divine4 ,but such a childlike and   

humble docility will not satisfy the    
proud reason1 and so it is ever turning 
again to the other absolute road of a   
false1 imaginary1 and unhuman knowledge4
 ,fundamentally1 however1 those two     
words1#ai which alone man can be certain
 of with respect to ,god1 would1 since  
,god invariably imparts to every        
creature its due measure1 be quite      
enough1 if only man would always rightly
 apply and faithfully preserve them4    
,now1 to this first hypothesis we might 
append the further question3--supposing 
that ,god has imparted a knowledge of   
,himself to mankind--has spoken to them1
 and revealed ,himself to them--is it   
not highly probable that ,he has        
ordained some institution for the       
further propagation and diffusion of    
revealed truth1 and also for the        
maintenance as well of its original     
integrity as also of the right          
interpretation of it8 ,but ,i must      
content myself with merely advancing    
this question4 ,i can not attempt to    

prosecute it in the present place2 for  
its further consideration would carry us
 out of the established limits of       
philosophy into the domain of history1  
and it involves1 moreover1 the positive 
articles of faith4  ,but the previous   
question1 whether the knowledge of ,god1
 which we either possess or are capable 
of possessing1 be a science of absolute 
reason1 or rather an understanding of   
given data1 and consequently a science  
of experience1 and resting1 ultimately1 
on revelation--this certainly falls     
within the scope of philosophical       
investigation4 ,indeed1 it forms the    
chiefest and most essential problem of  
philosophy1 inasmuch as it is properly  
the very question of being and          
non-being--of a true and human1 or of an
 empty and imaginary science--that is   
here to be decided4 ,on this account1 a 
precise and correct phraseology is of   
the utmost importance toward a right    
solution of this leading topic of       
philosophical inquiry4 ,now1 it is a    

fact deserving of remark1 and well      
calculated to arrest our attention1 that
 nowhere in ,holy ,writ1 nowhere in all 
antiquity1 or in any of the great       
teachers and philosophers of olden time1
 is there any mention made of ,god's    
reason--but universally it is           
intelligence or understanding1 an       
omniscient intelligence that is ascribed
 to ,him4 ,the wrongful interchange of  
the two words was reserved exclusively  
for our modern times1 and for the epoch 
of the absolute rule of reason1 and of  
the worse than ,babylonish confusion of 
scientific terms which has arisen out of
 it4 ,the only exceptions from the      
previous remark1 which may be found in  
antiquity1 are confined to one or two of
 the ,stoics4 ,but when we reflect how  
greatly their whole chapter on the      
,deity labors under the evil influence  
of that doctrine of an inevitable       
necessity and blind fate1 which forms   
the reproach of the whole ,stoical      
theory1 this apparent exception serves  

to confirm the general rule1 that a     
wrong use of language invariably has its
 source in a rationalistic basis of     
speculation1 or1 perhaps1 is itself the 
spring and occasion of that erroneous   
point of view4 ,god is unquestionably   
the author of reason4 ,if1 therefore1   
any one be disposed to call the divine  
order of things 7which1 however1 is not 
the ,deity himself7 a divine reason1    
this is a mere matter of indifference4  
,only in such a case the question to be 
agitated would not involve the mere     
expression1 but rather the meaning which
 is associated with it4 ,but1 for my    
part1 ,i should prefer to avoid a mode  
of speaking which might give rise to    
great misconception4 ,and this is the   
more desirable the more needful it is at
 all times carefully to distinguish     
between the true and sound reason and   
its contrary4 ,god is the author of the 
sound reason1 i4e41 of the reason which 
follows and is obedient to the divine   
order4 ,but the other1 the rebellious   

reason1 has for its source that spirit  
of negation which every where opposes   
,god1 and has drawn so great a part of  
creation after him in his fall4 ,for1   
having lost his true center1 and finding
 none in himself1 that evil spirit1 with
 indescribable desire and raging        
passionateness1 seeks to find one in the
 disordered world of sense1 and in its  
noblest ornament--even in the soul of   
man1 the very jewel of creation4 ,and   
this is even the origin of the          
rebellious reason4 ,and it is rebellious
 even because having wandered from its  
center in the loving soul1 which again  
has its center in ,god1 it has thrown   
off the obedience of love1 that holy    
bond which retains the soul in          
subjection to the divine order4 ,how far
 in the present day1 amid the fermenting
 rationalistic medley which constitutes 
the spirit of the age1 that sound reason
 which willingly follows and observes   
the divine order1 or that rebellious    
reason which is absolute in itself1 has 

the upper hand1 and forms the           
predominant element1 is a question easy 
of solution4 ,it is one which ,i am     
content to leave to the decision of all 
who are in any degree acquainted with   
the prevailing tone of science and of   
life4  ,the philosophy which ,i have    
here undertaken to develop1 setting out 
from the soul as the beginning and first
 subject of its speculations1           
contemplates the mind or spirit as its  
highest and supreme object4             
,accordingly1 in its doctrine of the    
,deity1 directly opposing every         
rationalistic tendency1 it conceives of 
,him and represents him as a living     
spirit1 a personal ,god1 and not merely 
as an absolute reason1 or a rational    
order4 ,if1 therefore1 for the sake of  
distinction1 it requires some peculiar  
and characteristic designation1 it      
might1 in contrast with those errors of 
,materialism and ,idealism which ,i have
 described and condemned1 be very aptly 
termed ,spiritualism4 ,but our doctrine 

is not any such system of reason as the 
others pretend to be4 ,it is an inward  
experimental science of a higher order4 
,such a designation1 consequently1      
bespeaking as it does1 a pretension of  
system1 is not very appropriate1 and is1
 at all events1 superfluous4 ,it is best
 indicated by a simple name1 such as we 
have given it in calling it a philosophy
 of life4  ,moreover1 the revelation by 
which ,god makes himself known to man1  
does not admit of being limited         
exclusively to the written word4 ,nature
 itself is a book written on both sides1
 both within and without1 in every line 
of which the finger of ,god is          
discernible4 ,it is1 as it were1 a ,holy
 ,writ in visible form and bodily       
shape--a song of praise on the          
,creator's omnipotence composed in      
living imagery4 ,but besides ,scripture 
and nature--those two great witnesses to
 the greatness and majesty of           
,god--there is in the voice of          
conscience nothing less than a divine   

revelation within man4 ,this is the     
first awakening call to the two other   
louder and fuller proclamations of      
revealed truth4 ,and1 lastly1 in        
universal history we have set before us 
a real and manifold application and     
progressive development of revelation4  
,here the luminous threads of a divine  
and higher guidance glimmer through the 
remarkable events of history4 ,for1 not 
only in the career of whole ages and    
nations1 but also in the lives of       
individuals1 the ruling and benignant   
hand of ,providence is every where      
visible4  ,fourfold1 consequently1 is   
the source of revelation1 from which man
 derives his knowledge of the ,deity1   
learns his will1 and understands his    
operation and power--conscience1 nature1
 ,holy ,writ1 and universal history4    
,the teaching of the latter is often of 
that earnest and awful kind1 to which we
 may1 in a large sense1 apply the adage1
 8,who will not learn must feel40 ,how  
often does it show us some mighty       

edifice of fortune1 which1 having no    
firm basis in the deep soil of truth and
 the divine order1 owed its rapid growth
 and false splendor to some evil        
influence1 falling suddenly in ruins1 as
 if stricken by the invisible breath of 
a superior power4 ,on such occasions the
 public feeling recognizes the hand     
which sets a limit to every temerity in 
the history of the world--to every      
extravagance of a false confidence--and 
appoints it its ultimate term4 ,and the 
olden notion 7which1 with men of the    
day1 had become little more than an     
antiquated legend7 of ,god's retributive
 justice1 resumes its place among the   
actuating sentiments of life1 with new  
and intense significance4 ,the sublime  
truth1 however1 is only too soon        
forgotten1 and the temporary alarm      
subsides but too quickly into the       
habitual calm of a false security--that 
old and hereditary feeling of human     
nature4  ,the volume of ,holy ,writ1 as 
it is transmitted to us1 and was first  

commenced about three-and-thirty        
centuries ago1 does not exclude the     
possibility of an earlier sacred        
tradition in the twenty-four centuries  
which preceded it4 ,so far1 indeed1 is  
the supposition of such an original     
revelation from being inconsistent with 
,scripture1 that1 on the contrary1 it   
contains explicit allusions to the fact1
 that such a manifold enlightenment was 
imparted to the first man1 as well as to
 that patriarch who1 after the          
destruction of the primeval world of    
giants1 was the second progenitor of    
mankind4 ,but as this divine knowledge1 
derived immediately from the primary    
source of all illumination1 flowed down 
in free and unconfined channels to      
succeeding generations1 and to the      
different nations which branched off    
from the parent stock1 the original     
sacred traditions were soon disfigured  
and overloaded with fictions and fables4
 ,in these1 however1 a rich abundance of
 remarkable vestiges and precious germs 

of divine truth were mixed up with      
,bacchanalian rites and immoral         
mysteries4 ,and thus1 amid a multitude  
of sensuous and stimulating images1 the 
pure and simple truth was buried1 as in 
a second chaos1 under a mass of         
contradictory symbols4 ,hence arose that
 ,babylonish confusion of languages1    
emblems1 and legends1 which is          
universally to be met with among        
ancient1 and even the most primitive    
nations4 ,in the great work1 therefore1 
of purification1 and of a restoration of
 true religion 7which we may call a     
second revelation1 or1 at least1 as a   
second stage thereof71 a rigid exclusion
 of this heathenish admixture of fable  
and immorality was the first and most   
essential requisite4 ,but those older   
revelations1 imparted to the first man  
and the second progenitor of mankind1   
are expressly laid down as the          
groundwork of that evangel of the       
creation1 which forms the introduction  
to the whole volume of ,scripture1 and  

furnishes us thereby with a key to      
understand the history and religion of  
the primitive world--or1 to speak       
absolutely1 the true ,genesis of the    
existing world1 its history and its     
science4 ,this double principle1        
expressly recognizing1 on the one hand1 
an original revelation and divine       
illumination of the first progenitors of
 the human race1 of which the olden and 
less corrupted monuments of heathenism  
still retain many a trace2 and1 on the  
other1 strictly rejecting the additions 
of a corrupt and degenerated heathenism1
 with all its tissue of fables and      
false1 godless mysteries1 must be kept  
steadily in view in examining the       
earliest portions of the sacred         
,scriptures4 ,for the neglect1 or       
imperfect consideration of it1 has      
already led1 and is ever likely to give 
rise to many complicated doubts and     
perverted views1 which imperil not only 
the simple understanding of the whole   
body of revealed ,scripture1 but even   

the right conception of revelation4  ,it
 would seem1 then1 that not only        
philosophical1 but absolutely every     
higher species of knowledge is an       
internal science of experience4 ,for the
 formal science of mathematics is not a 
positive science for the cognition of a 
real object1 so much as an organon and  
aid for other sciences1 which1 however1 
as such1 is both excellent in itself1   
and admits of many useful applications4 
,we may1 therefore1 on this hypothesis  
consider each of these four faculties of
 man1 which ,i have called the principal
 poles or leading branches of human     
consciousness1 as a peculiar sense for a
 particular domain of truth4 ,for all   
experience and all science thereof rests
 on some cognitive sense as the organ of
 its immediate perceptions4 ,now1 the   
reason1 which1 in its form of           
conscience1 announces itself as an      
internal sense of right and wrong1 is1  
as the faculty for the development and  
communication of thought1 usually named 

the common sense4 ,it constitutes the   
bond of connection between men and their
 thoughts1 which is dependent on and    
conditioned by language and its organ1  
and may be called the sense for all that
 is distinctively human4 ,in this       
respect it forms the foundation and     
first grade of all other senses for1 and
 immediate organs of1 a higher          
knowledge4 ,fancy1 again1 being itself  
but a reflection of life and of the     
living powers of the natural world1 is  
the inward sense for nature1 which1 as  
will hereafter be more fully shown1     
first lends and assures to natural      
science its due import and true living  
significance4 ,and1 inasmuch as the     
perfect intellection of a single object 
results from the totality alone--the    
significance and spirit of the          
whole--therefore the understanding is   
the sense for that mind geist which     
manifests itself in the sensible world1 
whether this be a human or natural1 or  
the supreme ,divine intelligence4  ,now1

 if we may venture to consider the      
fourfold revelation of ,god in          
conscience1 in nature1 in ,holy ,writ1  
and the world's history1 as so many     
living springs or fertilizing streams of
 a higher truth1 we must suppose the    
existence of a good soil to receive the 
water of life and the good seed of      
divine knowledge4 ,for without an organ 
of susceptibility for good to receive   
the divine gift from above1 no amount of
 revelation would benefit man4 ,now1 the
 soul1 so susceptible of good on all    
sides1 both from within and from        
without1 is even this organ for the     
reception of revelation4 ,and this      
function of the soul1 together with its 
creation of language as the outer form  
of human knowledge1 constitutes its     
contribution to science1 and especially 
to internal science4 ,and even with the 
understanding1 as the sense which       
discerns the meaning and purport of     
revelation1 the soul is                 
co-operative--since nothing divine can  

be understood merely in the idea1 and of
 and by itself alone1 but in every case 
a feeling for it must have preceded1 or1
 at least1 contributed toward its       
complete understanding4 ,the soul1      
consequently1 which is thus susceptible 
of the divine1 is ever informing itself 
about1 or co-operating in the           
acquisition of a knowledge of the       
,godlike4 ,and this1 the soul's love and
 pursuit of divine truth1 when1         
unfolding itself in thought1 it comes   
forth in an investiture of words1 is    
even philosophy--not1 indeed1 the dead  
sophistic of the schools1 but one which1
 as it is a philosophy of life1 can be  
nothing less than living4 ,and the soul1
 thus ardently yearning for the divine1 
and both receiving and faithfully       
maintaining the revealed ,word1 is the  
common center toward which all the four 
springs of life and streams of truth    
converge4 ,in free meditation it        
reconciles and combines them4  ,on this 
account the oldest and most natural form

 of philosophy was that of dialogue1    
which did not1 however1 exclude the     
occasional introduction of a simple     
narrative1 or the continuous explanation
 of higher and abstruser questions4     
,philosophy1 accordingly1 might not     
inappropriately be defined as a dialogue
 of the soul in its free meditation on  
divine things4 ,and this was the very   
form it actually possessed among the    
earliest and noblest of the philosophers
 of antiquity--first of all really and  
orally1 as with ,pythagoras and         
,socrates1 and lastly in its written    
exposition1 of which style ,plato was   
the great and consummate master4 ,but it
 was only to the noblest and best of all
 ranks1 though without distinction of   
age or sex1 that these the greatest men 
of antiquity communicated their         
treasures of philosophical wisdom4 ,in  
this course ,pythagoras first set the   
example1 which1 on the whole1 was       
followed also by ,socrates and ,plato4  
,for1 in general1 the latter confined   

their philosophical teaching to a select
 circle1 and imparted it1 as it were1   
under the seal of friendship1 to such   
only as in the social intercourse of    
life they admitted to close and familiar
 intimacy4 ,occasional exceptions were1 
perhaps1 furnished by their disputes    
with the sophists1 in the course of     
which they were constrained to adopt1   
not only the weapons1 but also the      
method of their adversaries--a license  
of which ,plato1 perhaps1 has too often 
availed himself1 even if he has not     
sometimes abused it4 ,for about this    
time the sophists introduced a practice 
as erroneous as their doctrine was      
false4 ,publishing their philosophemes  
to the whole people1 they treated it and
 quarreled about it in the market-place 
as a common party matter4 ,such a       
procedure was in every sense pernicious1
 and one which must have brought even   
truth itself into contempt4 ,lastly1    
,aristotle comprised in his manuals the 
collective results of all earlier       

philosophical speculation1 and intrusted
 his treasury of mature knowledge and   
well-sifted and newly-arranged thoughts 
to the keeping of a school4 ,now1 we    
should be far from justified were we to 
make this a reproach against this master
 of subtlety and profoundest of         
thinkers2 for at this time all true     
intellectual life had1 together with    
public spirit1 become extinct among the 
,greeks1 amid the disorders of          
democracy1 or under the pressure of the 
armed supremacy of ,macedonia4 ,still it
 must ever remain a matter of profound  
regret4 ,for philosophy1 as standing in 
the center between the guiding spirit of
 the divine education of man and the    
external force of civil right and       
material power1 ought to be true mundane
 soul ,weltseele which animates and     
directs the development of ages and of  
the whole human race4 ,deeply1          
therefore1 is it to be deplored whenever
 science1 and especially philosophy1 are
 withdrawn from this wide sphere of     

universal operation1 and from human life
 itself1 to remain banished and cooped  
up in the narrow limits of a school4    
,,lecture ,,iv4  ,,of ,,the ,,soul ,,in 
,,relation ,,to ,,nature4   8,we know in
 part10 exclaimed1 with burning zeal1   
the honest man of ,god in ,holy         
,scripture1 8,we know in part1 and we   
prophesy in part40 ,how true the first  
member of this sentence is even in the  
case of that knowledge of ,god which    
alone deserves the name of knowledge1 or
 repays the trouble of its acquisition1 
the previous ,lecture must in many ways 
have served to convince us4 ,the second 
member1 which will chiefly occupy our   
attention in the present discussion1 is 
in an eminent degree applicable to      
physical science4 ,for what1 in fact1 is
 all our knowledge of nature1 considered
 as a whole and in its inmost essence1  
but a mere speculation1 conjecture1 and 
guess upon guess8 ,what is it but an    
endless series of tentative experiments1
 by which we are continually hoping to  

succeed in unveiling the secret of life1
 to seize the wonderful ,proteus1 and to
 hold him fast in the chains of science8
 ,or is it not1 perhaps1 one            
ever-renewed attempt to decipher more   
completely than hitherto the sybilline  
inscriptions on the piled-up rows and   
layers of tombs1 which as nature grows  
older convert its great body into one   
vast catacomb1 and so perchance to find 
therein the key to unlock and bring to  
light the far greater--nay1 the greatest
 of all riddles--the riddle of death8   
,now there are undoubtedly1 even in     
nature itself1 occasional indications   
of1 scattered hints and remote allusions
 to1 a final crisis1 when even in nature
 and in this sensible and elementary    
world1 life shall be entirely separated 
from death1 and when death itself shall 
be no more4 ,gravely to be pondered and 
in nowise to be neglected are these     
hints1 although without the aid of a    
higher illumination they must forever   
remain unintelligible to man4 ,thus     

considered1 however1 the universe itself
 appears replete with dumb echoes and   
terrestrial resounds of divine          
revelation4 ,it is not1 therefore1      
without reason and significance1 if in  
this beautiful hymn the ancient         
prophetess of nature lends her          
concurrent testimony to the promises of 
the holy seer of a last day of creation1
 which nature shall celebrate as the    
great day of her renovation and toward  
which she yearns with an indescribable  
longing which is nowhere so inimitably  
depicted1 so strongly and so vividly    
expressed1 as in ,holy ,writ itself4    
,holy ,scripture could not and can not  
contain a system of science1 whether as 
a philosophy of reason or a science of  
nature4 ,nay1 in this form of a manual  
and methodical compendium of divine     
knowledge1 it could not inspire us with 
confidence either as revelation or as   
science4 ,condescending altogether to   
the wants of man1 both in form and      
language1 it consists of a collection of

 occasional and wholly practical        
compositions derived immediately from1  
and expressly designed for1 life--in a  
certain sense it consists of nothing but
 the registers and social statutes      
either of the prophetic people or of the
 apostolical community4 ,accordingly1   
its contents are of a mixed nature3     
historical1 legal1 instructive1         
hortatory1 consolatory1 and prophetical1
 together with a rich abundance of      
minute and special allusions1 while it  
enters every where into1 and with       
watchful love adapts itself to1         
individual wants and local              
peculiarities4 ,and the form of these   
writings1 at once so singular in its    
kind--and in such marvelous wise1 but   
yet so eminently human--is so far from  
being inconsistent with the divine      
character1 that the very condescension  
of the ,deity constitutes a new and     
additional but most characteristic proof
 of genuine revelation4 ,only the first 
foundation-stone and the key and        

corner-stone form an exception4         
,embracing within their spacious limits 
the beginning of nature and the end of  
the world1 they form1 as it were1 the   
corner-rings and the bearing-staves of  
the ark of the covenant of revelation4  
,and while on the one side as well as on
 the other1 in the opening no less than 
in the closing book1 which contain      
almost as many mysteries as words1 the  
seven-branched candlestick of secret    
signification is set up1 still all else 
that is inclosed within the holy ark    
receives therefrom sufficient light for 
its perfect elucidation4 ,in all other  
respects the style is that of a plain   
narrative couched in very appropriate   
and simple words2 and if the masters of 
criticism in classical antiquity have   
quoted a few passages from the beginning
 of ,genesis as the most exalted        
instances of the sublime1 still it was  
in the very simplicity and extreme      
plainness of the language that they     
recognized this character of sublimity4 

,from these two ends1 moreover--from    
this first root as well as from the last
 crown of the book1 there proceeds many 
threads and veins1 which1 running       
through the tissue1 bind it together    
more closely into a living unity1 on    
which account1 although consisting of so
 many and such divers books1 it is      
justly considered as one1 being called  
simply the 8,book0 7,bible74            
,consequently it would1 as already said1
 be foolish to look for a system of     
science in the divine book for men4     
,nevertheless we do meet here and there 
with single words about nature and her  
secrets--hints occasionally dropped and 
seemingly accidental expressions--which1
 giving a clear and full information as 
to much that is hidden therein1 furnish 
science consequently with so many keys  
for unlocking nature4 ,these1 indeed1   
are not scattered throughout in equal   
measure1 but here1 perhaps1 more thinly1
 and there again more thickly4 ,in all  
these passages1 and especially those of 

the ,old ,testament1 which not only     
depict the external beauties and visible
 glory of nature1 but also touch upon   
its hidden powers and inmost secrets of 
life1 we may observe a kind of          
intentional1 ,i might1 perhaps1 say1    
cautious reserve and heedful            
circumspection1 amounting at times      
almost to an indisposition to speak out 
fully and clearly1 lest the abuse or    
probable misconception of what should be
 said might give encouragement to the   
heathenish and wide-spread deification  
of nature4  ,in the ,new ,testament 7if 
we may venture to speak of these things 
in the same natural and human fashion   
that ,scripture itself employs7 the     
,holy ,spirit uses language far more    
precise and clear4 ,on the whole1 the   
relation in which ,holy ,writ and divine
 revelation stand to nature itself1 and 
the science thereof1 is a peculiar one4 
,it is eminently tender and wonderful1  
but not1 indeed1 intelligible at the    
first glance1 or broadly definable      

according to any rigorous and           
established notion4 ,it is one1 however1
 capable of being made clearer by means 
of a simile borrowed from ,scripture    
itself4 ,those guileless men whom the   
,redeemer chose as ,his instruments for 
carrying out ,his great work of the     
redemption of the world1 were endued    
with miraculous powers1 which it was and
 ever will be apparent1 were not of     
their own strength1 but of ,his4 ,now1  
of the first of these apostles it is    
narrated that a healing power1 and1 as  
it were1 an invisible stream of life    
proceeded from him1 without his being   
conscious of1 or1 at least1 without his 
regarding it1 which healed the sick who 
were brought out and placed within the  
range of his shadow as he passed by4#bj 
,in the same manner the fiery wain of   
divine revelation1 as it passes on its  
way1 scatters1 in single words and      
images1 many a bright spark4 ,the       
radiant shadow of the word of ,god1 as  
it falls1 is sufficient to kindle and   

throw a new light over the whole domain 
of nature1 by means of which the true   
science thereof may be firmly           
established1 its inmost secrets explored
 and brought into coherence and         
agreement with all else4  ,i have       
already more than once called your      
attention to the method which all the   
philosophers of reason1 without         
exception1 pursue4 ,in different ways1  
according to the special objects they   
have in view1 they all alike presumed to
 set certain absolute and impassable    
limits to human reason 7which1 however1 
by some slight turn or other1 they soon 
dextrously contrive to transgress7 in   
order to bring within their system of   
absolute science--which is at best but a
 dead semblance--all that it will hold1 
and even what it can not contain4 ,quite
 different1 however1 is it with the     
truth1 and with that living science     
which we take for the basis of our      
speculations4 ,for from it it appears   
that the soul of man1 however liable it 

may be to manifold error1 is1           
nevertheless1 capable of receiving the  
divine communications4 ,since1 then1 man
 can possess as many of these higher    
branches of knowledge1 and can learn as 
much of divine things as it is given to 
him to know1 and since1 at the same     
time1 it is ,god himself who is the     
primary source from which all man's     
knowledge flows1 and his guide to       
truth--who shall determine the measure  
and fix the limits--who shall dare to   
say how much of knowledge and of science
 ,god will vouchsafe to man8--who shall 
venture to prescribe the limits beyond  
which ,his illumination can not pass8   
,this1 it is evident1 is illimitable4   
,it may go on to an extent which1 at the
 beginning1 man would not have believed 
to be possible4 ,in a word1 though of   
himself1 and by his own unassisted      
reason1 man is incapable of knowing any 
thing1 yet through ,god1 if it be his   
will1 he may attain to the knowledge of 
all things4 ,and yet it is true1 though 

in a very different sense from that     
intended by these philosophers of       
reason1 that man's knowledge is in      
reality limited4 ,no absolute limit1    
indeed1 is set to it4 ,yet because it is
 a mixed knowledge1 composed of outward 
tradition and inward experience1 and is 
founded on the perceptions of the       
external and internal senses1 therefore 
is it made up of individual instances1  
extremely slow in its growth1 and in no 
respect perfect and complete1 and       
scarcely ever free from faults and      
deficiencies4 ,consequently1 when       
considered in its totality1 and as      
pretending to be a whole1 it is         
invariably imperfect4 ,but this         
character of imperfection belongs1 in   
fact1 to all real science1 as derived   
from the experience of the senses4      
,seldom1 indeed1 is the first impression
 free from the admixture of error2      
numberless repeated observations1       
comparisons1 essays1 experiments1 and   
corrections1 which must often be carried

 on through many centuries1 not to say  
many tens of centuries1 are necessary   
before a pure and stable result can be  
attained to4 ,in this way all truly     
human knowledge is imperfect1 and 8in   
part20 and although1 on the contrary1   
the false conceited wisdom may parade   
itself from the very first as fully ripe
 and complete1 yet in a very brief space
 indeed will its imperfection and       
rottenness appear4  ,and1 indeed1 the   
character of imperfection shows itself1 
as in all other human things1 so also in
 the science of nature4 ,from its birth 
among the earliest naturalists of       
,greece to its boasted maturity among   
ourselves1 it counts an age of two      
millenniums and a half of unbroken      
cultivation4 ,but now if1 looking beyond
 the explanation of single isolated     
facts1 we consider rather our knowledge 
of nature in its universal system and   
internal constitution1 can we say that  
physical science has1 during the time1  
made more than1 perhaps1 two steps and a

 half of progress8 ,and this slow and   
toilsome advance which1 in a certain    
sense1 never arrives at more than       
8knowing in part10 is the law of every  
department of human science4            
,consequently it may be justly said of  
the development of man's science1 that  
with ,god a thousand years are as a day1
 and one day as a thousand years4#ba    
,all knowledge drawn from the senses and
 experience is bound by this condition4 
,it may1 no doubt1 apply immediately and
 principally to external experience1    
which is dependent on the lower and     
ordinary senses1 whether we reckon them 
according to the number of their        
separate organs as five1 or as three in 
compliance with a more scientific       
classification4 ,but it also holds      
equally good of those which we pointed  
out and described in the last ,lecture  
as being the four superior scientific   
senses1 the organs of a knowledge       
founded on a higher and internal        
experience1 the sense1 viz41 of reason1 

the sense of understanding1 the sense   
for nature or fancy1 and the proper     
sense for ,god1 which lies in the inmost
 free will of man4 ,not merely as the   
faculty of suggestion ,ahndungsvermogen1
 is fancy to be regarded as the higher  
and internal sense for nature1 or       
because it is from this side that the   
affinity of man1 and of man's soul with 
nature1 is most distinctly revealed1 but
 it also exhibits itself as such in the 
scientific apprehension of natural      
phenomena4 ,that dynamical play of the  
inner life1 that law of a living force  
which constitutes the essence of every  
phenomenon of nature1 is a something so 
fleeting and evanescent that it can only
 be seized and fixed by the fancy alone1
 since1 as is now pretty generally      
allowed by all profound observers of    
nature1 in the abstract notion life     
eludes the grasp1 and nothing remains   
but a dead formula4  ,the apprehension  
of a living object in thought1 so as to 
seize and fix it in its mobile vitality 

and its fluctuating and fleeting states1
 is an act of the imagination1 which1   
however1 is naturally of a peculiar     
kind1 and entirely distinct from        
artistic or poetical fancy4 ,it is1 in  
this respect1 worthy of remark1 that all
 the most characteristic and felicitous 
terms which are employed to designate   
the great discoveries in modern times of
 the profounder secrets of nature are1  
for the greater part1 boldly figurative1
 and often even symbolical4 ,here1      
therefore1 also1 we have a manifestation
 of that affinity which subsists between
 nature and the faculty of fancy1 by    
which alone its ever-stirring vitality  
is scientifically apprehended4  ,i      
formerly observed that1 in the outer    
senses1 as faculties of the soul        
subordinate to the fancy1 a higher      
intellectual endowment1 as a special    
gift of nature1 is occasionally found to
 exist1 namely1 the sense of art1 or the
 eye for beautiful forms1 and the ear   
for musical sounds4 ,but even the lower 

sense1 the more purely organic feeling1 
is often evolved to higher degrees of   
susceptibility1 which1 however1 do not  
fall within the sphere of the feeling   
for art1 but form1 as it were1 a        
peculiar and special sense of nature4   
,to this class belong those             
indescribable feelings of sympathy and  
inward attraction--the many vivid       
presentiments of a strange              
foreboding--traces of which may be      
observed among many other animals       
besides man1 just as1 in the case of    
musical tones and emotions1 a light note
 of remote affinity seems to bring the  
soul of man in unison with a            
correspondent nature soul in the higher 
members of the brute creation4          
,numberless are the instances of such   
forebodings 7among which we must reckon 
also the significant vision or dream7   
recorded of all times1 countries1 and   
spheres of life4 ,no doubt1 from their  
strange nature1 and from the manifold   
difficulties with which man's mode of   

observing and narrating these phenomena 
perplexes the consideration of them1 it 
is any thing but easy1 in any individual
 case1 to arrive at a pure result1 and  
to pass a final and decisive sentence4  
,still1 on the whole1 the fact can not  
well be denied1 as1 indeed1 it is not   
even attempted1 by any unprejudiced and 
profound observer of nature in the      
present day4 ,but now1 if such an       
immediate feeling of invisible light and
 life does freely develop and clearly   
manifest itself as an indubitable       
faculty and a perfectly distinct state  
of the consciousness1 then assuredly we 
have herein a new organ of perception   
and a new natural sense4 ,though not1   
indeed1 more infallible than any other  
of the senses1 it may1 nevertheless1 be 
the source of very remarkable phenomena1
 which1 perhaps1 above all others       
require investigation1 in order that    
their distinctive character may be      
precisely and accurately determined4 ,it
 is1 however1 necessary to remember that

 the latter is not to be determined by  
any side-blow of caprice1 any more than 
the electric phenomena of nature and the
 atmosphere1 when they are actually     
lowering there1 are to be got rid of by 
any such expedient4  ,it is only just   
and right1 and not inconsistent with    
true human knowledge1 if physical       
science should commence with the study  
of man4 ,still1 if we would contemplate 
man from the side of nature1 it seems   
the safer course to endeavor1 first of  
all1 to obtain a clear and leading idea 
of the whole of his constitution in this
 respect1 rather than to lose ourselves 
in the contemplation of the special     
phenomena of a particular sphere4 ,now1 
with regard to the whole of man's       
organization1 the organic body as the   
third constituent of human existence1 ,i
 will merely remark that1 just as the   
triple principle of body1 soul1 and     
spirit is repeated in the special and   
narrower spheres of the senses1 the     
instincts1 and the passions1 and even in

 the different forms in which a         
disordered intellect usually manifests  
itself1 so also it admits of a further  
application to the organic body in      
general4 ,that most wonderful           
organization1 the marvelous structure of
 bones and muscles1 the outward organic 
frame1 is1 as it were1 the body in a    
narrower sense1 the pre-eminently       
material constituent of living bodies4  
,the soul of man--here consequently the 
organic soul--is in the blood and in the
 five or six organs whose functions are 
first of all to elaborate the blood and 
afterward to provide for its            
circulation--or perhaps by maintaining a
 perpetual interchange of the breath and
 the external air1 to keep the vital    
flame constantly burning on the hearth  
of life within4 ,a third element--and1  
indeed1 the principal one of the three1 
though only noticeable in its effects on
 the brain--exists within the higher    
senses and functions--in short1 in the  
whole nervous tissue4 ,but it lies not  

in the nervous filaments themselves3    
anatomy can not detect it1 for it is not
 visible to the eye4 ,on this account   
some have called it the ther of the     
nerves to indicate its incorporeal      
nature--incorporeal1 i4e41 relatively   
to1 and in comparison with1 the other   
two constituents of man--the blood-soul1
 and the external frame--as being the   
spirit of life in the organic body4     
,strictly and sharply enough does ,holy 
,writ distinguish this spiritual body   
7as it calls it7 of man from the body of
 the soul1 or the organic blood-soul1   
considering the former1 as it were1 the 
seed of the resurrection1 even because  
at the moment of death this ethereal    
body-of-light leaves its terrestrial    
veil to be in due time reunited to it   
after a more glorious fashion4 ,and     
death itself is even nothing else than  
its total departure and painful         
emancipation from the organic body1 on  
which the features1 one might almost    
say1 the physiognomy of corruption      

stamps itself1 immediately that the     
immortal ,psyche1 the invisible seed of 
light and eternity1 has put off the     
tabernacle of this body4  ,this         
internal1 invisible body-of-light       
,lichtkorper is also the organ and the  
center of all the higher and spiritual  
powers of the human organization4 ,for  
it is easily conceivable that a partial 
projection of this life of light which  
is latent in the sound organic body     
should produce such phenomena1 while its
 complete projection1 or rather total   
separation1 would have death for its    
result1 or rather would itself be death4
 ,a truly scientific view of nature can 
easily enter into or allow the          
legitimacy of this idea4 ,the true rule1
 however1 and standard for the right    
decision of phenomena of this kind can  
only be found in a higher region1 even  
because they themselves lie on the      
extreme limits of nature and life1 and  
in part also pass beyond them4  ,we     
therefore prefer to follow the more slow

 but sure course of development pursued 
by physical science itself1 as commenced
 nearly twenty-five centuries ago by the
 ,greeks4 ,on the whole it began even   
there with the cognition of man--of his 
diseases and their cure4 ,the           
naturalists1 indeed1 of the present day 
are in general disposed to laugh at the 
ideas of nature which were advanced by  
the first philosophers of ,greece1 and  
to despise the hypotheses of water1 or  
air1 or fire1 as being the essence of   
all things1 which1 nevertheless1 as the 
first beginnings of a clearer           
contemplation and of a higher view of   
nature1 greatly recommend themselves by 
their extreme simplicity4 ,but however  
modern observers of nature may be ready 
to hand these systems over to fancy as  
so many purely poetical cosmogonies1    
yet1 on the other hand1 the present     
masters of medicine1 with greater       
gratitude and fuller acknowledgment of  
his merits1 reverence ,hippocrates as   
the founder of their art4 ,for1 indeed1 

as such1 and not properly as a science1 
or at any rate as an art far more than  
as a science1 was medicine regarded by  
its founder and the great masters who   
came after him4 ,they looked upon it as 
the art of the diagnosis and treatment  
of disease1 in which the unerring tact  
of a practiced and happy judgment is of 
primary importance1 and where the rapid 
and searching glance of genius into the 
secret laboratories of life or into the 
hidden sources of disease is1 and ever  
will be1 the principal and most         
essential point4 ,the mere historical   
acquaintance with the different forms of
 diseases and their remedies1 with      
botany1 and the anatomy of the human    
body1 with the number and structure of  
its organs1 forms merely the materials1 
the external sphere of medical practice2
 while the essential qualification is   
even this penetrating glance which      
searches out the inmost secrets of the  
bodily temperament4 ,but now those who  
have been most richly gifted with this  

peculiar gift have ever been the last to
 believe themselves possessed of a      
perfect science4 ,and yet1 inasmuch as  
that physical knowledge which1 by       
attaining to a complete understanding of
 life1 shall be able to comprehend and  
explain the mystery of death would alone
 deserve the name of the science of     
nature2 inasmuch also as the searching  
glance of the true physician arrives the
 nearest to such a point1 penetrating1  
as it does1 deep into the manifold      
fluctuation and struggle between the    
two1 and into the secrets of their      
conflict1 this1 therefore1 is perhaps to
 be considered as the first germ of life
 for a future science of nature1 which1 
however as yet undeveloped1 has for more
 than twenty centuries been slumbering  
on1 hidden1 as it were1 in embryo1 in   
the womb of medical art and lore4 ,the  
physical1 geographical1 and astronomical
 observations of this whole period of   
gestation1 form1 it is true1 a rich     
treasury of valuable materials1 but they

 do not give us that profound knowledge1
 of which alone the physician's         
penetrating glance into life and its    
constitution furnishes the first        
commencement and essay1 however weak4   
,with respect to natural science in     
general1 and the possibility of our     
attaining to it1 the case stands        
thus3--,if nature be a living force--if 
the life which reigns within it be in a 
certain though still very remote degree 
akin to the life of man and the human   
soul--then is a knowledge of nature     
easily conceivable1 and right well      
possible 7for nothing but the like1 or  
at least the similar and cognate1 can be
 known by the like7 even though this    
cognition may still be extremely        
defective1 and at best can never be more
 than partial4 ,but if nature be a dead1
 stony mass1 as many seem to suppose1   
then would it be wholly inconceivable   
how this foreign mass of petrifaction   
could penetrate into our inmost ,ego2   
then at least would there seem to be    

good grounds for the idealistic doubt   
whether ultimately this external world  
be any thing but a mere phantom1 having 
no existence save in our own            
thoughts--the outward reflection of     
ourselves--the pure creation of our own 
,me4  ,the question of innate ideas has 
been often mooted in philosophy4 ,as1   
however1 the essential functions and    
different acts of thought1 together with
 its several notions1 are1 properly     
speaking1 nothing but the natural       
division of man's cogitative faculty1 it
 is not on their account necessary to   
suppose such a preliminary intercalation
 of general ideas into the human mind4  
,and as little necessary is it1 in order
 to explain the universal belief in the 
existence of a ,deity1 to suppose that  
there is in the minds of all men an     
implanted idea of ,god2 for this would  
lead to the purely arbitrary hypothesis1
 of that which is so difficult to       
conceive--the pre-existence of the      
spirit or soul of man4 ,and as no       

created beings can have an idea of ,god1
 but those to whom ,he vouchsafes to    
communicate it1 and to accord a         
knowledge of ,his existence1 so can ,he 
bestow this privilege the very instant  
,he pleases1 without the intervention of
 any innate idea expressly for that end4
 ,and yet ,i am disposed1 and not1 ,i   
think1 without reason1 to assume that   
man1 as at present constituted1 does    
possess one1 though only one1 species of
 inborn ideas1 viz41 an innate idea of  
death4 ,this1 as a false root of life1  
and a true mental contagion1 produces a 
dead cogitation1 and is the origin of   
all dead and dead-born notions4 ,for    
this idea of death1 whether hereditary  
or inoculated in the soul1 is1 as its   
peculiar but fundamental error1         
transferred by the mind of man to every 
object with which it comes in contact4  
,and thus1 in man's dead cogitation1 the
 surrounding world and all nature       
appears to him a similar lifeless and   
inert mass1 so long as sitting beneath  

this shadow of spiritual death1 his mind
 geist has not sufficient strength to   
work its way out of its dark            
prison-house into the light4 ,for not at
 all without higher aid1 and even with  
it only slowly and tardily1 does man    
discover that all that is really and    
naturally dead is within himself1 or    
learn to recognize it for what it truly 
is1 a something eminently null and      
naught4 ,another species of this false  
and dead conception of nature presents  
itself under the form of multiplicity4  
,in this view nature is represented as  
forming something like a vast sandhill1 
where1 apart from the pile they thus    
form together and their aggregation in  
it1 the several grains are supposed to  
have no connection with each other2     
while1 however1 they are so diligently  
counted1 as if every thing depended on  
their right enumeration4 ,but through   
the sieve of such an atomistic1 which   
would break up the universe into a      
number of separate and absolute         

individualities1 the sand will ever run1
 however often and painfully man may    
strive to reckon or to measure the      
infinity of these grains of nature4     
,mathematical calculation and measuring 
hold the same place in physical science 
that is held in every living language by
 conjugating and declining1 and other   
grammatical rules1 which1 in truth1 are 
but a species of mathematical formul4   
,in learning a foreign and especially a 
dead language1 these are indispensable  
and necessary aids1 which greatly       
promote and facilitate its acquisition2 
so also mathematics furnish             
indispensable helps and a most valuable 
organon for the cognition of nature4    
,but with them alone man will never     
learn to understand even a word1 not to 
talk of a whole proposition1 out of     
nature's strangely-sounding and most    
difficult hieroglyphics4  ,somewhat     
different is it1 when man seeks to      
understand the true living geometry in  
nature herself1 i4e41 attempts to       

discover the place which the circle and 
eclipse 7passing from these up to the   
spheres in their sidereal orbits71 or   
which the triangle1 the square1 the     
hexagon1 and so forth1 assume in the    
scale of its creations--or when1 in a   
similar spirit1 he investigates and     
ascertains the really dominant rule in  
the arithmetic of life2 those numbers   
which the physician observes in the     
periodic developments of life1 and      
which1 in the fluctuating states of an  
abating and heightening malady1 enable  
him1 under certain conditions1 to       
predict the moment of its crisis4 ,of a 
still higher kind is that spiritual1 we 
might almost call it divine chronology1 
which1 in universal history1 marks out  
definite epochs of the mental           
development of the human race1 and      
traces therein the influence of certain 
grades of life1 or ages of the world1   
and the alternating phases of disease in
 whole communities1 and those decisive  
moments and great critical emergencies  

in which ,god ,himself appears as the   
healing ,physician and ,restorer of     
life4 ,it was1 in all probability1 in   
reference to such an arithmetic1 or in  
some similar sense1 that ,pythagoras    
taught that numbers are1 or contain the 
essence of things4 ,for such an         
arithmetic of life and geometry of      
nature do afford a positive cognition   
and a real knowledge4 ,as commonly      
understood1 however1 mathematics are    
nothing more than a formal science--in  
other words1 they are simply a          
scientific organon1 rather than a       
science4 ,but now1 if nature be not     
regarded as dead1 but living1 who can   
doubt that it--or1 as we are now        
speaking of man's nearest neighbor--that
 the earth is akin to man8 ,was he not  
formed out of the dust of the earth1 and
 is he not therefore the son1 nay1 in   
truth1 the first-born of the            
earth8--does he not receive from it food
 and nourishment8 and when the          
irrevocable summons goes forth from     

above1 does he not give back again to   
its bosom the earthly tabernacle of his 
flesh8 ,do not chemists tell us that the
 principal constituent of the purest    
wheat-corn has a great affinity to the  
substance of man's blood8 and does not  
the blood1 moreover1 derive one of its  
ingredients from iron--the principal    
among the metals of the earth8 ,and are 
not gold and other metallic substances  
either wholesome medicines or deadly    
poisons8 ,and is there not also an      
inexhaustible store of both in the      
wonderful varieties of herbs and plants8
 ,do not invigorating and healing       
springs burst from numberless rocks and 
fissures of the earth8 ,is not--to speak
 only of the heavenly bodies nearest to 
and immediately connected with our      
globe--is not the sun's heat so         
specifically different from every other 
kind of warmth1 the quickener of all    
that lives and moves1 and for man under 
a milder clime1 as it were1 a soft      
renovating bath8 ,and is not the other  

and lesser light--earth's mighty        
satellite and companion1 the moon--the  
cause of all those changes in the       
weather and atmosphere1 which1 from the 
earliest times1 have been acknowledged  
to be most serviceable and highly       
beneficial to agriculture8 ,is not the  
great pulse of the ocean1 in its ebb and
 flow1 measured by it1 as well as many  
periods1 of the development of life8    
,and is it not1 when its operation is   
too powerful or violently exciting1 the 
cause of a peculiar disease among men8  
,as1 therefore1 the musical unisons in  
the melodious songs of birds1 both find 
and wake a concordant echo in the heart 
of man1 so1 too1 in a larger scale1 the 
blood-soul of man1 with its living      
pulsation and organic sensibility1 is   
most nearly akin to and sympathizes with
 the earth and the whole earthly frame4 
,and is not1 in all probability1 this   
sympathetic influence between the earth 
and man reciprocal8 ,must not1 for      
instance1 the respiration of nine       

hundred millions of human beings have   
affected the atmosphere8 ,has not the   
very air degenerated with the human     
race1 and like it become corrupt and    
deteriorated8 ,are not certain          
pestilential diseases propagated by the 
air alone1 being carried in fixed       
telluric directions1 without material   
contact or pollution8 ,and if1 in answer
 to the inference which we would draw   
from these facts1 any one should sit    
down to calculate the number of cubic   
miles in the atmospheric belt1 and argue
 that the breath and evaporation from   
ever so many myriads of human beings    
would be insufficient to have any effect
 thereon1 we might easily retort upon   
him the equally vast reckoning of the   
millions of seconds which make up a     
hundred and more generations1 and by    
which these respirations must be        
counted4 ,but1 however this may be1 it  
does appear that the air must1 in       
primitive times1 have been far more pure
 and balsamic1 and more vital and more  

nutritive1 than at present4 ,for before 
the ,flood men required neither flesh   
nor wine to recruit their strength1 and 
yet1 in duration of life and bodily     
vigor1 and above all in energy of will  
and powers of mind1 they far surpassed  
the sons of a later age2 and it was even
 by the misuse of these great gifts and 
endowments that they brought down the   
divine vengeance on their sinful        
generation4 ,and1 lastly1 if the earth  
were wholly without life1 how could it1 
at the creation of the animals of this  
planetary world1 have yielded obedience 
to the behest of the ,creator1 as it    
went forth on the sixth day1 8,let the  
earth bring forth the living creature   
after its kind80 ,highly important1     
moreover1 as regards the true estimate  
of the whole realm of nature as         
contemplated by the ,divine mind1 and   
deeply significant1 is the wide interval
 which1 in the ,mosaic history of the   
creation1 separates the bringing forth  
of the beasts by the earth at the       

command of the ,almighty1 from the      
making of man1 whereof it is written1   
8,let us make man in our own image40    
,physical science having thus sluggishly
 advanced through a definite period and 
number of centuries--having lived       
through almost two millenniums in little
 better than an embryo state--made at   
last the few steps of progress that it  
has yet taken4 ,by a more rapid march of
 time1 it hastened to suit itself to the
 riper age of man1 and to come forth    
itself1 as it were1 mature1 although1 in
 many respects1 this is even yet very   
far from being the case4 ,the principal 
of these advances of physical science is
 the invention of the compass4 ,for1 in 
the first place1 the phenomenon of      
magnetism presents a remarkable         
manifestation of the universal life of  
the world1 which eludes all mathematical
 calculations of magnitude1 while the   
little piece of this wonderful iron     
balances by its living agency the whole 
globe itself4 ,and1 in the second place1

 the results to which it has led have   
been no less important and marvelous4   
,the magnetic index pointed the way to  
the discovery of the ,new ,world1 and to
 a more perfect acquaintance with the   
figure of the earth1 and thus1 through  
an enlarged observation of geographical 
and astronomical facts1 opened out a    
grander and more extensive view of the  
whole planetary system4 ,of the new     
world in the other hemisphere1 a trace  
unquestionably is to be found in        
antiquity in the legend of the island of
 ,atlantis4 ,the general description of 
this island1 as equal in extent to both 
,asia and ,africa together1 agrees      
remarkably with the size of ,america4   
,but the fable contains the additional  
circumstance1 that1 having existed in   
the ,western ,ocean in very ancient     
times1 it was subsequently swallowed up 
by the waves4 ,from this circumstance ,i
 am led to infer1 that the legend did   
not1 as is generally supposed1 owe its  
origin to ,phnician navigators1 who1    

even if it be true that they did succeed
 in sailing round ,africa1 most         
assuredly never ventured so far         
westward4 ,like so much besides that is 
equally great and grand1 and1 indeed1   
far grander1 the main fact of the legend
 seems to be derived from an original   
tradition from the primeval times1 when1
 unquestionably1 man was far better     
acquainted with his whole habitation of 
this earth than in the days of the      
infant and imperfect science of ,greece1
 or even of the more advanced and       
enlightened antiquity4 ,a vague         
traditionary notion of its existence    
lived on from generation to generation4 
,but afterward1 when even the ,phnician 
sailors1 however far they penetrated    
into the wide ocean1 were unable to give
 any precise information about1 or      
adduce any proof of1 the fact1 the      
hypothesis was advanced1 and finally    
added to the tradition1 that the island 
had been swallowed up by the sea4       
,modern astronomy1 at its first rise1   

was extremely revolting to man's        
feelings1 which had become1 as it were1 
habituated to the olden theory of the   
world's shape4 ,the system of ,ptolemy1 
indeed1 with its narrow egotistic       
conceit of making man the center of the 
sidereal universe1 was as unsatisfactory
 as it was absurd1 and little was lost  
when it was exploded4 ,but1 on the other
 hand1 it was startling1 and still has a
 staggering effect on our minds1 to be  
told1 that1 when measured by the        
mathematical standard of the vast       
distances and periodic times of the     
planetary system1 the earth1 for which  
the ,almighty has done such incalculably
 great things1 and on which ,he has     
bestowed such high and precious gifts1  
is1 as it were1 but a little and        
insignificant splinter in the vast      
regions of infinite space4 ,a true and  
profound science of nature1 however1    
does not allow of the validity of       
mathematical magnitude as an exclusive  
standard of the value of things4        

,whether in a greater or less sphere of 
existence1 it sees and discovers in far 
other properties the true center of     
life4 ,if1 even in our globe1 the living
 magnetic pole does not coincide with   
the true mathematical north pole1 but   
lies a considerable distance on one side
 of it1 may it not1 without prejudice to
 modern astronomy1 be also the case with
 the whole planetary system8 ,the first 
conceptions of nature are rarely1 if    
ever1 free from mistakes1 and           
oftentimes1 together with great truths1 
contain also great errors4 ,and while   
the first fresh impression1 the living  
intuition1 ever recommends itself to the
 general feeling of mankind1 and takes  
deep root therein1 the notions1 on the  
other hand1 which new discoveries of    
nature introduce1 not unfrequently do   
violence to the prevalent views as to   
the shape and form of the old world4    
,often1 indeed1 the former run directly 
counter to what we might call the old   
family feelings of mankind1 which1      

transmitted through generations from    
father to son1 have become1 as it were1 
a custom of life1 a holy habit4         
,afterward1 however1 as the new         
scientific discovery is more perfectly  
developed1 it gradually conciliates the 
old hereditary and customary feeling of 
nature4 ,the two at last fall into      
friendly relations with each other4     
,now1 in the article of the stars1 the  
cherished creed of nature1 professed by 
all ancient peoples1 insisted1 perhaps1 
on no one dogma so earnestly as that    
there are seven planets4 ,that this     
deeply-rooted and habitual feeling of   
men was not uninfluenced by the general 
consideration of the number seven1 is   
only natural to suppose4 ,for not only  
does it comprise the three dimensions of
 time1 together with the four cardinal  
points of space1 but it is also found   
entering1 under a variety of            
combinations1 into the life1 the        
thought1 and history of men4 ,and in the
 new astronomy1 though the sun and moon 

have been ejected from the number of the
 planets1 yet the earth has entered into
 the list1 and the deficient member of  
the system having been discovered1 we   
have again seven planets1 as in the     
olden belief4 ,for it is1 to say the    
least1 highly improbable that any new   
planetary body will ever be discovered  
beyond ,uranus1#bb and as for the small 
bodies which are situate between ,mars  
and ,jupiter1 it is pretty generally    
acknowledged that they are not properly 
to be counted as planets1 from which    
they are even distinguished by their    
very names by some astronomers4  ,and as
 little ground is there to take         
exception or offense at modern          
astronomy1 even on that side of it where
 difficulties were originally most felt 
and mooted4 ,for ,holy ,writ was neither
 written exclusively nor designed       
pre-eminently for astronomers4 ,in these
 matters1 therefore1 as in all others1  
it speaks the ordinary language which   
men employ among themselves in the      

business of daily life4  ,now we know   
that in the pulse of the organic body   
its regular beating is occasionally     
interrupted by a hurried circulation or 
a momentary stoppage4 ,is it not in the 
same way possible that the pulsatory    
revolutions of the great planetary world
 do not observe1 like a piece of dead   
clock-work1 a mechanical uniformity1 but
 are liable to many deviations and      
irregularities8 ,if1 then1 a similar    
stoppage to that which sometimes occurs 
in the pulse of man1 be here also       
supposable1 as produced by a superior   
power and external influence1 then in   
the case of such an extraordinary       
interruption1 it is a matter of         
indifference whether it be said of this 
wonderful moment that the sun stood     
still1 or 7as seems to be the fact7 that
 the earth was held in check and rested 
in its orbit4 ,and1 in like manner1 for 
the changing phenomena of the           
astronomical day1 the common expressions
 are equally true with the scientific1  

and equally significant4 ,the sun's     
rise1 the morning dawn1 is1 for all men1
 a figure1 or1 rather1 a fact of        
pregnant meaning1 while the setting sun 
fills all hearts with a melancholy      
feeling of separation4 ,equally true1   
however1 is it1 and in a symbolical     
sense it conveys perhaps a still more   
serious meaning1 when we say1 in        
scientific language1 8,the earth must go
 down before the sun can rise20 or1     
8,when the earth goes up1 then is it    
night1 and darkness diffuses itself over
 all40 ,or if1 perhaps1 in the new and  
quickening spring1 instead of the old   
phraseology1 8,the sun has returned1 has
 come near to us again10 we were to say1
 8,the earth1 or at least our side of   
it1 is again brought nearer to the sun10
 would it not be as beautiful and       
significant a description8 ,and happy1  
indeed1 are those periods of the world  
wherein1 to speak in a figurative but   
moral sense1 that earth-soul which rules
 in the changes of time--the so-called  

public opinion1 has declined toward1 and
 approached more nearly to1 its sun4    
,it is a remarkable1 not to say         
wonderful1 fact1 that in ancient times  
the ,pythagoreans held the same system  
of the universe which modern astronomy  
teaches1 though1 perhaps1 they were not 
acquainted with the mathematic          
calculations of its distances4 ,but     
still more surprising is it1 that while 
they were thus perfectly acquainted with
 the number of the planets1 and even    
arranged them in the same order that    
they are placed by modern astronomers1  
they admitted into their system two     
stars which we have not4 ,one of these1 
as the sun of the gods                  
,geister-sonne1#bc they placed high     
above the visible sun4 ,the latter1     
which they named the 8counter-earth10 77
 was placed directly opposite to the    
real earth4 ,it would seem1 therefore1  
that they regarded these two bodies as  
the invisible centers of the whole      
sidereal universe1 and1 as it were1 the 

choir-leaders or choragi of the         
apparently orderless and scattered host 
of heaven4 ,are these two stars now     
extinct8 or is their light too pure and 
ethereal to penetrate our dense and     
thickened atmosphere2 or1 like so much  
besides1 was it little else than a still
 surviving tradition from the primitive 
world8 ,this1 however1 must ever remain 
conjectural4 ,as for the fact itself1   
that the ,pythagoreans did so teach1 and
 understood by these names1 not merely  
figurative symbols1 but real stars1 has 
been placed beyond doubt by modern      
investigations into the ,pythagorean    
doctrines4 ,at any rate1 their knowledge
 of these stars must have been acquired 
by some other means than the telescope  
of modern astronomy1 with which1 in     
fact1 they were not acquainted1 and     
nothing but some new observation or     
phenomenon in the sidereal heavens can  
ever throw light on this matter4 ,and   
who shall say that even our present     
astronomical science shall not advance  

still further1 and that it has not      
closed too soon1 and been in all too    
great a haste to sum up its doubtless   
most elaborate and complicated          
calculations8  ,thus did the mind of man
 advance the first step toward the      
maturity of physical science1 by        
attaining to a more comprehensive survey
 of the mundane system1 and a more      
accurate knowledge of his own           
habitation1 of this earthly planet4 ,the
 next step in this sluggish progress was
 made by the chemical discoveries of    
modern times1 and especially of the     
,french chemists4 ,in a merely negative 
point of view1 these have been          
important1 as establishing the fact that
 the old elements1 water1 for instance1 
and air1 which had long been regarded as
 simple1 are themselves decomposable    
into other constituents and aeriform    
parts4 ,and1 indeed1 that such great    
powers of nature as these are1 and must 
ever remain so long as the present      
constitution of the world shall last1   

could only subsist in the reciprocal    
dynamical relation of several           
conflicting forces1 a profounder glance 
at nature would of itself have          
conjectured and presupposed4 ,but in a  
positive sense1 this second step has    
carried us very far toward the          
understanding of the hieroglyphics of   
nature4 ,those primary elements of      
things discovered and numbered by that  
chemical analysis which has subjected to
 its experiments almost every form and  
species of matter1 constitute1 as it    
were1 the permanent material letters and
 consonants of the natural world around 
us4 ,on the other hand1 the vowels of   
human language are represented by the   
fundamental facts of the magnetism of   
the earth1 together with the phenomena  
of electricity1 the decomposition of    
light1 and the chemical chain of the    
galvanic pile1 in which the inner life  
of the terrestrial force1 and of the    
eternally-moving atmosphere1 as well as 
the soul whose pulse beats therein1     

finds an utterance1 like a voice out of 
the lowest deep4 ,and thus1 by means of 
an alphabet of nature1 which1 however1  
is still most imperfect1 we may hope to 
make a beginning1 at least1 and to      
decipher one or two entire words4 ,but  
modern chemistry has made a more        
important advance toward a right        
understanding of nature as a whole4 ,by 
analyzing and decomposing all solid     
bodies1 as well as water itself1 into   
different forms of a gaseous element1 it
 has thereby destroyed forever that     
appearance of rigidity and petrifaction 
which the corporeal mass of visible and 
external nature presents to our         
observation4 ,every where we now meet   
with living elemental forces1 hidden and
 shut up beneath this rigid exterior4   
,the proportion of aqueous particles in 
the air is so great1 that1 if suddenly  
condensed1 they would suffice for more  
than one flood4 ,and a similar deluge of
 light would ensue1 if all the luminous 
sparks which are latent in the darkness 

were simultaneously set free2 and the   
whole globe itself would end in flame1  
were all the fiery elements that are at 
present dispersed throughout the world  
to be at once disengaged and kindled4   
,the investigation of the salutary bonds
 which hold together these elementary   
forces in due equilibrium1 controlling  
one by the other1 and confining each    
within its prescribed limits1 does not  
fall within the scope of our present    
inquiries1 as neither does the question1
 whether these bonds be not of a higher 
kind than naturalists commonly suppose8 
,more immediately connected with1 as    
also more important for our general     
subject1 is the result which chemical   
analysis has so indubitably established1
 that in the natural world every object 
consists of living forces1 and that     
properly nothing is rigid and dead1 but 
all replete with hidden life4 ,this     
colossal mountain range of petrified    
mummies which forms nature on the       
whole--this pyramid of graves1 piled one

 over the other1 is therefore1 it is    
true1 a historical monument of the      
past--of all the bygone ages of the     
world in the advancing development of   
death2 but nevertheless1 there is       
therein a latent vitality4 ,beneath the 
vast tombstone of the visible world     
there slumbers a soul1 not wholly alien1
 but more than half akin to our own4    
,this planetary and sensible world1 and 
the earth-soul imprisoned therein1 is   
only apparently dead4 ,nature does but  
sleep1 and will1 perhaps1 ere long awake
 again4 ,sleep generally is1 if not the 
essence1 yet1 at least1 an essential    
signature and characteristic of nature4 
,every natural object partakes of it    
more or less4 ,not the animals only1 but
 the very plants sleep2 while in the    
vicissitudes of the seasons1 and of     
their influences on the productive      
surface of the earth1 and1 in truth1 on 
the whole planet1 a perpetual           
alternation is perceptible between an   
awakening of life and a state of        

slumbering repose4 ,whatever1           
consequently1 partakes1 and requires the
 refreshment of sleep1 belongs1 even on 
that account1 to nature4 ,painters1     
indeed1 have given us pictures of       
sleeping angels or genii2 but the pure  
spirits sleep not1 and stand1 in truth1 
in no need of such rest1 and their      
activity is not subject to this         
necessity of alternate repose4  ,the    
comparison of a sentence in the ,mosaic 
history of the creation1 with a passage 
in the ,hindoo cosmogony1 somewhat      
similar in kind1 but most different in  
the application1 will serve1 perhaps1 to
 place this fact in the clearest light4 
,in the former it is said1 8,god rested 
on the seventh day40 ,now1 in this      
expression there is nothing to startle  
us4 ,in explaining it1 there is no need 
to have recourse to a figurative        
interpretation4 ,it does not allude to  
,god's inmost nature 7which admits not  
of such alternation of states or need of
 rest71 but simply to ,his external     

operations4 ,for in every case where an 
operation of the ,deity takes place1    
whether in history or nature1 an        
alternation between the first divine    
impulse1 and a subsequent period of     
repose1 is not only conceivable but     
actually noticeable4 ,for the divine    
impulse or hand is1 as it were1         
withdrawn1 in order that this first     
impulse of the ,creator may fully expand
 itself1 and that the creature adopting 
it1 may carry it out and develop his own
 energies in accordance therewith4 ,but 
instead of this correct statement1 we   
have1 in the ,hindoo cosmogony1 that    
8,brahma sleeps40 ,while he thus        
slumbers1 the whole creation1 with its  
worlds and mundane developments1 is said
 to collapse into naught4 ,here1 then1 a
 single word hurries us from the sure   
ground of truth and divine revelation   
into the shifting domain of mythology4  
,of ,him indeed1 who is higher than the 
angels and created spirits1 it is no    
doubt assumed throughout the ,new       

,testament that1 while on earth1 ,he    
slept like other men4 ,once1 too1 it is 
expressly stated1 that during a great   
storm1 while ,his disciples were filled 
with alarm1 ,he was asleep in the hinder
 part of the ship2 but that when ,he    
awoke the winds ceased4 ,but here1 also1
 the case is different4 ,while implying 
many a great object and instructive     
lesson besides1 this passage1 like      
several others1 seems designed to prove 
that our ,lord's body was no mere       
phantom2 but that ,he took upon ,him a  
real human form1 and was1 in truth1 a   
man who stood in need of sleep4 ,and    
from this we may infer1 that sleep is so
 indispensable a condition of natural   
existence1 that even ,god ,himself1 as  
soon as ,he condescended to enter its   
limits by taking upon ,him a human body1
 became subject to nature's essential   
law of sleep4  ,the important part which
 sleep plays1 not only in nature1 but   
also in man1 her first-born son1 appears
 from the earliest event that is        

recorded of his history1 even in        
,paradise4 ,god caused a deep sleep to  
fall upon ,adam1 and out of his opened  
side took of his vital substance to     
invest it with a bodily veil and shape1 
and to present it before him on his     
awaking as the gentle helpmeet of his   
existence4 ,extremely significant also  
is the difference in the accounts of    
man's and of woman's material formation4
 ,man is formed of the dust of the      
earth1 and therefore shortly after      
invested with the dominion of the whole 
earthly globe as the deputy and         
vicegerent of ,him from whom cometh all 
lordship and authority4 ,but woman is   
taken and created out of the bosom or   
heart of man4 ,would human wit have ever
 invented1 or even conceived the        
possibility of this great marvel of     
creative omnipotence8  ,this was in     
,paradise--but with the loss of it man  
was deprived1 in a great manner1 of     
those higher powers of life and those   
secrets of nature which he had          

previously possessed and understood4    
,for even in the body of his earthly    
tabernacle1 which had fallen a prey to  
death1 he had become deteriorated1 and  
his organic constitution1 as is         
expressly intimated1 fell considerably  
lower in the scale of sensible          
existence1 and sunk nearer to the level 
of the brute creation4 ,on this account 
the cherubic sentinels1 with the flaming
 sword1 were placed at the gate of      
,paradise1 that man might not stretch   
forth his hand to seize again the rights
 and privileges which he had formerly   
enjoyed4 ,for now they would only have  
led to more mischievous abuse and deeper
 corruption4 ,but since then1 many great
 days of creation have come and gone4   
,again has the great relation between   
,god and man been restored1 and that    
also between man and the sensible world 
with the spirits and forces that rule   
therein1 has changed and become new4    
,and now that the beginning is made1 and
 the foundation laid for the ,redemption

 of the world1 no man1 no one at least  
who will loyally join the banner of the 
,redeemer1 is forbidden1 but every one  
has freely offered to him the divine1   
flaming1 two-edged sword of the         
,spirit--or of the ,word1 and of the    
thoughts of the heart united to ,him1   
enlightened by ,him1 and emanating from 
,him4 ,this fact of itself furnishes at 
once the answer to the question         
concerning the secrets of nature1       
whether1 since they are no longer to be 
kept close from man1 impure and wicked  
hands may drag them to the light1 or    
whether it be not better that they      
should be touched by the holy and       
conscientious alone1 and faithfully     
guarded with a pious reserve and        
religious delicacy4  ,and here the very 
context suggests naturally the          
consideration of the last of the three  
steps which1 following the course marked
 out for it by ,god1 the human mind has 
at last made in very modern times toward
 a true physical science1 and a right   

understanding of the most inmost secrets
 of nature4 ,it consists in a closer    
observation and a commencing recognition
 of a sacred thread of ensouled life--of
 an internal soul-like link which holds 
together the whole frame of nature4 ,the
 thing and force itself are as old as   
the world and every sphere of           
existence--all the leaves of tradition  
and history are full of its             
manifestations and effects4 ,but the    
methodical observation and treatment of 
these phenomena 7in which alone the true
 scientific character consists7 dates   
its commencement within little more than
 half a century ago4 ,to speak1         
therefore1 agreeably to the measure of  
time in the slow development of science1
 it is of yesterday or the day before2  
and it is even on this account also that
 ,i have been constrained to count this 
third and last advance toward a higher  
science of nature1 as nothing more than 
a half-step4 ,for it is only a beginning
 which as yet has gained no firm footing

 in the minds of men1 and1 moreover1    
besides the right and direct road1 it   
has already opened many by-paths of     
possible error4 ,this only direct road1 
that higher standard of correct judgment
 which at the very commencement we      
alluded to as the guiding rule in these 
matters1 must be sought by philosophy in
 that divine sword of the ,spirit which 
pierces even to the marrow of life1     
dividing soul and spirit1 and which also
 is a discerner of spirits4 ,but1 if    
another standard and a higher tribunal  
is to be set up1 then ,i must leave it  
to others who1 perhaps1 know more about 
the matter than ,i do1 and are better   
qualified to decide upon it4 ,this      
spiritual warfare1 at any rate1 can not 
be much longer eluded or avoided4 ,o    
that men would take therein ,holy ,writ 
exclusively for their guide6 ,for it1   
indeed1 regards the whole of life1 and  
every important moment of it1 as a      
conflict with invisible powers2 as also 
it tacitly implies1 or expressly        

intimates that the whole sensible world 
is to be looked upon as nothing else    
than an almost transparent1 and1 at all 
events1 a very perishable veil of the   
spiritual world4 ,to the leader of the  
rebel spirits the ,bible ascribes so    
great an influence in creation1 that it 
calls him the prince1 nay1 even the god 
of this world--the ruler of its         
principalities and powers4 ,and in order
 that this might not be taken in a mere 
figurative sense1 and be understood only
 of a race of men morally corrupt and   
depraved1 these spiritual potentates are
 in other places expressly called the   
elementary powers of nature--powers of  
the air1 which in this dark planetary   
world of ours is compounded of light and
 darkness1 and ever struggling between  
life and death4 ,the true key and       
explanation of the whole may1 however1  
lie in the simple sentence--8,death came
 into the world by sin40 ,as1 then1 by  
the death of the first man1 who was not 
created for1 nor originally designed for

 death1 death has passed upon the whole 
human race2 so by the earlier fall of   
him1 who had been the first and most    
glorious of created spirits1 death      
passed upon the universe--that eternal  
death whose fire is unquenchable4 ,hence
 it is written3 8,darkness was on the   
face of the deep1 and the earth0--as the
 mere grave of that eternal death--8was 
without form and void20 but the 8spirit 
of ,god moved on the face of the        
waters10 and therein lay the first germ 
of life for the new creation4 ,we here  
see the difference between all heathen  
systems of natural philosophy and a     
divine knowledge of nature1 i4e41 one   
acquired in and by ,god1 and also the   
key for a right understanding of the    
latter4  ,if now the dynamic play of the
 living forces of nature1 which is      
unquestionably a living entity1 and has 
a life in itself though not indeed of   
and from itself--if this dynamical      
alternation between life and death be   
regarded as a simple fact1 and man is   

content to rest there1 without seeking  
to explain it by a higher principle1    
then will he have ever the self-same    
,one--an all-producing1 all-absorbing1  
ruminating monster1 whether we express  
it poetically1 as in mythology1 or in   
the scientific formularies of           
physiology4 ,quite different is it1     
however1 if this great pyramid has been 
built upon the foundation of eternal    
death4 ,then is the whole creature of   
this earthly planet and sensible world  
merely a commencing life which1 so long 
as the pyramid is still unfinished and  
incomplete1 is1 in parts1 perpetually   
relapsing into death--into actual death1
 or at least into diseases and fractures
 of various kinds1 which are only so    
many principia or germs of death4 ,then 
is nature itself nothing less than the  
ladder of resurrection1 which1 step by  
step1 leads upward1 or1 rather1 is      
carried from the abyss of eternal death 
up to the apex of light in the heavenly 
illumination4 ,for1 understanding it in 

this sense1 it is impossible to think of
 nature without remembering at the same 
time the divine hand which has built    
this pyramid1 and which1 along this     
ladder1 brings life out of death4 ,this 
view1 moreover1 accounts for the fact1  
that a state of slumber is essential to 
nature1 and furnishes an explanation why
 that perpetually-recurring collapse    
into sleep1 which to us appears so near 
akin to death1 should be nature's proper
 character4 ,and just as the consuming  
fire of death appears in the more       
highly-organized beings to be somewhat  
subdued and restrained--mitigated or    
exalted into the quickening warmth of   
life--so also sleep is only the more    
than half-enlightened brother of death4 
,and indeed as such1 and the lovely     
messenger of hope to immortal spirits1  
was he ever regarded and described by   
the ancients2 but that which for them   
was little more than a beautiful image  
of poetry is for us the profoundest of  
truths4  ,an exalted view and           

understanding of nature consists1 then1 
in its being contemplated not merely as 
a dynamical play of reciprocal forces1  
but historically in its course of       
development1 as a commencing life1      
perpetually relapsing into death1 ever  
disposed to sleep1 and only painfully   
raising itself1 or1 rather1 raised and  
lovingly guided through all the         
intermediate grades into the light4 ,but
 beneath the huge tombstone of outward  
nature there sleeps a soul1 not wholly  
alien1 but half akin to ourselves--which
 is distracted between the troubled and 
painful reminiscence of eternal death1  
out of which it issued1 and the flowers 
of light which are scattered here and   
there on this dark earth1 as so many    
lovely suggesters of a heavenly hope4   
,for this earthly nature1 as ,holy ,writ
 testifies1#bd is1 indeed1 subject to   
nullity1 yet1 without its will1 and     
without its fault3 and consequently in  
hope of ,him who has so subjected it1 it
 looks forward in the expectation that  

it shall one day be free1 and have a    
part in the general resurrection and    
consummate revelation of ,god's glory1  
before which both nature and death shall
 stand amazed--and for this last day of 
a new creation it sighs anxiously1 and  
yearns with the profoundest longing4    
,,lecture ,v4  ,,of ,,the ,,soul ,,of   
,,man ,,in ,,relation ,,to ,,god4   ,a  
divine science of nature--one1 i4e41    
which is ever looking to and has its    
root in ,god1 unlike the old heathen    
physiologies--sees something more in    
nature than a mere endless play of      
living forces and the alternations of   
dynamical action4 ,contemplating it     
rather as a whole1 and in the connection
 of its several parts1 it traces it from
 the first foundation on which it was   
originally raised1 up to the final      
consummation which the ,almighty has    
designed it to attain4 ,now1 to such a  
mode of studying it1 nature appears to  
be in its beginning1 as it were1 a      
bridge thrown across the abyss of       

eternal death and eternal nothingness4  
,and in perfect agreement with this     
origin or foundation1 it exhibits itself
 at the outset as a house of corruption1
 a character which1 to a certain degree1
 it subsequently and long afterward     
retains4 ,after a while1 however1 this  
house of corruption is transformed1 by  
the omnipotence of the good ,creator1   
into a laboratory of new life1 and      
finally is raised into a ladder of      
resurrection1 ascending1 or1 rather1 is 
made to conduct1 step by step1 to the   
highest pitch of earthly glorification1 
in which nature1 too1 has a promise that
 she shall partake4 ,this was the       
subject of the preceding ,lecture1 and  
it naturally enough suggests the further
 question1 whether a similar scale of   
gradual exaltation exists for the human 
soul1 which1 even while it is in many   
respects akin to mother earth and to    
nature generally1 is1 nevertheless1 far 
more excellent1 and1 by its innate      
dignity1 claims to be regarded as the   

very head and crown of this earthly     
creation4 ,the inquiry then1 whether the
 soul of man1 gradually rising out of   
the depths of this perishable existence 
and the bondage of corruption1 up to    
,god1 can approach nearer to1 and       
finally be totally identified with ,him2
 or at least1 whether it is capable of  
being united in a perfect and lasting   
harmony with the superior powers of a   
higher and a diviner region--this will  
form the theme of our present           
disquisition4 ,in discussing it1        
however1 our attention will be directed 
principally to its psychological        
aspect--its relation1 i4e41 to the      
theory of consciousness4 ,for the moral 
examination of this subject1 even if it 
be not allowable to assume that it1 at  
all events1 is well known1 belongs to   
another department of inquiry4  ,now1 on
 this head1 the following remark        
immediately and naturally suggests      
itself to the reflecting mind4 ,unless  
the soul be at unity with itself it can 

not hope ever to be one with1 or to     
attain to an harmonic relation with that
 ,being1 who1 as he is the one source   
and principle of all and on whom all    
depends1 is in himself a pure harmony4  
,but so far is this condition from being
 fulfilled in the actual state of the   
human consciousness1 that the latter    
appears rather to consist of pure and   
endless discord4 ,fourfold1 ,i said1 is 
man's consciousness2 and ,i called its  
four conflicting forces1 viz41          
understanding and will1 reason and      
fancy1 its four poles1 or chief         
branches1 or even the four quarters of  
the internal world of thought4 ,how     
seldom1 however1 do the understanding   
and will agree together4 ,does not each 
of them prefer to follow an independent 
course of its own8 ,how seldom do men   
really and perseveringly will and desire
 what they clearly see and acknowledge  
and perfectly understand to be the best6
 ,and how often1 on the other hand1 do  
we understand little or nothing of that1

 which yet in the inmost recesses of our
 hearts1 we most desire and wish1 and   
most ardently and determinedly resolve  
upon6 ,reason and fancy1 too1 both in   
the inner thought and in outward life   
also1 are1 on the whole1 in hostile     
conflict with each other4 ,reason would 
wish to suppress or at least to dispense
 altogether with fancy1 while fancy1    
caring1 for the most part1 but little or
 nothing for the reason1 goes its own   
way4 ,the will1 moreover1 unceasingly   
distracted1 is never even at peace with 
itself1 while the reason1 standing alone
 in the endless evolution of its own    
thought1 entangles itself at last in a  
labyrinth of irreconcilable             
contradictions4 ,the understanding1     
again1 has so many grades and species1  
and divides itself among so many spheres
 and functions1 that in this respect we 
might be justified in saying3 ,this one 
understanding understands not the other1
 even though it be equally correct both 
in itself and in its mode of operation4 

,and thus1 too1 in the individual3 his  
understanding1 the sum1 i4e41 of all    
that he understands1 consists1 for the  
most part1 but of rags and fragments of 
truth1 which often enough do not match  
very well1 and seldom1 if ever1 admit of
 being made to blend harmoniously       
together4 ,and so1 too1 is it in all    
that belongs to1 and is under the       
influence of fancy4 ,the subjective     
views1 for instance1 and conceits of    
man--the delusions of his senses1 the   
rapidly changing meteors and            
unsubstantial phantoms of human passion1
 are things only too well known1        
self-evident1 and universally           
acknowledged4  ,so profound1 then1 even 
in a psychological point of view1 and   
apart from the multiplied phases which  
the moral aspect presents1 appears the  
discord which reigns in our whole mind  
as at present constituted6 ,dissension  
seems to be interwoven into its         
fundamental fabric4 ,instead1 therefore1
 of saying the human consciousness is   

fourfold1 with equal1 if not with       
greater correctness1 we might and ought 
to say1 it is divided1 or1 rather1      
split1 into four or more pieces4 ,it is 
common enough to speak of facts of      
consciousness4 ,and yet how seldom among
 philosophers is any thing more meant by
 this expression than the mere thinking 
of thoughts1 in the eternal repetition  
of the same empty process in which the  
thinking ,ego thinks itself1 and by     
means of which the ,me is1 as it were1  
seized in the very act1 and then1 as the
 first beginning1 the imaginary ,creator
 and ,demiurge of the ideal world1 this 
,me is hung out like a gilded pennon    
from the top of the whole artificial    
system4#be ,the only fact of the        
consciousness that really deserves to be
 so named is its internal dissension4   
,and this discord not only reveals      
itself in thought between the ,me and   
,not ,me1 but pervades the whole and all
 its branches1 or parts and forms1 its  
species and spheres1 in mind and soul1  

understanding and will1 reason and      
fancy1 which every where manifests      
itself1 and of which the thousandfold   
material discords of man's outer life is
 only the reflection--its natural       
consequence and further development4    
,from this fact of the manifold and     
ever-varying dissension of the human    
consciousness an exposition of          
philosophy might not inappropriately set
 out1 in order from this point to seek  
the solution of its peculiar problem1   
and the right road for the attainment of
 its end4 ,for the problem of           
philosophy1 as contemplated from this   
side1 would consist in the restoration  
of that original1 natural1 and true     
state of the consciousness in which it  
was at unity and in harmony with itself4
 ,it is a leading error of philosophy   
that it views the present state of the  
human consciousness as even its right   
one1 which requires only to be raised to
 a higher power in order to be cleansed 
from the taint of commonness of the     

ordinary way of thinking which clings to
 it among the ignorant and              
unphilosophical1 and thereupon to be    
comprised in strangely artificial and   
seemingly most profound formul4 ,but by 
such an involution to a higher power the
 error is not got rid of1 but rather the
 evil itself is aggravated1 since it is 
contained in the root itself1 and is to 
be found in the inmost structure of the 
consciousness4 ,besides1 it can not have
 been the original constitution of man's
 mind to be thus a prey to manifold     
dissension1 and split1 as it were1 into 
pieces and quartered4 ,this discord is1 
undoubtedly1 in the true meaning of the 
word1 a fact1 the only one which every  
individual can without hesitation vouch 
for on the immediate and independent    
testimony of his own experience4 ,for   
the cause of this well-authenticated    
fact we have only to look to that event 
which revelation has made known1 of     
which each man must perceive the sad    
traces within his own heart4 ,it began  

with that eclipse of the soul which     
preceded and commenced the present state
 of man1 and was occasioned by the      
intervention of a foreign body between  
it and the sun which gave it light4 ,but
 if the soul1 the thinking as well as   
the loving soul1 be the center of       
consciousness1 then1 in this great and  
general darkening of the center1 the    
entire sphere1 in its whole essence and 
structure1 must have been altered4 ,and1
 consequently1 in its philosophical     
aspect1 and apart from all special moral
 depravity in the independent actions1  
evil habits and passions of individuals1
 the soul is no longer what it was      
originally1 as created and designed by  
the ,almighty4  ,thus1 then1 the whole  
human consciousness is filled with      
unmitigated discord and division1 not   
merely in its mixed rational and        
sensuous or terrestrial and spiritual   
nature1 but thought itself is at issue  
with life4 ,and1 moreover1 while in the 
thought the internal and the external1  

faith and science1 are involved in a    
hostile contrariety1 disturbing and     
destroying each other1 so is it also in 
life with the finite and the infinite1  
the transitory and the imperishable4 ,in
 such a state of things1 therefore1 and 
from this point of view1 the problem of 
philosophy1 as already remarked1 can not
 well be any other than the restoration 
of the consciousness to its primary and 
true unity1 so far as this is humanly   
possible4 ,now that this true and       
permanent unity1 if it be at all        
attainable1 must be looked for in ,god1 
is at all events an allowable           
hypothesis4 ,for it will not be         
disputed1 except by one who holds both  
this unity itself and its restitution to
 be absolutely impossible4 ,but this is 
a point on which much may be advanced on
 both sides1 and which1 therefore1 since
 mere disputing can avail nothing either
 one way or the other1 can only be      
decided by the fact--the issue of the   
attempt4 ,on this hypothesis1 then1 even

 philosophy must in every case take ,god
 for the basis of its speculations--set 
out from ,him1 and draw in every        
instance from this divine source4 ,but  
then1 considered from this point of     
view1 and pursuing this route1 it is no 
idle speculation and simple             
contemplation of the inner existence and
 thought alone--no dead science--but a  
vital effort and an effectual working of
 the thought for the restoration of a   
corrupt and degraded consciousness to   
its natural simplicity and original     
unity4 ,and this is the way which we    
have marked out for the course of our   
speculations1 or1 rather1 the end which 
we must strive1 however imperfectly1 yet
 at least to the best of our abilities1 
to attain to4 ,and1 accordingly1 each of
 the four preceding ,lectures1 although 
in free sketchy outline1 contains an    
attempt to put an end to and reconcile  
some particular schism among those which
 are the most marked and predominant in 
the consciousness1 and which in         

essential points must disturb the whole 
of life4 ,how far in these four         
introductory essays this problem has    
been satisfactorily or completely solved
 and happily settled1 is a question     
which will be best and most fairly      
tested by the idea of philosophy1 as    
having its true end and aim in the      
restoration of this corrupt             
consciousness to its sound state--to its
 original unity and full energy of life4
  ,the discord between philosophy itself
 and life was the first that ,i         
attempted to get rid of4 ,but now1 if in
 the place of abstract thought and the  
dialectical reason1 we are entitled to  
look to the thinking and loving soul for
 the true center of man's consciousness1
 then the imaginary partition-wall      
between science and life at once        
crumbles away4 ,our second ,lecture was 
occupied with the discord which subsists
 between the finite and the             
infinite--the eternal and the           
perishable2 and1 because this involved a

 problem which can only be solved by    
life and reality1 ,i therefore confined 
myself to pointing out the way in which 
we may hope to discover their unity and 
equation4 ,with this view1 ,i attempted 
to establish a vivid conviction that    
there is a true enthusiasm wherein the  
illimitable feeling manifests itself as 
actual1 and that even the earthly       
passion of love assumes1 in the holy    
union of fidelity and wedlock1 the stamp
 of the indissoluble and eternal1 and   
becomes the source of many divine       
blessings1 and of many moral ties1 which
 are stronger1 and furnish a firmer     
moral basis to society1 than any general
 maxims1 or than any ethical theory     
which is built upon such notional       
abstractions1 far more than upon the    
pregnant results of the experience of   
life4 ,and lastly1 in pure longing1 ,i  
pointed out an effort of man's          
consciousness directing itself to an    
infinite1 eternal1 and divine object4   
,but1 as this longing can only evince   

its reality by the fruits it brings     
forth1 ,i reserved1 to a future         
opportunity1 the more precise           
determination of this question4 ,the    
theme of our third ,lecture was the     
existence and the reconciliation of that
 schism which1 both in thought and life1
 divides the internal and the external  
worlds4 ,if all knowing be a mere       
process of the reason1 then must this   
discord between the inner and the outer 
be forever irreconcilable1 and we should
 be utterly at a loss to conceive how a 
foreign and alien body could ever have  
found entrance from without into our    
,me1 and become an object of its        
cognition4 ,but if every species of     
knowing be positive--if1 also1 the      
cognition of the spiritual and divine be
 nothing else than an internal and      
higher science of experience1 then the  
idea of revelation furnishes at once the
 key to explain1 while it establishes   
the possibility of a knowledge of the   
divine4 ,and this remark admits1 also1  

of application to nature itself1 when we
 consider it in its totality and        
internal constitution1 and speak of a   
knowledge of these things--of the vital 
force which rules in it1 or its         
animating soul2 for this1 indeed1 eludes
 our grasp1 but yet speaks plainly to   
us--to him1 at least1 who is wise to    
understand nature's language4 ,for if1  
in attempting to understand nature1 we  
isolate her1 as it were1 and exclude all
 reference to ,him who gave her being1  
and has assigned1 also1 her limits and  
her end--if1 in short1 we disturb the   
two poles of a right understanding of   
nature1 then1 most assuredly1 will the  
effort be fruitless1 and all our labor  
unprofitable4 ,man1 however1 has gone   
still further1 and by transferring the  
innate discord of his internal          
consciousness to outward objects1 has   
forcibly rent asunder ,god and          
,nature--he has thus divorced the       
sensible world and its ,maker1 and set  
them in hostile array against each      

other1 and thereby brought physical     
science in collision with the knowledge 
of divine things and with revelation4   
,our fourth ,lecture1 therefore1 was    
consecrated to an attempt to effect     
here1 also1 a reconciliation1 or1 at    
least1 to lay the first stone1 and to   
mark out the road by which alone we     
could hope to arrive at so desirable a  
result3 and this is a problem which is  
even the more important the truer it is1
 that this discord is not confined to   
science and the scientific domain1 but  
extends1 also1 to real life1 where these
 discrepant views and modes of thinking 
are arrayed against each other in so    
many hostile and conflicting parties4   
,and although1 as differing merely as to
 the form and direction of thought1 they
 do not come forward in so distinct a   
shape1 or under such characteristic     
names1 as the parties in religion and   
politics1 still this dissension is not1 
therefore1 less real and universal1 or  
its effects and influence less          

noticeable4 ,of these parties the first1
 and by far the most numerous1 is the   
sect of the rationalists1 who doubt     
indiscriminately of all things1 and test
 every matter by the standard of their  
own skepticism4 ,the second class is    
formed of the exclusive worshipers of   
nature1 and has many members among      
scientific men2 while1 lastly1 the third
 consists of those who derive1 from the 
positive source of a divine decision1   
the law of their thinking and the       
standard of their judgment4 ,now1 this  
last party1 if it would only go a few   
steps farther1 and draw still deeper    
from this source1 would be able to      
assign its appropriate place and value  
to every potence and truth in the other 
species of thought and knowledge1 and   
even thereby might qualify itself to    
dissolve and reconcile the all-pervading
 discord4 ,but inasmuch as they do not  
adopt this conciliatory attitude toward 
natural1 historical1 and even artistic  
knowledge1 so far as they are true1 but1

 on the contrary1 in a spirit of        
animosity1 attempt to circumscribe and  
set negative limits to them1 if not     
absolutely to reject them as worthless  
and profane--then1 when they least wish 
it1 they really sink into a party no    
less than the other two4 ,and thus1     
while they might occupy a far higher    
position1 they fall to the level of the 
rest1 and contribute1 on their part1 an 
element to the intellectual strife1 and 
tend to promote and perpetuate it4 ,the 
three parties1 then1 which by their     
ruling ideas divide life and age1 are   
the rational thinkers1 the worshipers of
 nature1 and those who1 in all          
controverted questions1 appeal          
absolutely to a higher and divine       
authority2 for inasmuch as the sentence 
of the latter is only of a negative     
import1 it is therefore insufficient to 
meet all the requisitions of life4      
,thus1 then1 have ,i led your           
consideration to four different points1 
in order to seize and exhibit1 in as    

many different forms and spheres1 this  
great fact of the dissension in man's   
consciousness1 as it exists at present4 
,in a similar manner1 too1 a fourfold   
attempt has been made to remedy its     
hereditary disease1 which has been      
inherent in it since the original       
darkening of the soul at the ,fall1 and1
 by appeasing the discord which1 as it  
is all-pervading and universal1 assumes 
manifold shapes and forms1 to make the  
first step of return and approximation  
toward the original harmonic unity4     
,having considered the matter in these  
four special points of view1 it will    
not1 ,i hope1 appear premature if ,i now
 propose the question in a more general 
point of view1 which will embrace the   
whole human consciousness itself2 but1  
at the same time1 limit our             
consideration of it exclusively to its  
psychological aspect4  ,now it is in    
nowise difficult to conceive of the     
human soul as much simpler than it is1  
and apart from that division of it into 

several faculties1 which is at most1 and
 properly1 but an accident of its       
existence4 ,one of the first among the  
modern philosophers of ,germany1 says   
somewhere of the soul1 that the         
supposition of its existence is         
superfluous1 and that it is a pure      
fiction4,a ,but this statement was the  
result of his having abandoned in his   
system the true center of life and      
consciousness2 whoever1 on the contrary1
 adheres steadily thereto1 will never   
concur in a position which simply1 as   
contradicting the general feeling of    
human nature1 requires no elaborate     
refutation4 ,but as regards the two     
parts into which the soul is divided1   
viz41 ,reason and ,fancy--these1 at any 
rate1 are no fiction1 but exist really  
and truly within the consciousness1     
where1 as in life itself1 they often    
stand confronting each other in hostile 
array4 ,this division can not well be   
called superfluous1 but yet it does not 
admit of being considered absolutely    

necessary1 and belonging to the soul's  
original essence4 ,if all thinking were 
a living cogitation--if the thinking and
 the loving soul had remained at unity  
in their true center1 then the external 
methodical thought and the internal     
productive thinking1 meditating1 and    
invention1 would not be separate and    
divorced--at least they would not come  
into hostile conflict with each other1  
but would rather be harmoniously        
combined in the living cogitation of the
 loving soul4 ,the several forms1 too1  
of a higher love and a higher endeavor1 
aye1 every lawful earthly inclination1  
would be blended in this harmony of the 
soul1 and no longer stand out as a      
separate and isolated faculty1          
occasionally conflicting with all the   
others4 ,even the conscience would no   
longer appear as a special act or       
function of the judgment1 of a distinct 
and peculiar kind1 but would be absorbed
 in the whole as a delicate internal    
sensibility and the pulse of the moral  

life4  ,as for sensation and memory1    
they are in any case but ministering    
faculties1 which only appear distinct   
and independent under the influence of  
the prevailing tendency to separation   
and disunion1 but on the supposition of 
a simpler and more harmonious           
consciousness1 would be counted merely  
as bodily organs4 ,if1 then1 the soul   
had not suffered an eclipse--if it had  
remained undisturbed in the clear light 
of ,god--then would man's consciousness 
also have been much simpler than it now 
is1 with all those several faculties    
which we at present find and distinguish
 in it4 ,in such a case1 it would       
consist only of understanding1 soul1 and
 will4 ,for if1 according to the three  
directions of its activity1 any one     
should still be disposed to divide it   
into the thinking1 the feeling1 and the 
loving soul1 still this would not be    
founded on any intrinsic strife or      
discord1 but they would all combine     
harmoniously together1 and in this      

harmonious combination be at unity among
 themselves4 ,as for the distinction    
between understanding and will1 that    
would still remain1 since it is         
essential to mind or spirit1 and may1 in
 a certain sense1 be ascribed even to   
the uncreated spirits4 ,but in this     
garden of the soul of inward            
illumination--on this fruitful soil of  
harmonized thought and feeling--they    
would walk amicably together1 and work  
in common1 and would not1 as hostile    
beings1 turn aside in opposite          
directions1 or as is mostly the case in 
actual life1 be divided from each other 
by an impassable gulf1 and never meet in
 friendly contact4  ,thus nearly1 or    
somewhat similarly1 must we conceive of1
 and attempt to represent to ourselves1 
the human mind in its original state1   
before it was darkened1 rent asunder1   
and condemned to lasting discord1 but   
was as yet eminently simple and         
perfectly harmonious4  ,and now as      
regards understanding and will1 as a    

division of powers essential to the mind
 or spirit1 which1 however1 as such1 is 
not necessarily inharmonious3 the       
expression already touched upon of      
another of our modern ,german           
philosophers1 will serve as a transition
 to and commencing point for my remarks4
 ,according to this memorable assertion 
with regard to the mind geist1 and which
 will serve as an appropriate pendent to
 that last quoted about the soul1 the   
essence of mind or spirit in general    
consists in the negation of the         
opposite4#bf ,now ,i can not stop at    
present to inquire what sense this would
 give1 if applied to the uncreated      
spirit1 and the ,creator of all other   
spiritual beings4 ,but as concerns      
created spirits3 their essence1         
contrariwise1 consists principally in an
 eternal affirmation4 ,but this1        
however1 they have not of and from      
themselves1 but it is the affirmation of
 the one to which ,god has exclusively  
destined them4 ,but it is not of        

themselves1 but of ,god and ,his energy1
 of whom these created spirits are1 as  
it were1 but a ray--a spark of ,his     
light--therefore1 in this ray1 not only 
sight and understanding1 but also       
thought and deed1 will and execution1   
are simultaneous and identical4 ,and it 
is in this respect that they are so     
totally different from men4 ,now this   
ray of light1 imparted to them from     
,god1 is nothing less than the thought  
of their destination--of the purpose of 
their being--in a word1 their mission1  
if we may speak after a human fashion1  
and in the prevailing phraseology4 ,and1
 indeed1 in all ancient languages1 the  
pure created intelligences have these   
names from that mission which           
constitutes their essence2 for their    
essence is even perfectly identical with
 this divine mission or inborn eternal  
affirmation4 ,to the fallen spirits1 on 
the other hand1 the maxim above quoted  
applies truly enough3 their essence     
consists1 not in the divine affirmation1

 or the mission which they have         
abandoned1 but rather in the eternal1   
though bootless1 denial of their        
opposite1 which is even nothing less    
than the divine order4 ,for to their    
ambitious intellect and perverse wills1 
the latter1 in all probability1 appeared
 far too loving1 and1 therefore1        
unintelligible2 while1 to their         
censorious judgment1 it seemed deficient
 in rigor of consequence1 and not       
unconditional and absolute enough4  ,all
 that has hitherto been said reduces    
itself to the following result4 ,as by  
the first obscuration and eclipse of the
 human soul the very body of man was    
deteriorated1 and having been originally
 created with a capacity of immortality1
 fell a prey to death1 and received the 
germs1 or became liable to many         
diseases1 as roots of death--which is   
not guilt itself1 but the natural result
 of guilt--so in his consciousness there
 was then implanted1 and has ever since 
been propagated1 a germ of intellectual 

death1 and manifold seeds of error1     
which1 however1 are not a new sin1 but  
merely the natural consequences of the  
first sin and the original corruption of
 the soul4 ,in four different forms1    
according to the four cardinal points   
and fundamental faculties of the human  
consciousness1 does this inborn error   
and fruitful germ of erroneous and false
 thinking show and develop itself4 ,we  
have already spoken of this futile idea 
of the deadness of all external life1   
which has taken such deep root in the   
center of all human thought--in the dead
 abstract notion and the empty formula1 
and which1 clinging as an original taint
 to the human mind as at present        
constituted1 renders it so difficult for
 all those who1 not content with merely 
observing nature1 wish really to        
understand it in its living operation1  
and1 moreover1 to imitate in thought its
 dynamical law1 and the inner pulse of  
its vital forces4 ,for in the abstract  
notion all this evaporates1 and when    

confined within such dead formularies1  
the true life of nature quickly becomes 
extinct4 ,this1 therefore1 is the       
primary source of error--the leading    
species of barren and futile thinking in
 the abstract understanding4 ,but now   
this dead and lifeless cogitation of    
abstract ideas1 with its processes of   
combining and inferring1 or of analyzing
 and drawing distinctions1 may be       
carried on into infinity1 as being that 
wherein the essence or function of      
reason consists1 and also as giving rise
 to interminable disputes and           
contradictions4 ,consequently this form 
of the reason1 which is ever pursuing   
dialectical disputations1 or else       
skeptically renouncing its own          
authority1 even because it never allows 
itself to proceed in what alone is its  
legitimate course1 becomes thereby a    
second source of error and false        
thinking among men4 ,and1 indeed1 this  
erroneous procedure of the dialectical  
reason1 which is incessantly working out

 or analyzing its abstract notions1 is  
the effect of the present constitution  
of the human mind2 so that no individual
 can in justice be blamed on its        
account1 nor can its perverted          
conclusions and corrupting results be   
fairly imputed to ulterior views and    
principles of an immoral character4  ,in
 considering the imagination as a source
 of error1 we have no need to select the
 instance of a fancy satanically        
inflamed to passion1 or satanically     
deluded1 or even one of a purely        
materialistic bias and leaning4 ,for    
fancy1 even in its greatest exaltation  
and purest form1 is at best but a       
subjective view and mode of cogitative  
apprehension1 and1 consequently1 as     
such1 is ever a fruitful parent of      
delusion4 ,how very rarely an           
imagination is to be found which is not 
predominantly subjective1 is shown      
precisely in the very highest grade of  
its development--in the creations of    
imitative art4 ,of the exalted geniuses 

who in single ages and nations have     
distinguished themselves from the great 
mass1 and attained to that rare         
eminence--the reputation of the true    
artist2 out of this short list of great 
names1 how few can be selected of whose 
productions it can be truly said and    
boasted--,here in this picture we have  
something more than a mere general view1
 or the peculiar fantasy of an          
individual2 here life and nature stand  
before us in their full truth and       
objective reality1 and speak to us in   
that universal language1 which is       
intelligible to men of all countries and
 all times6 ,and the same remark applies
 to the whole domain of scientific      
thought in general2 but especially to   
physical and historical science4  ,in   
like manner1 in the sphere of the will1 
it is not merely immoral volitions1     
which1 as such1 must ever be false and  
wrong1 that are exclusively the source  
of erroneous thought4 ,the spring of    
those errors which we are at present    

considering lies in the very form of the
 will itself1 i4e41 in the absolute     
willing1 even though its object and end 
be1 in themselves1 perfectly legitimate 
and unexceptionable4 ,that this absolute
 willing--or1 to speak more humanly1 and
 in ordinary language1 self-will and    
obstinacy--is a fundamental and         
hereditary failing of the human         
character1 as at present constituted1   
which shows itself in the very youngest 
children1 with the first dawn of reason1
 and requires to be most watchfully     
checked1 is but too well known to every 
teacher and every mother4 ,but not in   
infancy only1 but also in the most      
important and comprehensive relations of
 life--nay1 even in the history of the  
world--this same absolute willing proves
 the most pernicious of all the sources 
of error and corruption in the soul and 
life of man1 even when its object is not
 unmitigatedly bad1 or when1 perhaps1 it
 may even deserve to be called great and
 noble4 ,it is through this absolute    

willing that the sovereign with         
unlimited authority1 even though he be  
gifted with a strong and comprehensive  
intellect1 and possessed of many        
estimable qualities and moral virtues1  
becomes1 nevertheless1 the oppressor of 
his people and the merciless tyrant4    
,through it1 also1 in states which are  
not monarchical1 but where the supreme  
authority is divided among several      
estates1 views and principles which1    
calmly considered and duly limited by   
opposing principles1 are true and       
beneficial1 by being advanced           
absolutely1 and without qualification1  
are converted into so many violent      
factions1 which1 distracting the minds  
of men and inflaming their passions1    
produce a wide-spread and fearful       
anarchy4  ,the dead abstract notions of 
the intellect1 the dialectical disputes 
of the reason1 the purely subjective and
 one-sided apprehension of objects by a 
deluded fancy1 and the absolute will1   
are the four sources of human error4    

,considered apart from the aberrations  
of passion1 special faults of character1
 and prejudices of education1 as well as
 the false notions and wrong judgments  
to which the latter give rise--these    
four are the springs from which flows   
all the error of the soul which makes   
itself the center of the terrestrial    
reality1 and which1 springing out of    
this soil1 is nourished and propagated  
by it4 ,to what1 then1 are we to look to
 dispel these manifold delusions but to 
a closer and more intimate union of the 
soul with ,god as the source of life and
 truth8  ,what1 let us therefore ask1 is
 the organ by which such closer union   
with and immediate cognition of ,god is 
to be effected8 ,plainly not the        
understanding1 even though as the       
cognitive sense of a revelation of      
spirit1 and of the spirit of revelation1
 it carries us through the first steps  
toward a right understanding of         
ourselves and the ,creator4 ,for so long
 as we confine ourselves to the         

understanding1 which1 at most1 is but a 
preparatory and auxiliary faculty1 we   
shall only make an approximation4 ,it is
 only when the divine idea1 passing     
beyond the understanding--the mere      
surface1 as it were1 of our             
consciousness--penetrates into the very 
center of our being1 and strikes root   
there1 that it is possible1 with a view 
to this end1 to draw immediately from   
the primary source of all life4 ,now1   
the organ which essentially co-operates 
in this work is the will1 which1 in such
 co-operation however1 divests itself   
entirely of its absoluteness4 ,on this  
account ,i called the will the sense for
 ,god1 or the sense which is            
appropriated to the perception of       
,deity4  ,but before ,i proceed in my   
attempt to define and elucidate the     
nature of this reciprocal action1 and   
show how it is possible or generally    
conceivable1 it will be necessary to    
premise one essential remark4 ,i have   
already attempted to discover and       

establish a special and characteristic  
mark for every sphere of life1 and its  
highest and lowest grades4 ,thus1 the   
proper and distinctive signature of     
nature1 and all that belongs to it1 is a
 state of slumber or sleep2 the         
characteristic property of man1 which   
distinguishes him from all other        
intellectual beings1 is fancy2 while the
 essential property of the pure created 
spirits is the stamp of eternity which  
is impressed on all their operations1 by
 means of which they perform1 with      
untiring energies1 their allotted       
duties1 without the alternation of      
repose or the necessity of sleep1 and by
 reason of which they remain forever    
what they once begin to be4 ,applying   
the same line of thought to a higher    
region1 ,i would now attempt to discover
 there some characteristic sign1 by     
observing which man may1 perhaps1 be    
able to find his true position4         
,proceeding1 then1 in this line of      
thought1 and preserving a due regard to 

the weakness of the human capacity1 ,i  
would observe as follows4 ,the          
characteristic1 not1 indeed1 of the     
divine essence--for that is too great   
for man's powers of apprehension--but of
 the divine operations and ,his         
influence on the creation and all       
created beings1 consists in ,his        
incredible condescension toward these   
,his creatures1 and especially toward   
man4 ,incredible1 however1 it may1 nay1 
must and ought to be called1 inasmuch as
 it transcends every notion1 nay1 all   
belief1 even the most confiding and     
childlike1 and the more it is           
contemplated1 appears the more          
inconceivable and amazing4 ,only it     
admits of question1 whether the         
expression be sufficiently simple and   
appropriate1 and1 consequently1         
well-chosen2 for the fact itself of this
 divine condescension is affirmed in    
every line and word of revelation4 ,and 
by revelation ,i mean not merely the    
written revelation1 but every           

manifestation more or less distinct of  
,god1 and ,his divine operations and    
providence--history1 nature1 and life4  
,now1 on no one point are the voices of 
all1 who on such a matter can be        
regarded as authorities1 so perfectly   
concordant and unanimous1 as on this    
wonderful attribute of the ,godhead1    
which1 on the supposition that the      
belief in one living ,god is universal1 
may be considered as placed beyond doubt
 or question4  ,in order to demonstrate 
how essential is the co-operation of the
 will to that living intercommunion with
 ,god1 which is something more than a   
mere understanding1 we advance the      
following assumptions4 ,supposing that  
in the incredible condescension of ,his 
love1 ,god has made ,himself known to a 
man1 just as in the first books of our  
,holy ,scripture ,he is described as    
conversing with ,moses1 and as          
familiarly as one friend talks to       
another2 supposing also that ,he        
revealed to him all the secret things of

 heaven and earth without reserve2 that 
,he at the same time laid open to him   
,his will and hidden counsels1 and that 
not summarily and in a general way1 but 
definitely and in detail--expressly     
making known to him ,his gracious       
purposes1 both in what ,he at present   
requires of him and designs for him     
hereafter2 that ,he has also pointed out
 to man the means which will enable him 
to accomplish ,his will1 and1 moreover1 
has added the highest possible promises 
for his encouragement2 supposing all    
this1 is it not evident that it         
nevertheless could not help or profit   
man unless he consented to receive it8  
,the whole divine communication would be
 in vain if man obstinately continued in
 his old ,egoism1 mixed and compounded  
of evil habits1 fears1 and sensual      
desires1 and1 unable to tear himself    
away1 still clung close to the narrow   
limits of self and his own ,me4  ,now it
 is nothing but this intrinsic consent  
and concurrence in the will of ,god1    

this calm affirmation of it1 that can   
help man1 who is now left to his own    
free determination even as regards the  
,deity1 and that can lead him to ,god4  
,on this account ,i called the will1    
rather than the understanding1 man's    
sense for the divine4 ,but all that is  
here required is the internal assent1   
and not the power of actual performance2
 for that varies even according to the  
standard of nature1 or rather of that   
which is imparted to him from above1    
since of himself man has no capacity for
 that which is higher and more          
excellent1 nothing being man's own but  
his will4 ,now this internal assent and 
submission of man's own will to the     
divine is clearly inconceivable where it
 has not1 to a certain degree1 withdrawn
 from the sensible world which surrounds
 him with so many ties and allurements1 
and where it has not loosened and set   
itself free from the narrow domain of   
self to which his ,ego so closely       
clings4  ,here1 then1 naturally arises  

the question1 how far a renunciation of 
the world and self-sacrifice1 on which  
even the ,platonic philosophy so greatly
 insisted1 is necessary1 if we would    
advance one degree1 or at least one     
step1 nearer to ,god1 as the supreme    
good and all-perfect ,being1 and what   
are its true and proper limits8 ,in     
obedience to this idea of the           
renunciation of the world as            
indispensable to communion with ,god1   
the ,hindoo fakir will sit for thirty   
years in one spot1 with his eyes fixed  
immutably in the same direction1 so that
 he not only surpasses all the limits of
 human nature1 but also erases and      
extinguishes all traces of it in        
himself4 ,or perhaps1 in spite of the   
simple principle and rule of sound      
reason1 that man1 as he is not the      
author of his own being1 has no right to
 terminate it1 he follows a false idea  
of self-sacrifice1 and mounts the       
flaming pile in order to be the sooner  
united to the ,deity4 ,in the           

fundamental idea of these extravagances 
there is doubtless a germ of beauty and 
of truth1 though in the perverse        
application and gigantic scale of       
exaggeration that we meet with it among 
the primeval nations of ,asia1 it is    
distorted into monstrous falsehood4 ,a  
simple illustration1 taken from the     
different ages of man's life1 will      
perhaps serve to set in a clear light   
the point on which every thing turns in 
this matter of the assent of the human  
to the divine will1 and to determine the
 sense and the degree in which man ought
 not to give himself up entirely to the 
world1 or to revolve closely round the  
center of self1 if he would yield a     
sincere and hearty submission to a      
higher voice and that guiding hand which
 conducts the education of the whole    
human race1 and watches with equal care 
the development of individuals and of   
ages4 ,the child may and must play1 for 
such exercise is wholesome and even     
necessary for the free expansion of its 

bodily powers2 but at its mother's call1
 for to the child hers is the higher    
voice1 it ought to leave its play4      
,youth1 again1 ought to be merry and    
enjoy the verdant spring2 but when honor
 and duty summon to earnest action1 then
 must he be ready to lay aside all      
light-hearted amusement for sterner     
avocations2 or to take another view of  
the youthful temperament1 should its    
joyousness touch too rudely1 not to say 
overstep1 the bounds of morality1 then  
at the first hint of warning it must    
abandon its treacherous pleasures4 ,the 
full-grown man1 too1 having to make his 
way in the world and to fight with      
fortune in the hard struggle of life1   
has little leisure for idle feelings and
 meditations2 only he must not renounce 
all higher and nobler sentiments1 nor   
dismiss from his mind the thought of the
 ,godhead and the divine 7which indeed  
for its mere preservation requires no   
outward ordinance or loss of time71 as  
belonging to the boy1 and suitable only 

for the unripe years of youth4 ,or to   
regard life under its passive aspect1   
let us think of the happy wife by the   
side of a husband she loves1 and living 
only in her children1 and possessing of 
worldly good as much as she wishes or   
requires3 suddenly1 by one of those     
changes and chances which prevail in    
this transitory life1 she is bereaved of
 all--the partner of her joys and cares1
 the children of her bosom1 and perhaps1
 too1 of her rank and consideration1    
while beneath the repeated strokes of   
affliction her very health sinks4 ,who  
would check her tears or blame her      
natural sorrow if she feels and tells   
her woes8 ,no one3 for holier eyes than 
man's look upon her with compassion4    
,one thing1 however1 may fairly and     
reasonably be expected of her--that she 
do not give way entirely to despair1 nor
 murmur against ,providence4 ,more1     
therefore1 than man requires of man in  
the ordinary relations of life1 ,god    
requires not of the human will2 and on  

that alone does ,he make any            
requisition1 in respect to that free    
assent and internal concurrence which   
alone can bind us in personal union with
 the ,godhead1 and bring us near to     
,him2 a consummation which no mere      
intellectual apprehension of all        
possible revelations1 whether written on
 the pages of inspiration1 or on the    
open tablets of nature1 or engraven on  
the imperishable annals of history1 is  
sufficient to bring about4  ,so much and
 nothing more is required for this      
essential concurrence of the human will 
with the divine1 in the general         
relations of life4 ,but1 in the case of 
any special vocation and profession--if1
 for instance1 a man feels himself      
disposed to become a minister of the    
revealed ,word1 an instrument and       
messenger of the divine                 
communications--then1 no doubt1 higher  
and sterner requisitions must come into 
consideration4 ,to men of native        
courage1 what vocation can be more      

universal than that of a soldier and    
defender of his country8 but does not it
 require1 besides undaunted courage and 
contempt of death1 the patient and      
enduring fortitude which bears up under 
countless hardships and privations8     
,what vocation1 again1 can be simpler   
and more fully founded in nature1 than  
that of the softer sex to become a      
mother8 but how many sufferings1 and    
fears1 and dangers1 compass it about1   
and how infinite are the great and      
little anxieties to which a mother's    
love--that purest and truest of all     
earthly affections--is exposed8 ,and it 
is even herein that human love most     
betrays its weakness2 it may suffice for
 some one determinate direction1 some   
transitory period of life1 for some     
single effort of magnanimity or         
self-sacrifice1 but it rarely survives  
the changes of time and fortune1 and its
 faith and ardor too often are          
extinguished amid the petty trials of   
every-day life1 and its numberless cares

 and anxieties4  ,and as with the love1 
so also is it with the faith of men3 it 
enters not sufficiently into minuti2 it 
is not personal enough1 nor sufficiently
 childlike and confiding2 it is not made
 to refer enough to ourselves4 ,most    
men1 indeed1 have only too high an      
opinion of their own worth--an          
overweening confidence in their own     
powers2 at least1 the opposite fault of 
extreme diffidence is a rare exception4 
,but yet1 it is true1 men generally take
 far too low an estimate of their true  
vocation and proper destiny2 they       
believe not in its high dignity2 and as 
viewed in its place among the vast      
universe1 they hold it and themselves as
 comparatively insignificant4 ,but this 
is a total misconception4 ,every man is 
an individual entity--an inner world of 
his own1 full of life--a true microcosm 
7as has already been said in a different
 sense7 in the eye of ,god and in the   
scheme of creation3 every man has a     
vocation of his own1 and an appropriate 

destiny4 ,could men's eyes be but once  
opened to see it1 how would they be     
amazed at the infinity which they have  
neglected1 and might have attained to1  
and which generally in the world remains
 neglected and unattained4 ,but of the  
many thousands whom this remark         
concerns1 how very few ever attain to a 
clear cognition of their real           
destination6 ,and the reason of this is 
simply the fact1 that the faith of men  
is all too weak1 and1 above all1 that it
 is too vaguely general1 too            
superficial1 too little searching or    
profound--not sufficiently personal and 
childlike4  ,a childlike faith1 and a   
love that endureth unto the end--these  
are the true bonds to hold the soul of  
man in intimate union with ,god4 ,but it
 is in hope1 such as is at present found
 among men1 that the chief defect lies2 
for hope ought to be strong and heroic1 
otherwise it is not that which the name 
expresses4 ,few men1 perhaps1 are       
entirely devoid of faith and love1 only 

they are not sufficiently carried into  
the details and trifles of life1 as     
human wants require2 for it is exactly  
to these that all that is divine in     
men's thoughts and deeds ought to be    
directed4 ,in hope1 on the contrary1 the
 inner man must raise himself and ascend
 up to ,god3 it must1 therefore1 be     
strong and energetic1 if it is to be    
efficacious4 ,on this account we might  
well expect it to be far more rare1     
comparatively1 than faith and love1     
considered according to the human scale 
of reasoning2 on the other hand1        
probably1 there are many men who1       
internally1 are almost totally destitute
 of hope4  ,the longing after the       
eternal and divine1 which has been      
already described1 is the seeking of    
,god2 but this calm1 inward assent of   
the will1 whenever1 with a childlike    
faith and enduring love1 and in         
steadfast hope1 it is carried through   
and maintained with unwavering fidelity 
throughout life1 is the actual finding  

of ,him within us1 and a constant       
adherence to ,him when once we have     
found ,him4 ,as the root and principle  
of all that is best and noblest in man1 
this divine longing can not be too      
highly estimated1 and nowhere is it so  
inimitably described1 and its excellence
 so fully acknowledged1 as in ,holy     
,writ itself4 ,a remarkable instance of 
it is the fact that a prophet who was   
set apart and called by ,god ,himself to
 his office1 and was for that purpose   
endued with miraculous gifts1 is        
expressly called in ,holy ,writ the man 
of longings4#bg ,and yet this longing is
 nothing but the source1 the first root1
 from which springs that triple flower  
in the lovely symbol of faith1 hope1 and
 charity1 which afterward1 spreading    
over every grade and sphere of moral and
 intellectual existence1 expands into   
the richest and most manifold fruits4   
,now1 it is very possible in some       
serious and intellectual work to feel a 
pleasure in this triple union of holy   

thoughts and sentiments1 as with any    
deeply-significant picture in general1  
without duly entering the while into its
 precise requisitions and profound      
meaning4 ,but from one particular end of
 a philosophy of life1 i4e41 of a       
thorough knowledge of the human         
consciousness1 the psychological aspect 
of the subject assumes a peculiar       
importance1 and essentially demands our 
attention4 ,with this view1 ,i venture  
to assert that the human consciousness1 
which otherwise and in itself is        
entirely a prey to discord1 and split   
into irreconcilable contraries1 is1 by  
faith1 hope1 and love1 redeemed from    
this dissension--is raised from its     
innate law1 of an erring and dead       
thought1 and of an absolute will1 which 
is no less dead and null1 being restored
 gradually to a perfect state of unison 
and harmony4 ,under the influence of    
faith--and by this term ,i understand1  
not the cold and heartless repetition of
 a customary formulary1 but a living and

 personal faith in a living and personal
 ,god and ,savior--under the influence  
of such a faith1 the living spirit of   
truth steps into that place of the      
consciousness which before was usurped  
by the mere abstract thinking of a      
degraded understanding4 ,and whenever1  
on the other hand1 a refined goodness   
and love have in patient endurance      
become the soul of existence1 there is  
no room for the stormy obstinacy or     
passionate wildness of an absolute will4
 ,even in the will itself all is now    
life2 discord is banished from it1 and  
all the threatening elements of strife  
are forever appeased4 ,and in that      
trusting confidence with which the      
loving soul leans upon ,god--in the     
strong godlike hope which takes its     
stand upon the ,eternal1 the reason1    
with its ordering1 regulating1 and      
methodical processes1 and the fancy1    
with its dreams of the infinite1 are    
again completely reconciled1 and thereby
 the harmony of the human consciousness 

restored4 ,fancy1 ,i remarked formerly1 
is the characteristic property of man1  
as distinguished by it from other       
spiritual intelligences2 for reason1 as 
a mere faculty of negation1 affords only
 a negative distinction of his nature as
 compared with irrational creatures4    
,but now1 in a more comprehensive view1 
and1 at the same time1 with profounder  
significance and greater truth of       
description1 we may say of man1 in the  
same sense and in the same relation1    
hope forms his characteristic property  
and his inmost essence4  ,here1 then1 in
 this holy hope1 is longing1 that       
marvelous flower of the soul1 expanded  
into its perfect and noblest fruit4 ,if1
 in judging of the three1 man looks to  
the end to which he is to attain--if1 in
 thought1 he places himself at this     
point of view1 then assuredly will love 
appear the highest and the best2 for    
hope ceases when fulfillment comes in1  
and sight enters into the place of      
faith1 but love abideth forever4#bh ,as 

long1 however1 as man has not yet       
attained unto that which is perfect1 and
 is still in pursuit of it1 hope must be
 regarded as the greatest1 for it is    
even the true vital flame of faith1 as  
well as of love1 and of all higher      
existence4  ,this divine hope is even   
the fruit-bearing principle and the     
fructification of the immortal soul by  
the ,holy ,spirit of ,eternal           
,truth--the luminous center and focus of
 grace1 where the dark and discordant   
soul is illuminated and restored to     
unison with itself and with ,god4       
,,lecture ,,vi4  ,,of ,,the ,,wisdom    
,,of ,,the ,,divine ,,order ,,of        
,,things ,,in ,,nature1 ,,and ,,of ,,the
 ,,relation ,,of ,,nature ,,to ,,the    
,,other ,,life ,,and ,,to ,,the         
,,invisible ,,world4   ,the highest and 
loftiest language would fail us were it 
our purpose to speak of the inmost      
essence of the ,godhead1 since ,he is   
that which no thought or conception can 
comprehend1 and which no words are      

sufficient completely to describe or    
adequately to express4 ,on the other    
hand1 when we reflect on ,god's work in 
creation1 and of ,his superintending    
providence which rules the course of    
this earthly world1 our thoughts can not
 be simple enough1 nor1 to judge by that
 principle of the divine condescension  
which formed the nucleus of our remarks 
in the last ,lecture1 too familiar or   
affectionate4 ,in a general way this is 
commonly enough admitted1 but           
practically it is neglected4 ,men do not
 clearly present to their minds all that
 is involved in it1 and the remote      
consequences to which it leads4 ,and so1
 in spite of their better convictions1  
they insensibly adopt a high-sounding   
and solemn strain1 when the tone of a   
childlike reverence is alone the        
suitable and appropriate style for      
expressing the relation between the     
benignant ,creator and ,his creatures1  
and man especially1 as simply and as    
naturally as it is in reality4  ,i said 

as naturally1 because it is implied in  
the very nature of things that if ,god  
did originally create free beings like  
men1 ,he would give them all things     
needful1 keep them constantly in ,his   
regard1 and every where lend them a     
helping and directing hand4 ,but from   
time to time ,he might1 it is not       
inconsistent to suppose1 withdraw1 as it
 were1 ,his guidance2 for otherwise they
 would cease to be free beings4 ,in this
 respect the divine ,providence may be  
likened to a mother teaching her child  
to walk4 ,having chosen a clear spot1   
free from all things likely to hurt the 
infant in its fall1 she places it firmly
 on its feet4 ,for a little while she   
holds and supports it1 and then1 going  
back a few steps1 she waits for its love
 to set its little limbs in motion and  
to follow her4 ,but how watchful is her 
eye1 how outstretched her arms to catch 
her babe the instant it begins to       
totter6 ,such nearly1 and equally       
simple1 is the relation of ,god to man2 

and not to individuals only1 but also to
 the whole human race4 ,for in the      
divine education and higher guidance of 
mankind we may trace the same degrees   
and natural gradation of developments as
 form the basis of the education of     
individuals1 and may also be observed in
 all the processes of nature4  ,now we  
take it for granted that ,god has willed
 the creation not only of free and pure 
spirits1 but also of the natural world2 
for that ,he has so willed is a fact    
that1 as it were1 stares us in the face4
 ,if1 then1 along with the free spirits 
,he has also created a nature1 i4e41 a  
living reproductive power1 capable of   
and designed to develop and propagate   
itself1 it is plain that we can not and 
ought not to think of such a nature as  
independent and self-subsisting4 ,for1  
first of all1 it had not its beginning  
in itself4 ,moreover1 it would move as a
 blind force1 and as such manifest      
itself only in destruction and          
desolation1 if its ,maker had not       

originally fixed and assigned to it the 
end toward which all its efforts were   
ultimately to be directed4 ,nature1     
indeed1 is not free like man2 but still 
it is not a piece of dead clock-work1   
which1 when it is once wound up1 works  
on mechanically till it has run itself  
down again4 ,there is life in it4 ,and  
if a few abstract but superficial       
thinkers have failed to discern1 or even
 ventured expressly to deny this truth1 
the general feeling of mankind1 on the  
other hand1 bears witness to it4 ,yes1  
man feels that there is life rustling in
 the tree1 as with its many arms and    
branches1 its leaves and flowers1 it    
moves backward and forward in the free  
air2 and that1 as compared with the     
clock1 with all its ingenious but dead  
mechanism1 it is even a living thing4   
,and what the common feeling of mankind 
thus instinctively assumes is confirmed 
by the profounder investigations of     
physical science4 ,thus we know that    
even plants sleep1 and they1 too1 as    

much as animals1 though after a         
different sort1 have a true impregnation
 and propagation4 ,and is not nature1 on
 the whole1 a life-tree1 as it were1    
whose leaves and flowers are perpetually
 expanding themselves and seeking       
nourishment from the balsamic air of    
heaven1 while1 as the sap rises from the
 deep-hidden root into the mighty stem1 
the branches stir and move1 and         
invisible forces sweep to and fro in its
 waving crown4 ,most shallow and        
superficial1 in truth1 is that physical 
science which would consider the system 
of nature1 with all the marvels of      
beauty and majesty wherewith its ,maker 
has adorned it1 as nothing more than a  
piece of lifeless clock-work4 ,in such a
 system the all-mighty ,creator must    
appear at best but a great mechanical   
artist who has at his command infinite  
resources2 or1 if we may be allowed so  
absurd an expression1 as the fittest to 
expose the absurdity of those who would 
regard the divine work1 both in its     

whole and in its parts1 as dead1 an     
omnipotent clockmaker4 ,if1 however1 to 
meet the needs of man's limited         
capacity1 we must1 when speaking of the 
,creator1 employ such trifling and      
childish similes1 then of all human     
avocations and pursuits that of the     
gardener will serve best to illustrate  
the divine operations in nature4        
,all-mighty and omniscient1 however1 ,he
 has ,himself created the trees and     
flowers that ,he cultivates1 has        
,himself made the good soil in which    
they grow1 and brings down from heaven  
the balmy spring1 the dews and rain1 and
 the sunshine that quicken and mature   
them into life and beauty4  ,if1 then1  
there be life in nature1 as1 indeed1    
observation teaches1 and the general    
feeling of man avouches1 it must also   
possess a vital development1 which in   
its movements observes a uniform course 
and intrinsic law4 ,in truth1 the       
,creator has not reserved to himself the
 beginning and the end alone1 and left  

the rest to follow its own course2 but  
in the middle1 and at every point1 also1
 of its progress1 the ,omnipotent ,will 
can intervene at pleasure4 ,if ,he      
pleases ,he can instantaneously stop    
this vital development1 and suddenly    
make the course of nature stand still2  
or1 in a moment1 give life and movement 
to what before stood motionless and     
inanimate4 ,generally speaking1 it is in
 the divine power to suspend the laws of
 nature1 to interfere directly with     
them1 and1 as it were1 to intercalate   
among them some higher and immediate    
operation of ,his power1 as an exception
 to their uniform development4 ,for1 as 
in the social frame of civil life1 the  
author and giver of the laws may        
occasionally set them aside1 or1 in     
their administration1 allow certain     
special cases of exception1 even so is  
it1 also1 with nature's ,lawgiver4      
,now1 this immediate operation1 and     
occasional interference of ,supreme     
,power with the order of nature1 is     

exactly what constitutes the idea of    
miracle4 ,the general possibility of    
miracles is a principle which man's     
sound and unsophisticated reason has    
never allowed him to deny4 ,but1 on the 
other hand1 it is evidently essential to
 their very idea that they should be    
thought of simply as deviations from the
 usual course of nature's operations2 if
 they were not exceptions to the laws of
 nature1 then were they no miracles4    
,such miraculous exceptions1 however1 it
 may be observed1 need not invariably to
 be contrary to the course of nature1   
though above nature1 and far            
transcending its ordinary standard1 they
 always are4 ,exceptions1 therefore1    
they are2 but such1 at the same time1 as
 do not permanently disturb the natural 
course and flow of the vital            
development1 which1 on the whole1       
continues unchanged4 ,for it is only    
agreeable with ,creative wisdom to      
maintain the world so long as the       
present state of things subsists1 and   

the final consummation has not yet      
arrived1 in the order originally        
prescribed to it by ,his omnipotence4   
,to this an objection might be made in  
the opposite sense4 ,taken then in their
 principle1 the laws of nature1 no less 
than those exceptions to them which are 
usually called miracles1 are one and the
 same2 they are alike from the ,creator 
of all--and the laws themselves1        
therefore1 are equally miraculous4 ,this
 remark is quite true2 but it only      
teaches us that we ought not to be too  
ready to see a miracle in every         
extraordinary event4 ,but still1 there  
will ever remain an essential difference
 between an immediate operation of      
omnipotence and the ,creator's original 
production of a living force1 implanting
 in this creature an inner law1 and     
thereupon leaving to it the further     
evolution of its powers in the course   
marked out for and assigned to it4      
,now1 if such a creature1 like this     
terrestrial nature1 be of a mixed       

constitution1 composed of a principle of
 destruction as well as of a principle  
of productive development and           
progression--if its life be a constant  
struggle with death1 then it is manifest
 that only by the same hand which first 
formed it1 gave it laws1 and prescribed 
its order1 can its wise and divine      
economy be preserved1 and the permanence
 of the organic evolution of its whole  
system be secured1 and the outbursts of 
elementary dissolution1 which are       
perpetually menacing it1 held in check  
and averted4 ,if this restraint be once 
relaxed1 if the destructive energy of   
the wild elements be once let loose1 and
 free scope given to their fury--and    
this globe presents the manifest traces 
of one such catastrophe1 at least--then 
this1 too1 must be regarded as an       
exception1 and is only explicable by the
 higher principle of divine permission4 
,viewed1 however1 as the retribution of 
divine justice on a guilty world1 it    
forms an exception and a miracle of a   

peculiar kind1 and must be distinguished
 from those other extraordinary         
operations properly called miracles1    
wherein1 with some saving or quickening 
purpose1 the ,almighty1 as it were1     
raises nature above herself1 and takes  
her out of her usual course4  ,in this  
way1 then1 we ought unquestionably to   
refer every thing in the world to its   
author and preserver1 whether it be     
conformable to the usual course and     
order of nature1 or1 as an extraordinary
 phenomenon1 bespeak a higher and more  
immediate operation of divinity4 ,but1  
at the same time1 we must never forget  
that nature itself is a living force    
endowed with a capacity of              
self-development4 ,nature1 indeed1 is   
not free in the same sense that man is1 
possessed and conscious of a power of   
self-determination and choice2 but as   
all life contains in itself the germ of 
a free movement and expansion1 and while
 it expands itself a hidden and         
slumbering consciousness begins to stir 

and awake1 so also in nature1 an        
initiatory or preparatory grade of it1  
if not fully out-spoken1 is at least    
indicated4 ,in this respect it may be   
regarded as the vestibule of that temple
 of freedom which in man1 the crowning  
work of this earthly creation1 and made 
after the divine image and likeness1    
stands forth in its full dimensions and 
proportions4 ,considered from another   
point of view1 the sensible world may be
 looked upon as a veil thrown over the  
spiritual world--the light-flowing and  
almost transparent robe1 and1 as it     
were1 in all its parts the significant  
costume of the invisible powers4 ,but in
 no point of view can we rightly        
consider nature as properly             
self-subsisting1 or independent of its  
,creator1 and1 therefore1 in no case as 
isolated by itself and apart from all   
reference to a superior being4 ,rather  
is it a living force1 and one1 too1     
doubly significant1 both from within and
 from without2 to which property an     

allusion is contained in the simile     
already employed1 of a book written both
 on the inside and the outside4 ,these  
two ideas1 then1 of the free will of man
 and of the living development of       
nature1 must be taken as the basis1 and 
serve as the fixed point of every       
attempt to ascertain the divine order in
 nature4 ,on this account we have placed
 them in the foreground of the present  
,lecture1 which will1 in the main1 be   
consecrated to such an investigation4   
,if1 now1 this demonstration of a divine
 order in nature seem to contain nothing
 less than a kind of ,theodice#bi 7so   
far as man can establish a justification
 of ,god's ways71 ,i1 for my part1 must 
confess that ,i would much rather have  
before my eyes a ,theodice for the      
feelings1 conceived in the very spirit  
of love1 than any purely rational       
theory4 ,for such theories1 founded in  
general on far-fetched hypotheses1      
subtilly introduce into nature          
numberless divine purposes and designs1 

of which1 however1 we are able neither  
clearly to understand1 much less to     
prove that they were intended by the    
everlasting counsels1 or even that such 
vestiges of a divine purpose are really 
discernible in the universe4 ,in this   
province of speculation we must not be  
too rigorous in our determinations1 and 
especially we must guard against        
systematizing4 ,but1 above all1 we can  
not be too watchful against the fault   
which so many reasoners fall into1 of   
transferring into the realm of nature1  
or of ,god1 that logical necessary      
connection which is a part of and       
connatural with our rational            
constitution1 and an indispensable aid  
to our limited intellectual powers4     
,such a way of thinking would inevitably
 lead us to that most mistaken notion of
 a blind fate--the phantom of destiny4  
,on the other hand1 how many are the    
questioning feelings and perplexities   
which arise in the human heart at the   
sight of certain natural objects4 ,and  

these even1 because they are far from   
amounting to doubts and objections1 or  
at least from assuming a definite       
expression or a scientific dignity1     
seem1 on that account1 only the more    
loudly to demand an answer4 ,the        
mournful cry of some helpless and       
innocent animal when killed by man--or  
in a different category--the hissing of 
the venomous serpent2 the lothsome mass 
of maggots in the putrid corpse3 all    
these are but so many dumb exclamations 
which1 as it were1 do but keep back the 
question1 ,are1 then1 these the         
productions of the all-perfect          
,being--of the ,supreme ,intelligence8  
,the sufferings of animals are indeed a 
theme for man to reflect upon2 and ,i1  
for my part1 can not concur with him who
 would regard this as a topic unworthy  
of his thoughts1 and expel from the     
human bosom all sympathy with the animal
 creation4 ,the consideration1 however1 
of this subject1 naturally enough gives 
rise to the question as to the soul of  

animals4 ,now1 it certainly would do no 
discredit to philosophy1 if it should   
succeed in giving a satisfactory answer 
to this question1 and enable us to      
follow a middle course2 as remote from  
the exaggerated assumptions of ancient  
nations with regard to animal existence1
 on the one hand1 as on the other1 from 
the unfeeling conclusions of modern     
science1 which refuses to regard or to  
sympathize with any pains1 and          
absolutely is unable to conceive the    
sufferings of any being which does not  
possess the character of rationality    
exactly in the same manner and degree as
 man4 ,as greatly1 on the other side1   
does the ,hindoo theology err4 ,its     
dogma of the metempsychosis not only    
ascribes an immortal soul to animals1   
but it also further teaches that human  
souls are imprisoned in animal bodies1  
as the penalty of a guilt incurred in a 
previous state of existence4 ,beautiful1
 however1 as is the compassionate       
sympathy with the sufferings of the     

brute creation1 which this theory has   
occasioned1 and confirmed by the        
sanction of a religious duty1 still the 
assumption on which it is founded is    
wholly arbitrary1 and the extension of  
the immortality of the soul to these    
creatures of our globe is an            
unwarrantable exaggeration1 and has no  
foundation in observed phenomena4       
,moreover1 the hypothesis of such a     
migratory state of departed souls is    
inconsistent with every notion of the   
divine government of the world2 inasmuch
 as such a temporary punishment can     
produce no salutary effect1 either of   
purification or of preparation1 and     
consequently would be wholly motiveless 
and absurd4  ,very questionable1        
moreover1 does it seem1 whether1 with   
propriety1 an individual soul can be    
attributed to animals4 ,with those that 
are most closely domesticated with man1 
there does undoubtedly arise1 as it     
were1 by a sort of mental contagion1 the
 appearance of individuality and        

difference of character1 just as the    
artistic structures of certain species  
form a kind of analogy to human reason1 
and as the melodious intonations and    
feelings of some others seemed to me    
entitled1 in a similar sense1 to be     
termed reverberations of fancy4 ,in all 
those kinds1 however1 which remain      
undisturbed in their natural state1 the 
whole species possesses the same        
character1 and have1 consequently1 the  
same common soul4#cj ,the species itself
 is only an individual2 and1            
consequently1 the several species must  
be considered as so many living forms of
 the general organic force of animated  
nature1 since an immortality of         
individual souls can1 in the case of    
animals1 neither be assumed nor allowed 
to be assumable4  ,among those          
perplexities1 or1 as ,i termed them1    
questioning feelings about nature and   
its animating principle1 ,i turn now to 
the consideration of the last instance1 
that of the maggots of putrefaction4 ,is

 not this one of the clearest possible  
proofs that all nature is animated8#ca  
,so much so1 and so eminently is this   
the case1 that even in death and        
corruption1 in foulness and disease1 it 
still livingly operates and produces    
life--the lowest grade1 undoubtedly1 of 
life--or1 if any so prefers to call it1 
a false life--but still a life4 ,now1   
can such morbid productions of nature1  
the worms1 e4g4 entozoa1 which in       
certain diseases are engendered in the  
bowels1 be regarded as real creatures8  
,naught are they but the dissolving and 
crumbling matter of life1 which even in 
dissolution is still living4#cb ,and    
this fact is not confined merely to     
organic corruption and disease4 ,even   
the element--the fresh water from the   
spring--is full of life1 and it is the  
more so the clearer and the better it is
 and the purer from the microscopic     
animalcul1 which swarm in it more and   
more the longer it stagnates and becomes
 foul1 until at last1 as frequently     

happens when it has been kept long on   
shipboard1 with the growing foulness of 
the water they increase in size1 and    
swim about as worms of visible          
magnitude4 ,many other instances might  
be adduced in proof of this origination 
of worms and vermin out of corruption1  
and testifying to it as a general       
principle of nature4 ,and are not those 
swarms of locusts which in ,asiatic     
countries are a general plague of the   
lands over which they sweep with their  
thick and dark migratory hordes1 a      
sickly proof that the atmosphere that   
has engendered them is passing1 or has  
already fallen into corruption beneath  
the influence of some other contagious  
element8  ,that the air and atmosphere  
of our globe is in the highest degree   
full of life1 ,i may1 ,i think1 take    
here for granted and generally admitted4
 ,it is1 however1 of a mixed kind and   
quality1 combining the refreshing and   
balsamic breath of spring with the      
parching simoons of the desert1 and     

where the healthy odors fluctuate in    
chaotic struggle with the most deadly   
vapors4 ,what else1 in general1 is the  
wide-spread and spreading pestilence1   
but a living propagation of foulness1   
corruption1 and death8 ,are not many    
poisons1 especially animal poisons1 in a
 true sense1 living forces8  ,now1 may  
we not give a further extension to this 
mode of view1 and apply the fact of a   
diseased propagation of a false life1 as
 in the worms of putrefaction1 to other 
unsightly productions of nature4 ,may we
 not1 for instance1 consider serpents   
and snakes as the entozoa or intestinal 
worms of the earth8 ,that the evil      
spirits are not without some influence  
on our terrestrial habitation1 and that 
in many places their malignant influence
 is distinctly traceable is1 at all     
events1 undeniable4 ,and accordingly1   
some have supposed the monkey tribe not 
to be an original creation of the       
,deity1 but a satanic device and        
malicious parody upon man1 as the envied

 favorite of ,god4 ,that the 8,prince of
 this world0--which expression1 in its  
latter half1 is surely not to be        
understood exclusively of man's fallen  
race1 but very evidently and            
expressively alludes to the existing    
fabric of nature and the corrupted world
 of sense--that the ,prince of this     
world can exercise a certain degree of  
pernicious influence on the productive  
energies of the natural system in its   
present corrupt and vitiated condition1 
and that also1 there is in nature itself
 a power to produce evil1 are facts     
which do not admit of denial1 and are   
noways inconsistent with revelation4    
,only we must not suppose that this     
baneful influence is not confined within
 certain limits4 ,he to whom the ,prince
 of this world1 no less than the world  
itself1 is subject1 has1 in ,his        
infinite wisdom1 set a definite limit   
both of quantity and duration to this   
pernicious influence1 as1 in general1   
,he does to every permission of evil4   

,at all events we must not for one      
moment suppose that in the book of      
nature we have a pure and uncorrupt text
 of ,god1 and such as it originally came
 from the hands of its ,author4 ,it is  
of the highest consequence1 for a due   
and right appreciation of the divine    
economy in nature1 that we give full    
consideration to this fact4 ,on this    
account it is important to keep in mind 
the distinction implied in that         
expression already quoted from the      
,mosaic history--8,let the earth bring  
forth40 ,for1 according to this1 it does
 not seem indispensably necessary to    
ascribe immediately to the good and wise
 ,creator every thing that the earth    
brought forth2 no1 nor every thing that 
is produced by a nature now so          
imperfect--so diseased1 too1 in many    
parts--and visibly constrained to submit
 to hostile and foreign influences4     
,many writers who1 with the best        
intentions1 undertake the task of       
indicating the divine wisdom in the     

existing order of things1 and of        
defending the ways of ,providence       
against the objections of human         
presumption and conceit1 generally err  
by taking too narrow a view of their    
subject1 and rigorously insisting on    
some one general principle1 which1 by   
means of very hazardous assertions1 they
 succeed in finding in the whole and    
every part of the system of the         
universe4 ,they leave out of sight      
altogether that ,mosaic distinction     
already alluded to1 which in appearance 
indeed is trifling enough1 but yet in   
reality most essentially important4     
,consequently1 the good work which they 
take in hand1 instead of producing that 
general concurrence and conviction that 
it otherwise might1 gives rise rather to
 fresh doubts and objections4 ,the best 
solution of all such doubts--the most   
satisfactory answer to all such or      
similar questions or questioning        
feelings--lies in the final cause of the
 present constitution of things1        

considered as a whole and in general1   
and judged of from a regard to its      
triple character and triple destination4
 ,now1 according to this triple         
principle1 we have1 as already shown1 to
 regard the present system of nature as 
being primarily a tombstone raised by   
,almighty benevolence--a bridge of      
safety thrown across the gulf of eternal
 death--a bridge1 however1 which we must
 not think of as quite so simple1 broad1
 and straight as a bridge made by human 
hands1 but an animated and ensouled     
bridge of life1 and multiform1 with many
 arms and branches1 and presenting in   
some parts nothing more than a narrow   
footing1 where the first false stop     
precipitates into the abyss beneath4    
,but secondarily1 according to this     
view1 nature is grounded on and devoted 
to progress2 a wonderful laboratory of  
manifold1 diversified1 and universal    
reproduction2 and lastly1 a glorious    
scale of resurrection1 ascending up to  
the last and highest summit of          

terrestrial transfiguration4 ,now this  
laboratory lies in the hidden womb of   
nature1 while in the noble outward      
structure of its organic formations this
 gradational scale manifests itself with
 a warning1 a prognostication of the    
height of excellence to which it        
eventually leads4 ,but now1 if          
nature--as1 judging from its original   
design1 we may and must assume--were a  
,paradise for the blessed spirits of the
 previous creation1 for the first-born  
sons of light1 then most assuredly has  
it not continued so1 any more than the  
first man has remained in the garden of 
,eden4 ,no doubt1 over a few favored    
spots of the existing globe1 a rich     
fullness of ravishing beauty still      
hovers1 awakening in the heart1 as it   
were1 the fleeting images of            
,paradisaical innocence--dying strains  
of a primal harmony--mournful           
reminiscences of the happy infancy of   
creation4 ,for the powers of darkness   
and hostile spirits broke in upon the   

fair beauty of primeval nature1 and laid
 it waste and wild4 ,the garden of the  
earth in which the first man was placed1
 8to dress it and to keep it10 is1 no   
doubt1 called ,paradise2 and assuredly  
it was infinitely more beautiful1 more  
wonderful1 purer1 and fuller of life1   
than the loveliest scenery which meets  
the eye in the fairest spots of the     
earth1 and seems to be of an almost     
celestial beauty4 ,but this is said only
 of the immediate inclosure1 the        
immediate habitation of our first       
parent2 the spot chosen and blessed by  
,god--the garden watered and surrounded 
by the four streams4 ,all the rest of   
nature1 the whole of the world besides1 
must have ceased at that time to be a   
,paradise2 for1 otherwise1 whence could 
the serpent have come8 ,so that even    
according to the simple sense of the    
expression1 8that old serpent10 he was  
already there1 in the midst of the      
natural world4 ,and was it not probably 
a part of the destination of man--at    

least1 in its natural aspect--that1     
setting out from this divine            
starting-point of a ,paradise prepared  
for and given to him1 he was to go forth
 and convert the rest of the world into 
a similar ,eden8  ,but this destination 
he did not1 however1 fulfill1 and       
consequently lost even this beginning   
and model of the first ,paradise4 ,the  
names of the four streams which watered 
it are indeed still preserved in those  
regions of ,asia1 which even to this day
 are the richest and most fruitful1 and1
 according to history1 were the earliest
 inhabited4 ,but the one source out of  
which they all took their rise has      
disappeared1 and no vestige of it       
remains4 ,with the loss of ,paradise all
 is changed1 not only in man himself1   
but in the earth as his place of abode4 
,the way of return out of this          
bewildered nature1 or1 if men prefer so 
to speak1 out of this sunk and degraded1
 not to say unsound and sickly1 state of
 the earthly and sensible world 7and    

this way of return is even the way of   
obedience to the course of the divine   
order in nature71 is indicated even by  
these three grades of its inmost        
character1 its tendency1 and ultimate   
destination4 ,and in these1 and in the  
final cause of the whole constitution of
 things1 is contained its true key and  
interpretation1 as well as the answer to
 so many questions about nature1 which  
engage not merely the curious intellect 
of man1 but also attract the sympathies 
of his soul1 sweeping across it either  
with dark doubts and fears1 or with     
bright intimations of life and glorious 
anticipation4  ,i spoke deliberately    
when ,i said to many of these           
questioning feelings and perplexities of
 the human mind1 and not all of them4   
,for to expect a satisfactory answer to 
them all in the present state of        
science1 or generally in this           
terrestrial life1 brief as it is1 and   
limited on all sides and short-sighted1 
would be agreeable neither with the     

course nor whole constitution of human  
affairs4 ,a thoroughly complete and     
perfectly systematic demonstration of   
the wisdom in the divine order of       
nature1 which should meet and explain   
every difficulty1 would1 even on account
 of such a pretension1 command little   
respect1 and be of slight influence4    
,much is there in nature which is to    
remain long hidden from man2 much1 too1 
which we shall see first of all in the  
other world1 when death shall have      
opened our eyes and made us             
clear-sighted in one direction or       
another4 ,but the beginning and the end 
are even here and now placed clearly and
 intelligibly before us1 if only we are 
ready and willing to walk by the light  
that is so graciously given us1 and     
here1 as elsewhere1 invariably to refer 
the first cause and the final           
consummation to the ,creator and to     
,god4 ,without such a reference1 without
 thus1 as it were1 placing its two poles
 in ,god1 the right understanding of    

nature is absolutely impossible1 and    
every scientific attempt to attain it   
apart from and independently of ,god1   
must simply as such prove vain and      
involve itself in absurdities4 ,hence it
 is1 however paradoxical it may sound1  
that we can recognize more distinctly1  
and better understand the end of nature1
 its meaning and significance as a      
whole1 than we can the final cause of   
many a single object in it1 which1      
however1 as contrasted with the whole1  
appears inconsiderable and trifling4    
,for the clear perception that we have  
of the final cause of nature comes      
immediately from the divine             
illumination1 which therefore we can1 so
 far as it is given to us1 see and      
understand4 ,but in the darker levels1  
in the subterranean shaft of the obscure
 sensible world1 the prophetic candle of
 an antlike burrowing science1 even     
though it be originally kindled at that 
higher light1 can not reach to every    
quarter1 can not illuminate every object

 in this mine of darkness4  ,but this   
final cause of creation1 such as it is  
given to us clearly and intelligibly1   
will be rendered most clear by a        
comparison and contrast with the        
conceptions of the end of nature which  
human reason has put forth4 ,if the     
proposition already quoted from one of  
the latest of ,german philosophers1 that
 the essence of mind consists in the    
negation of the opposite1 be now applied
 7which was the application ,i then had 
in my mind7 to the ,creator of the world
 and uncreated ,intelligence1 then the  
following must be the meaning involved  
in it4 ,that which is the opposite of   
,god or the ,creator is nothing2 and so 
far the proposition is quite true1 since
 man can not but admit that the         
,almighty has created the world out of  
nothing4 ,for if1 with some of the      
ancient philosophers1 we were to suppose
 a matter existing from all eternity1   
out of which ,god did not so much create
 as form the world1 then in this case we

 should have two ,gods1 and both        
imperfect and finite1 instead of the one
 all-perfect and self-sufficient ,being4
 ,but if1 on the other hand1 the ,deity 
be regarded as merely a not-nothing2 if 
the final cause of creation be simply   
the negation of naught1 then would such 
a view ascribe a sort of imaginary      
reality to the nothing1 and it would    
seem that the world was created solely  
in order to get rid of the nothing1     
which comes pretty much to the same as  
saying--if we may allow ourselves so    
,lessing-like a boldness of             
expression--the ,infinite made the world
 out of ennui4 ,thus1 in every case do  
the skeptical views and empty negations 
of idealism lead to a contradictory     
nothing4  ,but1 in reality and truth1 it
 was out of love that ,god made the     
worlds2 and1 indeed1 out of a           
superabundant love4 ,this we may well   
venture to assert1 and even to call it a
 fact2 and that the divine love is also 
the final cause1 as well as the         

beginning of creation4 ,a superabundance
 of love in ,god we must1 however1 call 
the final cause-ground of creation1     
inasmuch as ,he stood in no need of it2 
no need of the love of the creature1 nor
 absolutely of the world itself1 or     
created things4 ,for in ,his inmost     
essence1 where one depth of eternal love
 responds fully and eternally to the    
other1 ,he was perfectly sufficient for 
himself4 ,and yet it is even so3 there  
is in ,god the superabundance of love1  
for ,he has created the worlds1 and it  
is the divine will to be loved by ,his  
creatures4 ,for this end and purpose has
 ,he created them2 and because ,he would
 have their love1 ,he has created them  
free1 and given both to the pure spirits
 and to men a free will4 ,the whole     
secret in the relation subsisting       
between the creature1 and man           
especially1 and the ,creator1 lies even 
in this great fact1 that ,he has created
 them out of love1 and requires in      
return the service of their love4 ,there

 is1 perhaps1 something awful in this   
requisition1 and in the relation thus   
found to subsist between a weak and     
imperfect creature and the infinite and 
omnipotent ,being4 ,but it is even so3  
we are really free1 and are really      
required by ,god to give him our love4  
,but now a finite and created being can 
only be free so far as ,god leaves him  
free2 and this is only conceivable in   
the light ,i have already set it in by  
the simile of a fond mother teaching her
 babe to walk1 and in order to tempt it 
to make the first essay with its little 
limbs1 stepping back from it a few      
steps1 and leaving it a moment to       
itself4 ,no creature could be free did  
not ,god1 in a similar way1 leave it to 
itself1 and1 after the first impulse of 
creation1 withhold from it ,his         
controlling energy4 ,but if ,he did not 
do so--were ,he1 on the contrary1 to act
 upon ,his creatures without reserve1   
and with the whole infinite extent of   
his might--then the liberty of the      

latter1 overwhelmed in ,his omnipotence1
 must be destroyed1 as being only       
possible through the spontaneous        
limitation of the divine power1 which   
results from the superabundance of      
creative love4  ,now we can1 it is true1
 distinguish in the essence or energy of
 ,god1 between ,his intelligence and    
,his will--,his omniscience and ,his    
omnipotence2 but they can not be        
absolutely separated from and opposed to
 each other1 for in ,him and in ,his    
operations1 they1 as indeed all else in 
,him1 are one4 ,it would1 therefore1 be 
nothing but a foolish and unmeaning     
subtlety to demand1 8,why1 then1 has the
 ,omniscient created rational beings1 of
 whom ,he must assuredly have known     
beforehand that they would fall and     
perish80 ,for it is but a logical       
illusion1 when we transfer from the     
human to the divine mind a form of      
thought fluctuating between the         
conceivably possible and the apparently 
necessary4 ,man's freedom undoubtedly   

consists in the choice between one      
possibility and another1 or in that     
indefinite possibility which subsists   
half way between one necessity and      
another4 ,but ,god's freedom is not as  
man's3 in ,him there is neither         
contingent possibility nor unconditional
 necessity4 ,all in ,him is truly       
actual1 living1 and positive4 ,his      
freedom lies even in the superabundance 
of ,his essence--the fact1 viz41 that   
,he is not bound by any law of necessity
 to remain contented with this ,his own 
internal fullness4 ,for otherwise ,he   
were a ,fate rather than a free ,god1   
and to that conclusion the doctrine of  
the ,stoics consistently enough arrived 
at last4 ,extremely difficult must it   
ever be1 in such a system and with such 
a conception of an intrinsically        
necessary ,god1 and one bound by this   
necessity1 consistently to account for  
the creation of the world1 which1 in    
appearance1 is so irreconcilable with   
the idea of the self-sufficiency of the 

divine ,being4 ,on this account some of 
the similarly rationalizing systems of  
ancient times had recourse to the       
ingenious device of ascribing the work  
of creation to a spiritual being of an  
inferior order1 and degrading this      
secondary deity far below the infinite  
perfections of the supreme and          
all-sufficient ,god4 ,but by this       
expedient men did but fall1 as is1 alas6
 but too commonly the case1 from one    
error into another still greater and    
even more monstrous4 ,it is1 in short1  
nothing but a mere logical delusion and 
an illegitimate transference from our   
limited faculty of thought to the divine
 intelligence1 which gives rise to these
 pernicious doctrines of an absolute and
 unconditional predestination1 which    
fundamentally amount and bring us back  
to a blind and heathenish fatalism4     
,thus much1 as connected with our       
subject1 will be sufficient on the      
difficult subject both of the freedom of
 the pure created spirits and also of   

man's will1 as regarded solely from its 
philosophical aspect1 and without any   
reference to the moral theory1 and      
solely in relation to the system of the 
universe4 ,difficult1 however1 is this  
subject1 merely on one account4 ,the    
logical illusion1 from which springs all
 error1 strife1 and confusion1 and which
 we are too apt to transfer to the      
divine mind1 is so far innate in the    
very form of man's finite intellect1    
than even when we have recognized it for
 what it really is2 yet1 so long as we  
confine ourselves to mere logical       
reasoning1 and are seduced by its       
seeming rigor of consequence1 we are    
ever ready to fall anew into this       
dangerous error without even remarking  
it4  ,in the same way1 now1 that the    
existence of free beings follows        
naturally from the love of ,god1 as the 
final cause of creation1 so1 on the     
other hand1 the permission of moral evil
 is a mere result of that freedom in and
 through which these created beings have

 to run their appointed time4 ,for this 
freedom1 as considered with a reference 
to ,god and futurity1 or to the         
immortality of the soul1 is nothing else
 than the time of trial and the state of
 probation itself4 ,but1 perhaps it will
 be asked1 8,why1 then1 does not ,god1  
by one nod of retributive justice1 by   
one breath of ,his omnipotence1         
annihilate forever1 as ,he so easily    
might1 the whole company of evil and    
rebellious spirits1 together with their 
leader1 the ,prince of this world1 and  
so purify the whole visible creation1   
and release external nature from their  
desolating influence80 ,to this the     
answer is simple and at hand4 ,man is   
placed in this world on his trial and   
for a struggle with evil1 and this      
warfare is not yet ended4 ,but by such  
an annihilation of evil1 the living     
development of nature would be          
precipitated in that course which ,god  
originally designed it to advance       
through1 and cut short before the       

appointed time of final purification1   
when1 according to ,his promise1 ,he    
will1 as ,holy ,writ expresses it1      
create new heavens and a new earth1 and 
make perfect the whole creation4#cc     
,man is free1 but utterly unripe as yet2
 and thoroughly incomplete also is      
nature1 or the sensible world1 and      
material creation2 consequently1 the    
immortality of the soul is the          
corner-stone and key for understanding  
the whole4 ,for the mere beginning of   
creation is perfectly unintelligible so 
long as we do not take into             
consideration the other extreme or      
end--its final completion and ultimate  
consummation4 ,just as the half of human
 life on this side the grave can not be 
understood unless we contemplate1 at the
 same time with it1 its second half on  
the other side of the tomb1 as its      
complement1 and as a necessary element  
toward the elucidation of the whole4    
,as1 then1 the permission of evil finds 
a satisfactory explanation in man's     

probationary state1 and in ,god's love1 
as the final cause of the creation1 so  
also the physical evils and sufferings  
to which the free being is liable are   
fully accounted for on that principle4  
,this is the key of the enigma of their 
existence4 ,none of the sufferings of   
the free being1 on either side of the   
grave1 are unprofitable and without a   
motive4 ,they all serve1 either in this 
preparatory state of earthly existence1 
for probation1 for discipline1 or for   
confirmation1 or else1 after it1 for the
 perfect healing of the soul1 and its   
purification from all the remaining     
dross and taints of earth4#cd ,scarcely 
ever can the diseased matter be got rid 
of and expelled from the organic body   
with out a struggle1 and very seldom    
without pain4 ,gold is purified by the  
fire1 and pain is the fiery purification
 of the body4 ,this belief is one which 
ought least of all to have been called  
into question1 inasmuch as it is only   
consonant to the simple feelings of     

human nature4 ,for otherwise1 how       
narrowly must the hopes of the future be
 confined1 if nothing that is unclean   
shall enter into heaven--the ,holy of   
,holies--the immediate presence of the  
pure and holy ,god6  ,it is not1        
however1 my intention to make this      
consolatory and blessed hope of a loving
 and longing heart the topic of dispute1
 especially since it lies altogether    
beyond my present limits4 ,i will only  
allude to the words of the ,savior1 8,in
 my ,father's house are many mansions40 
,by the 8,father's house0 we must1 it is
 clear1 understand the future world4 ,on
 other side1 therefore1 of the grave1 as
 well as on this1 many divisions1 many  
degrees1 and many different states1 and 
also manifold transitions1 are not      
merely conceivable and possible1 but    
must of necessity be assumed as actually
 existent1 even though we can not be too
 cautious in avoiding all hasty         
decisions as to what is going on in this
 hidden world4 ,only we must ever       

remember that any absolute line of      
demarcation which on one side has       
nothing but white1 while all that lies  
on the other is black1 is very rarely   
the line of truth4 ,and this principle  
holds good1 it is plain1 in every       
relation and every possible application4
 ,for such a trenchant line of sharp and
 unmitigated contrast between black and 
white is even one of those intellectual 
deceptions connatural to man1 which     
disposes him too hastily to transfer to 
all without him the limited form of his 
own finite intellect4 ,all the pains1   
therefore1 and all the sufferings of the
 creature1 whether on this or the other 
side of the grave1 serve either to      
exercise and strengthen1 or to heal and 
purify1 the yet imperfect being1 with   
the single exception of that bitterest  
of all agonies--the pain of being left  
eternally to ourselves4 ,but even here1 
although there is no hope of a salutary 
effect1 a species of converse propriety 
seems to hold4  ,it is1 we remarked1 the

 problem of philosophy1 leaving to      
physics the whole development of life   
that lies intermediate between the      
beginning and end1 to explain the two   
extremes of nature4 ,as1 therefore1 we  
have examined one of these extremes1 and
 have discovered in the whole           
terrestrial creation a ,paradise as the 
blessed state of the still innocent     
infancy of nature1 before the revolt of 
the rebellious spirits and the fall of  
the first man1 the present seems the    
place for a few words touching the      
opposite extreme--the regions of outer  
darkness4 ,we can safely admit that the 
figurative representations1 not merely  
of painters and poets1 but occasionally 
also of the preacher1 are so horrible1  
and heaped together with so little      
consistency--the dark colors laid on so 
thick1 that the whole assumes to the    
feelings an appearance of improbability1
 and1 on this account1 makes1 for the   
most part1 no very deep impression4 ,but
 the spiritual significance of these    

sufferings1 and the sort of propriety   
and design which holds1 even in this    
unnatural state1 on the utmost borders  
of creation1 may1 perhaps1 be made clear
 by a very simple illustration4 ,most   
reluctantly1 and with a heavy heart     
assuredly1 would an earthly parent      
resolve to turn out of his house1 and   
formally to disinherit1 his first-born  
and beloved son1 even though he should  
have proved himself utterly worthless   
and hopelessly depraved4 ,but even if an
 earthly parent might be too hasty in   
his anger1 and actually be harsh and    
unjust1 still we may boldly assume that 
the love of our ,heavenly ,father1 in   
patience and gentleness1 far transcends 
the truest parental love that is to be  
found on earth4 ,but when it actually   
comes to this point of offended mercy   
and justice1 then the disinherited1 cast
 out into the regions of darkness1 joins
 the band of robbers who in the night   
lurk about his father's house1 seeking  
where they may break into it4 ,no other 

choice is left him than to become a     
robber1 and1 whether he will or no1 he  
must obey the leader of the band4 ,but  
better taught and as yet softer of heart
 than the rest1 he must go through many 
hardships and sufferings ere he becomes 
quite like the others--as hard-hearted  
as the 8murderers from the beginning10  
who the while look down upon him with   
scorn and contempt4  ,what ,i would say 
is this3 many degrees1 and undoubtedly  
extreme degrees1 of pain and torment1   
are necessary before the man cast out   
from the presence of ,god can be wholly 
and completely transformed into an evil 
spirit4 ,and this is1 perhaps1 the      
proper meaning and essential character  
under which we are to think of these    
endless torments of spiritual death and 
ruin4 ,if1 moreover1 this eternal death 
is often described as an unquenchable   
fire1 then unquestionably there lies in 
this figure1 even physically considered1
 a certain truth1 inasmuch as even in   
this world and in visible nature1 fire1 

when left to itself and to its true     
essential character1 is the proper      
element of destruction4 ,in the sun's   
genial influence1 indeed1 and in the    
blood of the living soul1 it is         
constrained and moderated into the      
wholesome warmth of life2 but in itself1
 and working in its elementary state1 it
 is destructive and opposed to all the  
other elements4 ,to the light all that  
has life turns instinctively1 and in the
 air it breathes and pulsates1 and from 
water it draws a part at least of its   
nourishment4 ,it is only incidentally   
that the air and water become           
destructive1 but the fire is so in its  
proper nature4 ,a perfectly organized   
animal that lived in fire would1 in a   
greater or less degree1 fill every mind 
with horror and alarm1 as having no part
 in and wholly alien from that nature   
which is known to and friendly to man4  
,on this account1 many even of the      
ancient philosophers taught that the end
 of the present visible and the external

 and sensible world1 would be brought   
about by a general conflagration4  ,the 
permission of evil is an immediate      
consequence of the creation of free     
beings4 ,but although it may be regarded
 as a fact1 that ,god has created free  
both the spirits and man1 still we must 
be on our guard how we introduce into   
this matter any notion of necessity1 and
 suppose that ,god must have made them  
free1 and could not have created any    
other4 ,for man is only too prone to    
transfer his own imaginary conceit of   
necessity to the ,deity himself1 and to 
feign to see it in ,him4 ,this1 however1
 were a most grievous error2 and yet it 
is one into which men almost inevitably 
fall when they adopt either a rigorously
 systematic or purely logical view of   
the matter4 ,could not ,god in his      
omnipotence have created powers and     
dominions which1 even though they were  
living energies and ensouled            
principalities1 should1 nevertheless1 be
 without the property of                

self-determination and a true liberty1  
and which would consequently require    
some other nature1 but similar to       
themselves1 to rule and direct them8 ,in
 this sense we read of the spirits of   
nature1 ensouled elementary powers and  
living forces1 which are described as   
being seized and taken possession of by 
the power of evil1 but as hereafter to  
be set free by the efficacy of redeeming
 love1 and again subjected to and united
 to ,god4 ,now1 as connected with this  
subject1 it is deserving of             
consideration1 that in all the          
declarations and allusions of the       
,eternal ,truth this present earthly    
nature is spoken of as the battle-place 
of invisible powers1 the debatable      
ground on which the two armies of good  
and evil spirits and elements are posted
 in hostile array against each other1   
and perpetually coming into             
collision4#ce  ,could not ,god1 had such
 been ,his pleasure1 have created other 
beings1 and by the fiat of ,his         

all-mighty will have raised them at once
 above all the dangers of liberty1 and  
enduing them with perfect holiness1 and 
exempt from all liability to fall1 have 
drawn them to ,himself in eternal love8 
,i have hitherto1 wherever it has been  
my object to give a clearer and sharper 
characterization of the human           
consciousness by means of a comparison  
with the faculties of intellect and will
 possessed by superior but created      
spirits1 confined myself to the idea of 
the pure spirits1 genii or angels4 ,but 
if it should have been the divine       
pleasure to create other spiritual      
beings with an organic body--one1       
perhaps1 not like the human1 but still  
of a very noble though animal form1     
endued of course with an immortal soul  
and with a knowledge of ,god--who is    
there in such a case to set limits to   
the omnipotent will8 ,now if1 as already
 supposed1 they were created in perfect 
holiness1 and exempt from the liability 
to fall1 it is easily conceivable how in

 this respect they would be higher than 
frail and imperfect man1 and must be    
regarded as a part of the spiritual     
world1 rather than as belonging to the  
human race or to the existing system of 
nature4  ,all these are not so much     
inappropriate and impertinent           
conjectures and idle fancies1 as calmly 
mooted questions for explanation1 which 
arise out of and are suggested by       
certain traditions and points of        
revelation4  ,lastly1 if the ,almighty  
had resolved to create a perfect being1 
so far above and before all the other   
creatures of ,his will1 as to stand next
 to ,himself1 and be1 as it were1 the   
mirror and reflection of ,his own       
infinite perfections--and many a word in
 ,holy ,writ seems to allude to         
something of the kind--then it is not   
difficult to see how the already-quoted 
expression of a soul of ,god would      
receive a better sense4 ,this being1 so 
superior to all other created spirits1  
must in any case be regarded as a soul1 

and for the most part of a passive      
essence1 for otherwise it would stand   
too close and near to ,deity itself4    
,and it is manifest1 that even here the 
ever-immeasurable interval which        
separates the ,creator from the most    
perfect of creatures must be most       
carefully kept in view4 ,and at all     
events this expression must in no case  
be applied to the second or third       
persons of the ,godhead1 nor be         
confounded therewith1 otherwise this    
designation would not only be false1 but
 altogether an abomination4  ,revelation
 contains an inexhaustible mine of      
verities1 and ,i have only wished1 by   
the way1 to call attention to these as  
yet unexplored treasures4 ,but it is    
above all important1 for the            
philosophical point of view1 steadily to
 insist upon and enforce the truth1 that
 in no respect can we form a notion     
adequately grand and lofty1 or rich and 
manifold enough1 of the ,creation4 ,the 
compactly-closed and orderly-arranged   

system is almost always the death of    
truth4 ,so also is that line--which1    
however1 seems to be a connatural fault 
in the very form of man's faculty of    
judgment--that straight line between    
black and white1 for even if it be not  
radically wrong1 it yet leaves much on  
both sides unconsidered and ill         
understood4  ,with this impression1 ,i  
shall allow myself to notice an opinion 
but little known1 which1 moreover1 if ,i
 had not met with it in writers who1 in 
this province of inquiry1 are of the    
highest authority1 ,i should scarcely   
have ventured to adduce4 ,in this       
department of spiritual knowledge1 a man
 would much rather confine himself to   
the simple primary truth than call      
attention to mere opinions4 ,the opinion
 ,i allude to is to be found in ,st4    
,jerome1 i4e41 in that very ,father who1
 for theological judgment1 is           
acknowledged by all to be the first and 
the greatest4 ,it was held also by ,st4 
,francis de ,sales1 that holy saint of  

spiritual love1 and who1 even on that   
account1 is so superior to the many     
hundreds of the schoolmen before him1 as
 also to so many ideologists after him4 
,lastly1 it occurred to ,leibnitz1 who1 
of all philosophers1 was most possessed 
of a true and fine intellectual tact to 
perceive and discover all the most      
secret1 delicate traits of a great      
system1 even though most remote in      
character from his own4 ,but still1 with
 this array of great authorities1 it    
remains nothing more than a wholly      
problematical opinion1 on which1 as an  
article of positive faith1 nothing is or
 ever can be decided4 ,now this opinion 
is1 that in the revolt of the rebellious
 spirits1 while those who remained in   
their state of innocence and in their   
allegiance rallied only the closer round
 their ,creator1 a considerable number1 
fearful and undecided1 vacillated       
between good and evil1 and1 as we might 
justly say1 with the weakness of the    
human character1 remained neutral in the

 conflict1 and thereby lost their       
original place in the hierarchy of the  
heavenly host1 without1 however1 being  
counted among the utterly lost4 ,as a   
fourth authority for this opinion1 ,i   
might adduce ,dante4 ,he is indeed a    
poet1 but still a theological poet1 and 
deeply versed in theology1 who would    
never have arbitrarily devised or       
invented1 or even adopted such a notion1
 had he not found it existing among     
others before him1 and had he not been  
able to adduce a good and valid         
authority for it4 ,as a good            
,ghibelline1 he was1 moreover1 no friend
 of neutral spirits1 either in this     
world or the other2 and he passes the   
most severe sentence upon those beings  
whom1 as he says1 heaven has cast out1  
and hell would not receive4#cf  ,but    
what--if we may propound the question   
with something more of philosophical    
indifference than the poet--what1       
according to the analogy of the divine  
economy and merciful justice1 as        

elsewhere displayed1 are we to suppose  
the doom of these undecided and wavering
 spirits8 ,in the first place1 we may   
well suppose that they would be         
submitted to a new probation3 just as a 
general gives another opportunity to the
 troops1 who in some evil moment have   
shown a want of spirit1 to retrieve     
their honor4 ,now1 if it be allowable to
 assume that this1 or some similar idea1
 or some tradition of the kind1 had an  
influence on and gave rise to the       
doctrine of the pre-existence of men1   
which is so generally diffused among the
 ,hindoos1 and which was also held by   
the ,platonists1 and even ,christian    
,platonists1 of the first centuries1 we 
can then conceive how this otherwise so 
arbitrary assumption and groundless     
hypothesis could have arisen4           
,groundless1 however1 it may well be    
named1 not only because no cause or     
explanation of it is adduced1 but as    
being agreeable neither to the nature of
 the soul nor to the constitution of    

things2 so that1 regarded even in this  
light1 it must be looked upon as a      
singular instance1 and consequently as  
an exception from the laws of nature and
 as a miraculous intervention of divine 
power4 ,but a mere pre-existence of     
spirits would1 however1 be no true      
pre-existence in the sense of the       
,hindoo theology1 or of the ,platonists1
 since1 by its union with and by the    
accession of a soul1 it becomes a wholly
 different and quite a new being4       
,moreover1 in this hypothesis1 as it is 
further worked out in the ,hindoo and   
,platonic systems1 the whole character  
and true destination of human life is   
entirely misunderstood1 inasmuch as it  
is represented as a place and period of 
punishment2 whereas1 rightly conceived1 
and even philosophically contemplated1  
it appears rather as a battle-place1 and
 the time of discipline and preparation 
for eternity4  ,it is the problem and   
vocation of philosophy not merely to set
 forth the truth clearly and simply1 but

 also1 whenever it can be done          
incidentally and easily1 to account for 
and explain great and remarkable errors1
 especially such as were prevalent among
 the earliest nations and ages4 ,now1   
among those errors which are most       
remarkable in ancient history1 this of  
the ,hindoos and ,platonists holds in my
 eyes a very prominent place4 ,but      
philosophically to explain an error1    
means not to reject it at once as absurd
 and undeserving of notice1 but requires
 rather that we should first of all     
really understand it1 i4e41 that we     
should study it1 and1 to a certain      
degree1 enter into its spirit1 and seek 
to discover its best significance1 or1  
in other words1 that interpretation     
which is nearest to the truth1 and then 
in conclusion accurately to determine   
the point where error begins and truth  
is violated4  ,all this1 however1 may   
now be left to its own merits4 ,in      
touching upon it1 my only object has    
been to call attention to the wonderful 

variety of ,god's creative power1 even  
in the copious theme of the immortality 
of the soul4 ,and in this view it       
appeared to me not unprofitable to      
notice even the most discrepant theories
 on the subject1 as being nevertheless  
well calculated to throw a clear and    
steady light on the simple truth4 ,in   
the last age1 since the ,hindoo         
metempsychosis1 as it is now accurately 
and authentically known1 appeared too   
serious and sad a doctrine to meet with 
the welcome and concurrence of the      
existent generation1 a brighter and more
 fanciful theory was propounded4 ,in it 
this life has been astronomically       
depicted in the brightest and most      
attractive colors as a walk among the   
stars1 continually ascending from one   
sidereal existence to another4 ,in the  
limited range of human knowledge1 it is 
alike impossible to deny or to prove the
 possibility of such a migration among  
the stars4 ,but it is evidently a wiser 
course1 and one far more agreeable to   

the nature and limits of man's powers of
 understanding1 for him to confine his  
views to his own immediate home--the    
earth--investigating1 sifting1 and      
divining its mysteries1 than to lose    
himself in airy dreams amid the whole   
starry universe4 ,for1 perhaps1 that    
which man is seeking so far off he may  
find much closer to his own doors than  
he suspects4 ,for it is not improbable  
that this planet of our earth contains  
in its interior many subterranean       
courses and secret chambers of death1   
together with the seeds of light which  
are to spring up into the future        
resurrection4  ,but this may be reserved
 for consideration in another place4    
,here ,i will only add1 in conclusion1  
that opposite to that gradational scale1
 already so often mentioned1 which the  
vast pyramid of nature forms in relation
 to ,god and its own living development1
 stands another scale for man1 adapted  
to his needs and suited to his narrow   
position and limited intelligence4 ,in  

this scale1 nature1 i4e41 in this sense1
 the nature which most immediately      
surrounds and environs man1 this planet 
of our earth which bears and nourishes  
the human race1 is first of all man's   
habitation1 teeming1 indeed1 with life1 
and even itself a living thing1 in      
which1 however1 he is ever meeting here 
and there with something that tells him 
it is not his proper home4 ,in the      
second step of this view of nature1     
which contemplates it principally in its
 relation to man and man's wants1 the   
natural world in its present form       
appears as the battle-place and         
debatable ground of the still undecided1
 or1 rather1 not as yet terminated1     
struggle between the good and evil      
powers1 and the fiercer the strife again
 begins to be1 the more necessary is it 
not to overlook this aspect of the      
matter4 ,the third gradation in this    
view of nature1 considered relatively to
 the mind or spirit of man in his finite
 existence1 is that which teaches him to

 look upon it as the visible veil of the
 invisible world1 covered all over and  
richly ornamented with significant      
symbols and hieroglyphics4 ,and even    
because nature itself is even a         
symbolical being1 therefore1 when we    
speak of its inmost life and its spirit1
 or its meaning as a whole1 i4e41 when  
we attempt to study and to understand   
it1 not physically only1 but even       
philosophically1 we can only hope to    
convey our meaning symbolically1 by     
employing scientific illustrations and  
living symbols4     ,,lecture ,,vii4    
,,of ,,the ,,divine ,,wisdom ,,as       
,,manifested ,,in ,,the ,,realm ,,of    
,,truth1 ,,and ,,of ,,the ,,conflict    
,,of ,,the ,,age ,,with ,,error4   ,god 
is a spirit of truth2 and in the realm  
of truth1 therefore1 the divine order1  
and the law of wisdom which reigns      
therein1 shines forth with an especial  
clearness--with a higher degree of      
evidence or greater perspicuity than    
even in the region of nature1 which for 

us is for the most part half-dark1 or at
 the very best but a chiaro-oscuro--a   
mixture of light and darkness4 ,but man1
 formed out of the dust of the earth1   
placed1 as it were1 in the very center  
of nature1 as its first-born son or its 
earthly lord1 is in this respect himself
 a natural being4 ,even in his          
susceptibility for higher and divine    
truth1 man is tied to and is dependent  
on a similar and collateral grade of    
development in the life of nature1 which
 can in no case be violently broken1 nor
 a step in it arbitrarily overleaped1   
without involving the most disastrous   
consequences as the penalty of so       
unnatural a course4 ,even in education  
there reigns a similar law of gradual   
development according to the natural    
progression of the different ages of    
life4 ,with the boy of good and natural 
abilities1 who shows an aptness and     
willingness to learn when knowledge is  
presented to his mind1 and implanted in 
a true and living form1 the teacher's   

first care is to improve this           
disposition1 and to strengthen and to   
foster it1 and1 by furnishing it with   
the due measure and the right quality of
 intellectual culture1 gradually to     
develop its powers4 ,at this age the    
moral part of education will wisely     
confine itself to laying a foundation of
 good habits1 to the careful exclusion  
of all evil communication and the deadly
 contagion of wicked example4 ,in the   
soft and yielding character of the child
 there can scarcely be as yet any       
question about principles or sentiments4
 ,but the case is very different with   
youth4 ,if at this time of life the     
moral character be not carefully formed 
simultaneously with its scientific      
cultivation1 then is the good season    
irreparably lost1 and rarely1 if ever1  
can the deficiency be afterward         
supplied4 ,for when this stage of       
intellectual and moral culture is once  
passed1 when the mind has begun at last 
to move with greater freedom and to     

mature itself1 the young man is at once 
admitted to the full light of science1  
or enters into the busy course of active
 life1 to be there brought to the       
touchstone of experience4  ,and a       
similar series of gradation may be      
observed on a larger scale in the       
historical succession and development of
 the ages of the world4 ,for such is1 in
 every case1 the gradual expansion of   
man's consciousness1 as he is at present
 constituted4 ,his senses must be first 
excited and expanded2 then1 and then    
only1 with any good result1 can the soul
 be led to the good and divine1 which1  
however1 not content to dismiss them    
after the first look of wonder and      
amazement1 it must rather dwell upon    
with the full and deep feelings of      
admiration and reverence2 until at last1
 being wholly filled with them1 it      
derives from their inspiration a new    
stimulus and excitement1 and thereby is 
forever and permanently directed to the 
true end and aim of existence4 ,and now 

at last can the free spirit apprehend   
aright the divine truth1 and1 in the    
spirit of this knowledge1 act with vital
 energy1 conformably to that position in
 ,god's great world which has been      
assigned and allotted to him4  ,and this
 order can not be transgressed with     
impunity4 ,none of its intermediate     
steps can be overleaped without         
involving the most fearful consequences4
 ,if the senses be not first of all     
excited and expanded1 then will it be   
lost labor to attempt to win and fortify
 the heart1 or to turn the soul toward  
the never-setting sun of divine truth4  
,and1 accordingly1 how many attempts1   
both on a large and a small scale1 at   
the moral regeneration of mankind have  
totally failed even for want of the     
first step of a forerunning light and   
previous illumination1 by which the     
observation should have been roused1 the
 senses stimulated1 and the eye opened4 
,but when1 on the contrary1 the full    
light is imparted to or gained by the   

mind1 while the soul still remains      
enveloped in darkness and fast wedded to
 its evil habits1 without attaining to a
 higher exaltation1 then1 indeed1 the   
result is equally grievous1 though      
different from that which follows from  
the mistake of overleaping at the first 
step4 ,it has an effect2 it does not    
remain without an influence4 ,so long as
 the moral part of man is wholly        
neglected1 and is either left rude and  
barbarous1 or suffered to become        
degenerate1 then science works indeed1  
but only as a destroying element4 ,in so
 bad a soil the true knowledge is ever  
transformed into false1 and the more    
profoundly it is apprehended--the more  
vividly and vigorously it is            
pursued--the more fatally1 perniciously1
 and destructively does it work4 ,the   
examples and the proofs of the injurious
 consequences of too rapid and premature
 development of scientific enlightenment
 amid a general prevalence of moral     
depravity1 and the subversion of those  

principles which are the foundation of  
national existence and prosperity1 might
 easily be found at no great distance   
from our own age4 ,and they admit also  
of being demonstrated as clearly and    
convincingly by earlier instances from  
the history of the ,greeks and ,romans4 
,the production of these proofs1        
however1 would carry us beyond our      
present limits1 and the truth they would
 establish is not1 moreover1 the end to 
which our present disquisitions are     
directed4 ,the theme of this ,lecture is
 the course observed by eternal wisdom1 
or the divine order in the realm of     
truth4 ,my object is to call your       
attention to the care with which        
,providence observes a gradual          
progression in its mental development of
 the human race1 lovingly suiting and   
adapting itself to the weakness and     
finiteness of humanity1 and to the      
imperfection of earthly creatures1      
according to that principle of divine   
condescension1 so often mentioned       

already1 which1 throughout the divine   
operations in the world1 and ,his       
influence on man1 is distinctly visible4
  ,thus1 then1 in the knowledge         
immediately imparted to man by a higher 
providence we may discern a preliminary 
period--a previous illumination1 in     
order to reopen the eye of man1 which   
heathenism had blinded to the truth1    
that it might be able to see and discern
 ,god4 ,this first step of revelation   
was little more than a preparation for  
the future2 but the second was1 or has  
been1 an illumination of the soul--a    
vital renewal of it--a total conversion 
of it from the state of darkness to the 
,everlasting ,light and the ,sun of     
,righteousness4 ,but in this living     
development of the highest life1 which  
is even the divine light of the ,spirit1
 the third and last step 7which indeed  
commences in and is involved in the     
second1 even as it also had its germ in 
the first7 is the full enlightenment of 
the spirit or mind4 ,and accordingly    

this full revelation is in ,scripture   
itself1 as being the close and          
completion of the whole1 expressly      
described1 and named the last time4     
,before attempting1 however1 to point   
out the divine order in the education of
 the human race1 by the gradual         
revelation of truth1 two general and    
preliminary remarks seem called for4 ,i 
observe1 then1 first of all1 that when  
we speak of sense1 soul1 and spirit1 as 
the successive terms in the growing     
capacity of the human consciousness for 
a higher knowledge and heavenly         
training1 and for truth in general1 but 
more especially for divine truth1 then  
the general sense of truth1 which such  
an hypothesis supposes1 and which indeed
 is its essential foundation1 must be   
understood as comprising all those other
 particular species1 branches1 or       
departments which we have already       
enumerated4 ,i mean the common sense of 
sound reason4 ,for that susceptibility  
for the impressions of nature1 and the  

understanding1 which1 as ,i said before1
 constitute the sense for the revelation
 of spirit1 or the spirit of            
revelation--whether written or          
historical--are alike comprised in that 
one and common sense for truth4 ,or     
perhaps we may rather say1 that by their
 joint operations they form it2 while1  
however1 in its special application1 now
 this now that constituent              
preponderates--or perhaps that this one 
and universal sense for truth is called 
into action1 and made to co-operate now 
in this direction and now in that4      
,moreover1 that internal concurrence and
 assent of the will1 which ,i have      
endeavored to show is the proper sense  
in man for ,god and for divine things1  
belongs also1 as an essential and       
element of its constitution1 to this    
general sense for truth4 ,for that the  
opposite fault of self-will and         
obstinacy is in the highest degree a    
hinderance of good1 even in the         
acquisition of knowledge and the        

recognition of truth1 is found by       
experience in the earliest essays of    
education4 ,but not only in the         
elementary principles of learning1 but  
even in the most highly-finished and    
elaborate systems of metaphysical ideas1
 constructed by the profoundest thinkers
 and philosophers1 does this spirit of  
negation and contradiction show itself1 
and prove the greatest obstacle to truth
 and the most fruitful source of error4 
,the second remark which we have to make
 before entering upon the immediate     
subject of our ,lecture refers to the   
natural progression of the living       
development of the human consciousness4 
,this gradation1 we would observe1 holds
 good1 and is applicable1 not merely to 
the moral education of man1 but also to 
the intellectual improvement of man's   
capacity1 as at present constituted1 for
 all higher and divine verities4 ,but1  
however true this may be1 where the     
general sense for truth is not from the 
first open and full of light1 where the 

soul is not already perfectly free and  
pure2 yet on the other hand there is    
nothing against--on the contrary1 every 
thing favors the supposition1 that the  
earliest revelation imparted to         
mankind--the illumination which was     
given to the first man1 and bestowed    
upon him as his heavenly inheritance on 
earth1 was a full and perfect           
enlightenment of his mind geist4 ,for   
his senses were open and clear1 his soul
 as yet incorrupt1 pure1 and free4 ,both
 were directed to ,god1 and being one   
with and at unison with nature1 were    
keenly alive to and deeply impressed by 
every token of ,god's glory and majesty 
in creation4 ,it is quite an error to   
assume1 or1 rather1 to fancy1 that this 
state of purity and innocence was a     
state of ignorance like that of the     
child or of the wild man4 ,the tree of  
life was given to him entirely and      
without reserve1 as also dominion over  
the earth1 whose first-made living      
creatures the ,lord subjected to his    

dominion1 bringing them before him to   
call and to name them4 ,the knowledge of
 death was indeed designedly withheld   
from him1 as also the existence of the  
evil spirits1 even because it was       
exactly therein that his trial and      
probation were to consist4 ,and so both 
are perfectly reconcilable3 that height 
of knowledge in the clearest light of   
nature1 which the sacred traditions of  
all primitive nations so positively and 
unanimously assign to the first man1 is 
in nowise inconsistent with that        
ignorance of death which is no less     
expressly ascribed to him4 ,moreover1   
had man but preserved and kept alive in 
his heart this feeling of ,god1 he would
 immediately have recognized his enemy1 
and even thereby have triumphed over    
him1 and become the redeemer of nature1 
instead of requiring1 now that he has   
failed in that his high destination1 a  
,redeemer for his own fallen race4 ,this
 first revelation1 therefore1 was1 we   
may well assume1 in the beginning as it 

will also be in the end1 a full         
enlightenment of the spirit of man1 but 
which1 however1 was soon darkened by his
 disobedience and fall4 ,this1 too1 is  
the shape which the matter assumes in   
the legendary history of all the        
primeval nations of antiquity1 and these
 are the threads of light which in the  
labyrinthine confusion of legends1      
symbols1 and tongues of earliest        
heathendom1 carry us safely out of its  
mazes and back to the clear             
starting-point of the pure and undefiled
 revelation of ,god4 ,it were not       
difficult to show how1 through the first
 two millenniums and a half1 or         
five-and-twenty centuries1 a higher     
providence and divine guidance was ever 
quietly carrying on these luminous      
threads of original truth1 and from time
 to time renewing them4 ,but this       
history of the human mind in the        
primeval world1 however highly          
attractive1 would take us out of our    
proper limits4 ,upon the eclipse of     

man's soul1 when spiritual darkness     
universally prevailed1 the senses       
originally open to a higher light were  
closed against it4 ,his better          
perceptions were overwhelmed or buried  
beneath a chaos of true and false or    
half-true images and symbols4 ,then it  
was that the natural law of spiritual   
development commenced in its full force4
 ,it followed the progression already   
described4 ,in the first term the numbed
 and deadened sense had to be awakened  
and quickened again1 and in its second  
the soul renewed1 purified1 and         
converted1 before either could become   
susceptible of the full and perfect     
illumination of the ,spirit4 ,to trace  
this natural law in the human           
consciousness and in the divine         
education of mankind1 and to ascertain  
the progressive steps in the divine     
revelations1 expressly given and        
designed to effect that gradual         
development1 is the object of the       
present ,lecture4  ,the first step or   

term thereof was the selection of a     
single people to be the schoolmaster of 
the whole human race4#cg ,when the      
heathenish mass of legends or myths and 
symbols had reached the height of       
confusion1 and the evil had become      
otherwise incurable1 one nation was     
chosen and set apart by ,god as ,his    
instrument in opening the eyes of men to
 the abyss of error in which the whole  
world was plunged1 and to direct their  
looks exclusively to the future4 ,many  
prophets were sent to the chosen people1
 and it was at first guided and ruled by
 none but prophets4 ,and1 perhaps1 we   
can not form a more correct notion of   
the character and history of this       
people1 so peculiarly distinguished from
 all the other nations of the ancient   
world1 than by thinking of it absolutely
 and in its destination as the prophetic
 people exclusively intended to point to
 a distant future1 and whose leading    
ideas and inmost feelings were to be    
attached to1 and to look far into1 a    

remote futurity4 ,three strokes or      
words1 at most1 comprise the            
highly-simple revelation of the first   
stage--the first ray of light at the    
beginning--in which1 however1 lies      
contained the hidden key and solution   
for the chaos of legends1 and all the   
enigmas of the primitive world and of   
primeval history4 ,but this brief and   
simple revelation was accompanied with a
 strict line of demarcation between the 
,gentiles and the chosen people1 who    
were separated from all the heathen     
nations by customs and laws1 while a    
long ray of hope reached far into the   
distant future4 ,this point of light at 
the beginning was1 however1 but little  
considered and ill-understood2 the line 
of demarcation1 too1 was often          
transgressed upon the slightest pretext 
and most ordinary temptations4 ,and when
 at last it was more strictly kept1 it  
was observed1 not in its spirit1 but in 
the letter2 and1 in consequence1 even   
that high and lofty-hope which          

irradiated it was totally misunderstood1
 being interpreted1 in a narrow spirit  
of national exclusiveness1 of a temporal
 ,redeemer1 and a political redemption  
from the yoke of the ,roman oppressor4  
,this delusion1 and the extreme         
ingratitude with which1 consequently1   
the ,light that came into the world was1
 on the whole1 received by those to whom
 ,it was in the first place             
communicated1 has been often painted in 
the darkest colors of indignant censure 
by the stern pen of history4 ,the       
stiffneckedness of the ,jews has been a 
fruitful theme for virtuous indignation4
 ,but1 for my part1 ,i hardly know      
whether1 in this respect1 a different   
and more favorable sentence can be      
passed on the generations which have    
witnessed the subsequent steps of divine
 revelation in its further development4 
,full time was allowed to the prophetic 
people to develop itself2 and1 after the
 lapse of twenty-fire centuries1 which  
make up the first age of the world1 a   

millennium and a half was allowed to    
this initiatory step of revelation4 ,and
 now1 at length1 after forty centuries  
of preparation and hope1 when the long1 
dark winter of the olden idolatry was   
over1 the historical development of the 
human race reached its culminating      
point1 and with the vernal solstice     
,fruhling's-,solstitium of this new     
manifestation commenced the second term 
in this series of revelation or of the  
divine education of the human race4     
,even from its very first opening1 every
 thing characterizes this second term of
 development as not intended for a      
complete and final revelation of spirit 
and knowledge4 ,promising1 and reserving
 to the future that final manifestation1
 it forms1 in this respect1 a marked    
contrast to the highly-cultivated       
science of the ,greeks1 which1 however1 
in spite of its high pretensions1 did   
but become continually more and more    
sensuous in its character4 ,the         
immediate object of this second         

enlightenment of the whole human race   
was to be a total conversion of the soul
 from its previous earthly darkness to  
the everlasting light and the one and   
only ,sun of ,truth1 and thereby to     
effect a complete renewal of life1 and a
 reformation of all its habits1 customs1
 and institutions4 ,this alone did ,god 
require2 and glorious1 and noble1 and   
deeply-touching was the conflict in     
which this wholly new but               
heaven-descended sentiment had to engage
 with the opposing spirit of the old    
world4  ,but men soon relapsed into     
their former discord2 and it is now our 
painful task to point out the rise and  
growth of this dissension through the   
succeeding eras of history4 ,for thus   
only--by considering1 in every period1  
man's relation1 or1 rather1 his         
opposition1 to the divine revelation--is
 it possible1 amid the rapid progress of
 the widening disagreement1 to trace the
 divine order which rules amid the      
anarchy of mind1 and to follow it along 

its path of light up to its appointed   
end1 and to its close and conclusion4   
,in the first three or four centuries of
 ,christianity1 this spirit of          
opposition showed itself in two         
different forms4 ,in the one1 the new   
and simple faith was first of all       
perverted into a chaos of philosophical 
fictions of an old ,asiatic             
character4#ch ,in the other1 a secret   
and half infidelity hid itself behind a 
veil of words1#ci against which the     
faith must defend itself behind an      
outwork of words also2 and in this      
period of history1 a subtile and refined
 logomachy first of all attained to a   
great and lasting importance for        
mankind4 ,in this dispute1 the simple   
foundation of the faith was indeed      
maintained and defended1 in its purity  
and integrity1 against all hostile      
attacks2 but the first-love lost much of
 its freshness and ardor4 ,consequently 
the new life1 which sprung up with the  
new faith1 was unable to fulfill the    

hopes which at its first rise men had   
reasonably entertained of it1 and1 by   
reforming the corrupt civilization of   
the old ,roman world1 to renew it       
entirely in ,god4 ,accordingly1 an alien
 and purely physical element had to be  
associated with it4 ,the northern       
nations were called in to infuse fresh  
energy into the worn-out races of       
,england4  ,in this work of physical    
regeneration three centuries were again 
spent4 ,but at the close of this first  
period1 it was seen1 on a sudden1 how   
little the olden spirit of dissension   
had been really conquered1 or even      
mollified4 ,the faith1 it was said1 may1
 in all essential points1 be perfectly  
identical1 but a division may be1 and   
still subsists1 notwithstanding4 ,but   
what does that mean1 but that the ,god  
and ,savior of the world worshiped by   
the ,east1 is different from ,him whom  
the ,west acknowledges8 ,and thus the   
one ,god and the one faith was in the   
life of man again divided into two2 and 

this singular schism1 without any       
adequate cause1 still subsists to the   
present day4#dj ,in the following great 
period a fresh life blossomed in rich   
and manifold expansion out of that      
revelation of love which1 properly      
speaking1 now first of all put forth its
 full vital energies1 giving a new shape
 to all the institutions of human       
society1 and impressing on art1 as well 
as on moral and political science1 a new
 character1 totally different from that 
which they possessed among the most     
enlightened nations of antiquity4       
,viewed in its loving aspect1 i4e41 in  
its chivalry1 there is much in this     
period to attract and engage our        
enthusiasm and sympathies1 but for the  
fearful discord which broke out within  
it1 and set one half of the world in    
hostile array against the other4 ,the   
two powers which ought to work together 
for one divine end--the two swords of   
which the ,lord had said1 8,it is       
enough10#da--the spiritual sword of the 

kingdom of faith and truth1 and the     
civil sword of earthly justice1 were    
drawn and held in threatening attitude  
against each other1 by which1 however1  
the minds of men were torn and          
distracted by the inward struggle of    
conflicting duties in a far greater     
degree than the external peace of       
society was disturbed4 ,but it was not  
merely in such a collision that the     
strife alone showed itself2 but it      
extended even to the confusion of the   
two domains1 and a forgetfulness of     
their proper duties and respective      
positions4  ,in the instance1 it is     
true1 of the mailed ecclesiastic1       
however1 at first sight1 the union in   
one person of such opposite characters  
as the soldier and priest may startle   
the mind1 the gallant and noble bearing 
of the spiritual knight soon reconciles 
us to the strange phenomenon4 ,so1 too1 
when he whose vocation it was to hold   
the pastoral staff began also to sway   
the scepter of a civil prince1 the      

eminent skill and judgment with which   
the difficult task of discharging the   
double and often conflicting duties of  
so mixed a sovereignty was accomplished1
 silence every murmur of a protest4 ,but
 when he who ought to carry the crosier 
of peace hoisted the pennon of war1 such
 a sight naturally gave great offense1  
and sadly perplexed the minds of men4   
,thus1 then1 passed seven centuries     
more1 making1 with the eight already    
described1 fifteen altogether that have 
elapsed from that great center of the   
world's history1 when the spiritual sun 
reached its meridian altitude in this   
earthly life4 ,these1 added to the      
fifteen which had previously passed from
 the first shining of the light of      
revelation1 make no less than three     
millenneums4 ,and to these1 again1 three
 centuries more are to be added4 ,such  
is the extremely slow course of the     
divine guidance of the world1 as        
regulated by the inexhaustible patience 
and long-suffering of ,god in the       

education of his human creatures4  ,in  
this last period1 however1 the spirit of
 discord has become still more general1 
and has broken out in all its violence1 
gradually attacking and drawing into the
 dispute every institution of society   
and every department of life4 ,in the   
wonderful coincidence of many and great 
discoveries1 simultaneously made in     
widely-distinct and independent branches
 of science1 the spirit of man read the 
proclamation of his majority4 ,conscious
 of this intellectual ripeness1 in the  
first use of its new powers it assumed  
toward the faith an attitude of         
estrangement and controversy1 instead of
 calmly advancing along the assigned    
path toward perfection4 ,even at the    
very commencement of this period1 the   
hostile relation between the new science
 and the ancient faith is perceptible   
enough4 ,but it soon showed itself more 
distinctly1 as the rupture became wider 
and more general1 till at last the      
discord extended to the very faith      

itself1 which was henceforth broken up  
into bitter and opposing parties4 ,still
 later1 a newer and deeper animosity    
divided the faith in general from the   
whole civil and political life1 from    
which in many places its religious      
foundation was altogether removed4 ,and 
now that life was thus deprived of its  
higher and spiritual significance1 the  
strife became universal and complete4   
,involving science and life into the    
discord1 it set them also in deadly     
array against each other--for life thus 
unspiritualized could no longer         
reconcile itself to the dreamy ideal of 
a science which at most was but         
partially true1 while life itself could 
not satisfy the requisitions of science4
 ,and fearful was the outbreak in which 
this last antagonism of principle openly
 displayed its animosity4  ,this        
fourfold schism1 then--first1 between   
science and faith2 secondly1 in the     
faith itself2 thirdly1 between life and 
faith2 and lastly1 between the new      

science 7which usurped the place of the 
faith it had discarded7 and life        
itself--this fourfold schism1 with its  
several branches and ramifications1     
extending to every department of human  
existence1 lies now before us1 in the   
present age1 as the still-unsolved      
problem of life4  ,and who but ,god     
alone shall or is able to solve it8 ,as 
a question of dispute1 this problem--and
 especially its inmost root1 the schism 
in the faith--can be profitably         
discussed only in the spirit of love and
 mutual forbearance between cognate and 
kindred minds1 who1 while they think    
differently on a few points1 yet agree  
in most4 ,many works might be adduced on
 both sides1 composed in that           
conciliatory spirit of approximation    
which is most accordant with true       
philosophy1 whose first effort is1 in   
all cases1 directed to reconciling and  
removing the deeply-rooted animosities  
of human nature4 ,to a complete         
decision1 however1 of the whole matter  

in question1 we shall never arrive on   
the road of disputation4 ,even though   
the dispute were maintained with the    
most valid reasoning1 and were conducted
 with the most dignified forbearance and
 mildness1 the attempt would only be    
lost labor4 ,for there exists no supreme
 court of appeal to whose sentence both 
sides would be ready to submit4 ,on the 
one side1 the reason--which advances    
with unlimited freedom in its           
investigations--and faith on the other1 
with its assumed authority to decide in 
the last instance1 would alike refuse to
 acknowledge its adversary as a         
competent tribunal4  ,thus deeply       
piercing into the very marrow of        
humanity1 and thus mortal is the        
conflict4 ,indeed1 a man can scarcely   
touch upon it without being carried     
almost involuntarily into the very midst
 of the strife1 and very fortunate may  
he account himself if he retires from it
 unscathed4 ,and if it were only from a 
mere human point of view of a scientific

 dispute that ,i had to consider it1    
good reason should ,i have to be on my  
guard1 lest on this matter my mind      
should be1 as it were1 forcibly rent and
 divided into two halves4 ,i have1      
however1 at present no anxiety of the   
kind4 ,for my purpose is solely and     
entirely to trace out the divine order  
in the revelation progressively given to
 mankind1 and following this luminous   
thread to lead reflection up to the     
finishing close of ,god's education of  
the human race1 where1 in the full      
shining of the perfect day1 there shall 
be no more controversy and no more      
doubt4 ,viewing the matter in this      
light1 ,i see but little to attract my  
sympathies in the publicly-conducted    
controversy1 however highly important   
and pre-eminent a place it may hold in  
the history of the world4 ,far more     
attractive to me are those isolated and 
retiring spirits on both sides who1     
taking but little1 if any1 part in the  
prevailing dispute1 have their eyes     

directed rather to the future1 in       
watchful expectation of that full and   
final illumination1 with all its        
attendant promises--among which we must 
reckon1 first and foremost1 the peace   
and joy of believing--in the last       
revelation of divine mind4 ,of these    
calmer spirits1 however1 some have      
actually fallen1 and others have been on
 the very brink of falling1 into the    
plausible error of regarding this third 
step of enlightenment as an absolutely  
new revelation1 whereas it is quite     
clear that it will be nothing more than 
the simple completion of the earlier    
steps4 ,for a revelation which should   
give itself out as perfectly new1 apart 
from and independent of that saving     
illumination of the soul which marks the
 second step1 and which we are already  
in possession of--which should disavow  
this earlier divine revelation of the   
heart1 of love and life in faith1 which 
is withheld from no one1 and which every
 one knows1 would1 even by such an      

announcement1 proclaim its own falsity4 
,new heavens and a new earth are indeed 
expressly promised among the blessings  
of this last age4 ,mention is also made 
of a ,gospel that shall be preached     
8unto all them that dwell on the earth1 
and to every nation1 and kindred1 and   
tongue1 and people40#db ,this ,gospel1  
however1 is nowhere called a new one2   
since in the old one there is enough for
 life1 if only it be duly observed1 and 
also for knowledge1 if only it be       
rightly understood4 ,but it is called   
the 8everlasting0 ,gospel2 and by this  
term it is plain that nothing is to be  
understood but this full light of divine
 knowledge now made perfect in ,god1 and
 which has become one with faith1 and1  
consequently1 fully reconciled with life
 also4 ,in this domain1 and in this     
spiritual sense1 it is not necessary    
that the fair morning-star of faith1    
which has guided us through the dark    
night1 and lighted us to the day-spring1
 should become extinct when the sun     

ascends the heavens in his full meridian
 splendor4 ,on the contrary1 it shall   
burn the more brightly2 or1 rather1 to  
speak more correctly--for here no such  
contrast finds a place--it is the       
morning-star itself that shall expand   
into the full sun1 and illuminate the   
whole world with its light4  ,waiting1  
therefore1 for this manifestation1 we   
must endure with the more patience the  
existing discord so long as our lot is  
placed amid it1 and show greater        
moderation toward it1 since we are      
subject to it in hope4 ,only let me not 
be thought of as recommending a spurious
 impartiality1 which1 in truth1 is      
little better than a culpable           
indifference to questions the most      
important that can agitate our own      
generation and all humanity--or the     
indiscriminating contempt of an         
arrogated superiority1 which is even    
still more offensive and baneful to     
truth than the most vehement adoption of
 either of the conflicting views1 if    

associated with honesty of purpose and  
conviction4 ,as little1 too1 would ,i be
 thought to favor the presumptuous      
decisions of individuals1 which1        
adopting a peculiar principle1 or1 as it
 is styled1 a higher point of view1 even
 though occasionally it does justice to 
each in part1 yet on the whole          
materially wrongs them both4 ,in the    
first ages of this intellectual disease1
 great names were arrayed on either     
side2 and that through all its          
variations brilliant talents and        
scientific attainments maintained the   
conflict1 while there was much that was 
false and wrong in both parties1 is     
equally unquestionable4 ,but what avails
 the unrighteousness of man against the 
righteousness of the cause1 when1 as we 
must1 we regard the latter as the cause 
of ,god8  ,the painful feature of the   
conflict is the fact that1 in a certain 
measure1 ,god ,himself has become the   
object of man's rancor and animosity4   
,in sacred lore and tradition1 but      

pre-eminently in revelation1 ,god       
,himself became as it were a child2 and 
in the childlike language of the heart1 
and in the most confiding manner1 gave  
,himself into the hands of men4 ,but    
now1 even this marvelous child and the  
divine word is near being torn asunder  
by the disputants1 like the child in the
 old story or parable4 ,two mothers1 we 
are told1 came and stood before the     
king1 disputing violently whose was the 
child that had been overlaid1 and whose 
was the living one4 ,but the true       
mother1 for both had fallen asleep in   
the night1 was recognized by her prayer 
that the child might not be divided in  
two by the sword of justice1 but        
preferred that her son should live1 even
 though she must lose it by resigning it
 to the other4 ,whereupon the king      
ordered his officers in no wise to slay 
the living child1 but to give it to her 
who by her love had proved herself its  
mother4#dc  ,but for us the great       
sentence which is to decide all         

controversies1 and can alone put an end 
to this discord1 is not yet pronounced4 
,but1 in truth1 the more confirmed      
symptoms of the deepening intellectual  
strife which mark the present           
generation1 furnish one proof the more  
of the near approach of the day of final
 decision4 ,and then the perfect triumph
 of divine revelation and the fiery     
baptism of the ,spirit1 which in those  
last days shall be administered1 shall  
bring with it the long-promised         
universal peace of the soul when under a
 divine leader--the invisible ,one now  
become visible--all that hope in ,him1  
of all kindreds and families1 shall be  
reunited in ,him in one love and one    
fellowship4 ,a universal and perfect    
peace like this1 which1 according to    
revealed truth1 is the last that is to  
be imparted to the human race1 and is   
even to continue for ever1 must1 it is  
natural to suppose1 be preceded by a    
violent but closing conflict4 ,and do we
 not in our own age see such a one      

developing itself in a manner           
unparalleled by all that have gone      
before in it8 ,to this conflict of our  
age1 then1 ,i must now devote a few     
words1 and consider pre-eminently the   
relations subsisting between it and     
science4  ,in many and various ways1    
unquestionably1 was the spirit of man   
called upon in this beautiful era of the
 restoration of science to consider     
itself ripe and mature2 its feelings1   
too1 answered to the call1 and1 in some 
respects1 perhaps it was even so4 ,but  
let us examine the matter by the same   
law of sound reason that we should judge
 of a corresponding case in ordinary and
 social life4 ,let us suppose a youth to
 have attained his legal majority1 or1  
perhaps1 by his father's will1 declared 
of age at a still earlier period4 ,is it
 right for him1 all at once1 to forget  
the love wherewith his mother has nursed
 and reared him8 ,is it right in him1   
misinterpreting altogether the motive of
 his father's dying wish1 to cast off   

and trample under foot all the wise and 
useful lessons with which1 according to 
the measure of his years1 his mind was  
stored at school1 merely because he has 
remarked or experienced that there is   
much in life which was not touched upon 
in his school-learning8 ,if we saw this 
in private life1 should we not form a   
very bad opinion of such a youth who so 
suddenly throws off all restraint1 and  
take care that sooner or later he should
 fall under another and stricter        
oversight1 since he has all at once     
outgrown parental control4 ,why1 then1  
should we form a different judgment in  
the realm of science and truth8 ,all    
eyes and universal expectation were     
directed to this restoration of science4
 ,and these hopes were right in so far  
as through the lapse of these last times
 which are hastening to a close1 the    
course and trial of human nature are    
even to lie therein4 ,but if1 as already
 pointed out1 they fell into a grave    
error1 who1 even while they kept within 

the bounds of faith1 looked upon the    
promised completion and final triumph of
 the divine and eternal revelation in   
the light of a new manifestation of     
truth1 and almost as a new religion2 far
 greater was the aberration of those who
 formed the conception of1 and hoped to 
attain to1 an ever-advancing science    
altogether without ,god1 or at least one
 which1 proceeding side by side with    
,him1 should never come into vital      
contact with ,him6 ,but men can not thus
 pass along by the side of ,omnipotence1
 without coming into contact with him2  
and every effort to rise into the higher
 regions of truth1 which is begun and   
intended to remain wholly without ,god1 
will1 sooner or later1 be directed      
against ,him4 ,and every branch of      
knowledge1 and more especially the      
highest1 if it be without ,god1 is but a
 false light of the mind geist1 which   
will only too soon beguile it into the  
olden darkness of the soul4 ,and so it  
came to pass then4 ,for under this      

smooth surface of a seeming moral       
mildness1 the lurking poison suddenly   
broke out1 as it were1 by a fearful     
conspiracy of the times1 spreading its  
contagion far and wide1 and corrupting  
every thing that came within its        
reach--even as it had been predicted of 
it in the second book of the future4#dd 
,for even out of the struggle of good   
against evil1 the latter suddenly arose 
again in a new and unexpected shape1    
coming forth1 as it were1 out of the    
sea1 and the moral world was transformed
 into a sea of blood4 ,and so1 indeed1  
in these prophetic pages1 it is         
predicted of the enigmas of the last    
days4 ,now1 throughout this great       
catastrophe of the world1 so far as it  
can be regarded as a peculiar and       
especial1 but historical warning from   
,god1 and a revelation of the divine    
will1 we may trace1 among the better    
disposed1 the same gradation of         
illumination1 advancing through the     
ascending series of sense1 soul1 and    

spirit1 that we have already noticed1 on
 a larger scale1 in the course of the   
history of mankind4 ,the senses of many 
individuals become1 indeed1 more and    
more open1 the more clearly they        
recognized1 by its historical           
characters1 the fatal abyss to which the
 age of the world was drawing nigh4 ,the
 epoch of the restoration was1 moreover1
 followed by a general revolution in the
 sentiments1 the moral principles1 and  
prevailing pursuits of men4 ,the third  
step1 however1 of a right and true      
knowledge which1 from the position of a 
full scientific enlightenment of the    
mind or spirit1 should penetrate into   
the profoundest depths of truth1 is     
still wanting1 or at any rate exists as 
yet only in a very imperfect degree4    
,this property is the defective point in
 the problem of the age1 and in all     
attempts hitherto made to solve it4     
,the false science1 even that unhuman   
and godless science which has been      
already described1 can only be overcome 

and conquered by the true4 ,the mere    
method of negation--which1 generally1   
indeed1 is seldom the right one--is     
here1 too1 insufficient for the purpose4
 ,and so1 in fact1 when clouds of dust  
darken the air1 or swarms of noxious    
insects fill it1 it may suffice if the  
goodman of the house shuts to his       
casement1 as he may lawfully do1 even   
because it is his own2 but when the     
fearful thunderstorm is lowering in the 
heavens1 the closed window will but     
little insure the safety of his         
dwelling1 unless he has more wisely     
provided against the danger1 by a good  
lightning-conductor4 ,but what is that8 
,and how came man first to think of it8 
,why1 by studying the electrical        
phenomena1 and arriving at a full       
understanding of its nature1 and so1 in 
obedience to its laws1 contriving a     
counteracting and diverting agent for   
the electric current1 and converting the
 natural action of the threatening      
element into an instrument of           

protection4 ,and just in the same way   
will a true wisdom proceed in the domain
 of science and truth4 ,it is only by a 
good power1 of a like kind and similar  
action to its own1 that the supremacy of
 evil can be overcome4 ,even1 therefore1
 and to this purport was the earnest    
warning uttered by the mouth of ,truth  
,itself against those who1 although they
 sat in ,moses's seat1 neither went in  
themselves nor suffered others that were
 entering to go in4#de  ,and what a     
different picture does ,holy ,writ set  
before us in the noble example of       
,moses6 ,no doubt the preparation for   
the work to which he was to be called1  
of leading successfully the people      
intrusted to him by ,god out of their   
,egyptian darkness through the fearful  
,red ,sea and all the wanderings in the 
wilderness1 to the borders of the       
promised land1 was even the forty years 
of solitude among the noble pastoral    
people with whom he spent the long      
period of his exile4 ,but still it is   

not without a deep significance that it 
is written that the daughter of the     
,egyptian monarch1 having adopted the   
foundling of the waters1 brought him up 
and educated him as her own son4 ,so1   
too1 assuredly is it not without design 
that it is said so emphatically of him1 
that he 8was learned in all the wisdom  
of the ,egyptians40#df ,in the first    
place1 we have good reason to rejoice at
 and to acknowledge the comprehensive   
spirit and wide standard of judgment    
which ,holy ,writ here sets up4 ,for    
whereas it passes a severer sentence of 
reprobation on the ,egyptians than on   
any other heathen nation or people1 for 
their moral depravity1 it yet           
acknowledges that they possessed a      
scientific wisdom1 which amply rewarded 
the labor of its acquisition1 while it  
proved the very errors wherewith in     
their extreme corruption they had       
overloaded it1 to be only the more      
culpable and deserving of punishment4   
,shallow and superficial skeptics may1  

indeed1 as many have already done1 avail
 themselves of such an admission1 and   
cry1 8,there6 it is plain enough--,moses
 borrowed every thing from ,egypt and   
the hieroglyphics40  ,but this is not   
the case4 ,no doubt both the first ten  
and the last twelve letters of the      
,hebrew alphabet are hieroglyphics1 as  
their very names indicate2 but in its   
primary natural roots1 nevertheless1    
and1 above all1 in its whole spirit1 and
 structure1 and tone1 this language     
differs widely from the hieroglyphical  
,egyptian4 ,certainly ,moses did learn  
from ,egypt all that there was for him  
to learn4 ,and this learning enabled him
 the more easily to disperse the thick  
,egyptian darkness1 and the less cause1 
consequently1 had he to fear the false  
arts of the ,egyptian magicians and     
serpent-charmers4 ,he took from them all
 that was available for his purpose1 but
 he made it quite new again1 and gave it
 another nature by the end to which he  
employed it4 ,he despoiled them of their

 8jewels of gold and jewels of silver10 
by a theft permissible in the realm of  
science and truth4 ,for it is lawful for
 man to wrest from the evil power all   
that may be converted into a means of   
honoring the things of ,god and ,his    
revealed truth1 and which thereby is    
better employed1 spiritualized1 and     
invested with a higher and better       
significance4 ,this is true even of our 
own days1 as it was then1 and1 indeed1  
always has been4  ,oh1 that the many    
great men who1 in our own generation1   
have deserved so well of mankind1 by    
devoting themselves to the noble work of
 re-establishing right sentiments and   
principles1 had1 in this their good     
design1 followed the great example set  
them by this man so highly preferred of 
,god6 ,but1 with one or two exceptions1 
it is impossible to boast of them that1 
like ,moses1 they were 8learned in all  
the wisdom of the ,egyptians40 ,and     
hence the fact is at once explicable    
why1 with such ardent and unbounded     

zeal1 they should have effected         
comparatively so little against the     
modern ,egyptians1 and the new ,egyptian
 darkness of our own days4  ,an         
intellectual conflict about truth1 and1 
indeed1 about divine truth1 is the      
struggle of our age4 ,this fact is      
already seen and admitted by a few1 but1
 ere long1 it will be still more        
generally acknowledged4 ,god is a spirit
 of truth2 and even on this account is  
,his adversary1 the spirit of           
contradiction1 termed 8a liar from the  
beginning20 and1 of all the powerful    
instruments and wicked devices of that  
evil one1 the lie is the first and      
chiefest4 ,and this suggests to me to   
notice1 in passing1 a point in the moral
 systems of our day1 notwithstanding    
that it does not properly lie within our
 prescribed limits4 ,in most of our     
ethical treatises the question of       
falsehood and untruth is but carelessly 
treated1 and seldom discussed with that 
prominence and gravity which its great  

importance demands4 ,overt              
transgressions of the laws belong rather
 to jurisprudence than to ethics1 which 
properly treats of and analyzes the     
leading faults of human character as so 
many diseases of the soul4 ,now1 the    
worst among these are usually           
denominated mortal1 i4e41 likely to     
bring the soul unto death2 but the lie1 
in the full import of the term--the     
intrinsic proper lie of the soul1 as the
 predominant fault in a character of    
untruth--a whole life become1 as it     
were1 one great lie1 is far more than   
mortal--it is even death itself4 ,and it
 is even of this sin--this secret       
revolting against and wounding of the   
,spirit1 even the divine ,spirit of     
,eternal ,truth--that is said in ,holy  
,writ1 that it shall be forgiven neither
 in this world nor in the next4  ,on    
this point1 then1 ,i think that moral   
theory and teaching can never be stern  
and rigorous enough in its precepts1    
especially as regards individuals4 ,it  

is not1 indeed1 a question about words1 
but about their interpretation1 and what
 is meant by those who use them2 and in 
this respect there may be1 and often is 
a false and over-scrupulous delicacy of 
conscience4 ,when1 however1 we remember 
how1 in particular ages of history1     
oaths have been played with--millions of
 oaths lavishly proffered and shortly   
retaken in quite a different and        
opposite sense1 and soon again abjured  
with as little difficulty2 and when we  
consider the evil effects this trifling 
with the most solemn of obligations must
 have had on the moral character of a   
people1 we can not but see some excuse  
in this monstrous fact for certain small
 communities of ,christians who         
absolutely refuse to take an oath in any
 case4 ,for when1 in the important point
 of truth and falsehood1 a grave error  
has been committed on one side1 it is   
better to meet it on the other by too   
great strictness4 ,a rigorous severity  
can never entail such fearful           

consequences in such a case1 as the     
opposite fault of an over-indulgent     
laxity1 or1 what is even still more     
false and erroneous1 the regarding the  
matter as trifling and indifferent4 ,but
 the further prosecution of this topic  
would lead me out of my proper province1
 and ,i have only touched upon it in    
passing to that which lies more         
immediately before us4  ,if1 then1 there
 is nothing so dangerous to the         
character of an individual1 both        
inwardly and outwardly--if there is     
nothing that works so insidiously1      
conveying its secret poison to the very 
lowest roots and extremities of the     
moral character1 as untruth and the     
spirit of lying1 how much more fearful  
must its malignant influence prove when 
it is become the universal and          
prevailing fault of an age which has not
 only wandered far from the truth1 but  
is even animated with a deadly hatred of
 it6  ,it is to this spirit of lies1 and
 the false splendor of his colossal     

empire1 and to the final conflict which 
truth will have to wage with it on      
earth1 that the most awful of the       
prophecies already alluded to refer4    
,and the application is easily made1    
since a greater part of their warning   
denunciations have in our age already   
come to an actual fulfillment4 ,if1     
then1 this giant spirit of destruction  
and untruth was strong enough even in   
his cradle to throttle two quarters of  
the world1#dg what must it be now that  
the permitted interval of rest has      
passed away without being profitably    
employed to the cause of truth1 and now 
that this same spirit of murder and     
lies1 with a far greater body1 and      
endued with far more magical powers1 is 
let loose again to tread the earth for a
 while with iron feet1 and to deceive   
the nations8  ,those whose responsible  
position in public life1 or             
comprehensive sphere of intellectual    
activity1 enable them to take in at one 
glance all the various elements of evil 

and pernicious principles and           
destructive tendencies which are so     
actively at work in our days1 will not1 
perhaps1 be disposed to regard these    
remarks as groundless or exaggerated2   
others1 perhaps1 may make a mock at     
them--but they may go on in their       
delusion for a while4  ,in conclusion1  
,i have but three observations to add4  
,the first regards the divine permission
 of evil1 and is intended to form a     
supplement to that ,theodice which ,i   
have attempted1 in the only way that    
such a justification of the divine ways 
is permissible to man1 by appealing1    
viz41 to his feelings1 rather than by   
attempting to force his conviction by   
the rigor of demonstration4 ,the full   
justification of the ways of ,providence
 is reserved for a future day1 when all 
mouths shall be stopped1 whether that   
awful crisis be near at hand or yet     
tarries for a while4 ,if1 now1 the human
 race be actually sick and in a sickly  
state1 as indeed can not well be denied1

 then must ,god's overruling providence 
in the affairs of the world be judged of
 in the same light as1 and be compared  
to1 the wise treatment of a skillful    
physician4 ,for as the latter1 in the   
case of a patient whose death was to be 
apprehended from a total prostration of 
his bodily powers and energy1 might wish
 for or even venture to super-induce a  
violent paroxysm1 in the hope that in it
 he might perhaps be able to throw off  
his fatal lethargy2 even so1 in ,god's  
government of the world1 those          
predetermined counsels1 which seem so   
singular1 but1 nevertheless1 are so     
expressly foretold1 may have a somewhat 
similar design4 ,in the times of the    
last struggle the power of darkness will
 probably work itself to death on the   
earth2 and while the remnant shall come 
out of the crisis and fiery trial purer 
and healthier1 the divine truth is to   
gain a complete triumph over sin and    
death4  ,the second remark ,i have to   
make applies to ourselves and all the   

well-disposed among our cotemporaries1  
and refers to the disunion which        
subsists in these evil times even among 
the best of men4 ,were two nations      
threatened in common by a formidable    
enemy1 would they not1 however widely   
they might differ in1 or perhaps be     
estranged from each other by their      
respective constitutions languages1 and 
customs1 forget in the moment of danger 
their characteristic differences1 and1  
laying aside all previous feelings of   
jealousy or estrangement1 unite for     
their mutual protection and safety8 ,my 
heart's wish1 therefore1 is that all the
 truly pious and well-wishers of truth1 
on whichever of the two sides of the now
 divided faith they may stand1 would    
unite together without sacrificing those
 more intimate differences which can not
 at present be got rid of or reconciled1
 and1 making a righteous peace of mutual
 forbearance1 join together in a firm   
alliance against the common enemy of all
 truth and all faith4 ,for that the     

dearest interests of religion are in our
 generation exposed to a violent        
assault1 and menaced with great and     
immediate danger1 will not be denied by 
any lover of truth1 even though his     
conception of the truth may differ from 
mine4  ,lastly1 the third observation   
that ,i promised will not take the form 
of the utterance of a wish1 as rather of
 the expression of the firmest          
conviction1 that1 however awful and     
severe this final conflict may prove1   
the good cause will not eventually be   
lost1 but that the great battle will    
have a favorable issue in the complete  
victory of divine revelation1 and the   
celestial wisdom in the government of   
this kingdom of truth will be fully     
manifest both to men and angels4        
,,lecture ,,viii4  ,,of ,,the ,,divine  
,,order ,,in ,,the ,,history ,,of ,,the 
,,world ,,and ,,the ,,relations ,,of    
,,states4   8,the history of the world  
is the world's tribunal10#dh says one of
 our most famous poets4 ,if by these    

words he meant to convey an opinion that
 no other tribunal of judgment is to be 
expected than that which is even now set
 up in the history of the world1 then   
such an opinion1 implying that the human
 race is to live forever in its present 
state1 and in this particular           
terrestrial life1 would be even as      
groundless as that of the fanciful      
conceit that the human race had existed 
from all eternity1 if1 in sooth1 any of 
the philosophical dreamers of antiquity 
had ever fallen on such a fancy1 or1 in 
modern times1 any of the antipodes to   
the usual current mode of thinking      
should ever stumble upon it4 ,the poet  
himself1 as dramatist and artist1 would 
but have taken it ill had any one laid  
before him a great drama1 composed of   
several acts and scenes1 from which1    
however1 the beginning was torn off1 and
 which1 ever going on1 untied the       
existing perplexities only to fall again
 into new and fresh complications2 or   
like a poor journal ever referring to a 

continuation1 had no true end1 no       
conclusion or proper termination4 ,but  
unquestionably a better sense is also   
contained in the poet's words4 ,he may  
have merely meant to say that the mind  
which rules the course of mundane       
affairs is a mind that inflicts         
retribution on the world2 and that all  
the great epochs and incidents of       
history have a retributive character and
 vindicatory significance4#di ,such an  
interpretation of the words1 which      
indeed suits well with the author's     
serious mind and character1 would bring 
them in perfect unison with my own      
sentiments1 and adequately express the  
truth which forms the theme of our      
present consideration on the divine     
order in the history of the human race4 
,the human race1 then1 as it had a      
beginning1 so also will it have an end2 
it will not continue forever in this    
present form1 but must eventually come  
to a termination4 ,but1 to speak        
according to the measure of a divine    

chronology1 where a thousand years are  
but as one day1 who can say1 who shall  
dare1 off-hand1 to decide whether six or
 seven of these great days of ,god are  
fixed for its duration8 ,enough to know 
that we stand on the borders of the     
fourth age1 and on the passage from the 
third to the fourth4 ,and not           
unimportant is it1 on the other hand1   
for the clear understanding of the      
whole1 to form a right conception of    
each of these1 its great divisions and  
epochs4 ,the first age is made up of the
 twenty-five centuries of obscure       
primeval history4 ,the second1 which we 
called the age of preparation1 is formed
 by the fifteen hundred years which we  
reckon from the end of the first up to  
the center and turning-point of the     
history of the world as known to us1 and
 from which modern history takes its    
commencement4 ,even in the oldest       
traditionary history of the ,gentile    
nations of antiquity we do not meet with
 any statements that can be relied upon1

 or any tenable data beyond1 if indeed  
so far back as1 the fifteenth century   
before the epoch of the commencement of 
modern history4 ,the fifteen centuries  
which follow this epoch form the third  
age1 in which this principle of a new   
life in the spiritual1 moral1 and       
political world had to develop and      
completely to unfold itself4 ,in the    
last ,lecture ,i also reckoned in this  
period the sixteenth1 seventeenth1 and  
eighteenth centuries of our era4 ,but if
 it seems to any more advisable to      
consider these as the introductory      
portion of the fourth and subsisting    
age1 there is nothing positively to     
condemn such a mode of reckoning2 only1 
for my part1 ,i can not but regard it as
 less correct and more inaccurate than  
the one which ,i have proposed4 ,in one 
case as well as the other the same      
important consideration will be         
involved4 ,reckoning from some point or 
other within these last forty years1 we 
have1 it must be acknowledged by all1   

entered upon a grand and decisive epoch 
in the history of the world2 and our    
attention can not be too often or too   
strongly directed to the fact1 that we  
stand at the critical point of          
transition from one great period to     
another4  ,now one of the most          
characteristic signs by which such      
important moments of general revolution 
in the history of the world are1 for the
 most part1 known and distinguished1 is 
a number of great events pressed closely
 together and following each other in   
rapid succession2 or1 in other words1   
the accelerated course of time4 ,it is  
no new remark1 that1 in the political   
history of our own age1 modern ,europe  
has1 in the short space of              
two-and-twenty years1 ran through all   
the epochs of the old ,roman world1 from
 the first party struggles of the       
republic1 and its long wars with        
,carthage1 that mistress of the seas1 up
 to the imperial rule of the ,csars1 in 
the first reigns mild and indulgent1 but

 at the last so fearfully oppressive and
 cruel2 and even up to the final        
immigration of the northern nations4    
,such a simple remark is alone          
sufficient proof that another law now   
rules in the history of the world--a    
quicker life pulsates in its arteries   
than beat in the calmer days of old4    
,whether1 however1 this life be         
thoroughly sound1 or1 on the contrary1  
sickly and feverish1 that is quite      
another question4  ,but not only in the 
political world1 but also in the        
intellectual domain of science has the  
same accelerated course been noticeable4
 ,only1 as compared with that of        
antiquity1 the course or direction      
pursued by modern science is altogether 
different4 ,we have traveled with equal 
celerity1 but in quite an opposite      
course to the ancients4 ,starting from  
the last term1 we have reversed the     
series of their mental progression4     
,first of all1 in the last decades of   
the preceding century1 the ,epicurean   

cast of thought1 or one very nearly     
resembling it1 was the one chiefly      
predominant in the philosophical world4 
,and then1 together with but subordinate
 to it1 came scholastic subtilties and  
hair-splitting distinctions1 similar to 
those of the later ,greek schools1 not  
unaccompanied1 perhaps1 with the same   
patient industry of research and        
extensive erudition1 and exercising     
altogether on the minds of men an       
influence no less wide1 nor less        
pernicious1 than did the most brilliant 
of the sophists of ,greece4 ,all the    
erroneous systems which it was possible 
for the human mind to embrace1 and which
 are grounded in its essential          
qualities1 or which could possibly      
originate in any 7so to speak7 of its   
inborn misconceptions1 which it took the
 ,greeks several centuries to evolve in 
slow succession1 our age has rapidly1   
and almost simultaneously1 run through  
in as many decades4 ,and in this fact1  
if ,i do not greatly deceive myself1    

there is much ground of consolation4 ,it
 encourages me to hope that this inverse
 progression is leading us back again to
 the truth--that in this ascending line 
we are gradually coming nearer to the   
better times of the first great         
philosophers of ,greece--of a ,plato1 a 
,socrates1 and a ,pythagoras4 ,it must  
be self-evident1 that in this case1 and 
still more so in that analogy of        
political history which ,i have so      
recently noticed1 as generally1 in all  
such historical parallels1 nothing more 
is intended to be asserted than a       
general resemblance1 which1 however1 as 
such1 is eminently remarkable4 ,it would
 not1 perhaps1 be difficult anxiously to
 work out the general resemblance into  
points of detail1 but such an           
overwrought assimilation could only lead
 to false conclusions and results4  ,now
 that the conflict which our age has to 
go through is eminently intellectual is 
implied simply in the prevailing notion 
of a public opinion and its influence4  

,but1 at the same time1 we must observe1
 that in the very notion of opinion1 and
 in the word itself1 there is involved a
 certain character of extreme vagueness 
and uncertainty4 ,no doubt that which   
man can properly be said to know is     
extremely limited and confined4 ,of very
 much all that we can have is merely an 
opinion1 and with that must we be       
content to put up4 ,nay1 inasmuch as all
 scientific certainty admits not of     
being imparted to all men1 very much of 
that which we do properly and certainly 
know is best and most beneficially set  
forth to others merely as an opinion1 in
 order that we may not seem to force    
their minds to the admission of this    
higher certainty4 ,and what is there    
that the passions of a prejudiced or    
excited multitude can not be made to    
adopt as an opinion1 which1 if presented
 to them as a sober conviction of       
reason1 would never make an impression8 
,so devoid are they1 generally1 of that 
intelligence and accurate knowledge of  

men and things which are essential and  
necessary to the formation of a right   
judgment4 ,if1 instead of public opinion
 7which1 unquestionably1 is a great     
power1 but which1 if it takes a wrong   
direction1 is also a very dangerous     
one71 the appeal were to be made to a   
public conscience1 this would be1 to my 
mind1 far more impressive and serious4  
,to illustrate my meaning3--the         
impression which the events of #agic    
made on the general feeling of all      
,europe1 and the universal movement of  
discontent which1 among all ,european   
nations1 preceded the great political   
catastrophe of our own days1 are        
instances to which the old maxim1 vox   
populi vox ,dei1 may1 without           
hesitation1 be applied4 ,such feelings  
are founded on a true and higher        
judgment--often on a correct            
presentiment of evil and wrong--even    
though1 as we must admit1 that in their 
utterance more or less of passion and   
exaggeration reveals itself1 and that   

individual prejudices are not           
unfrequently mixed up with them4 ,but   
now seldom1 in the ebbing and flooding  
tide1 in the ever-changing course of the
 stream of public opinion1 flows there  
aught that truly deserves to be called a
 public judgment4 ,and yet public       
opinion is even that on which1 in this  
respect1 and relatively to the theme of 
our present ,lecture1 every thing mainly
 and principally turns4  ,in discussing 
the theory of consciousness a chasm     
remained1 or1 rather1 was intentionally 
left open1 and the present seems the    
appropriate place for filling it up and 
supplying it4 ,the power1 or1 rather1   
the faculty of judgment has not1 as yet1
 had its place assigned it4 ,the reason1
 with its immediate subordinates1 memory
 and conscience--the fancy1 with its    
subordinates1 the senses and            
inclinations1 form six faculties of the 
inner man1 with which the understanding 
and will make together eight4 ,the ninth
 is the living1 loving1 feeling soul1   

which1 although it be the center of the 
whole consciousness1 must1 nevertheless1
 be counted as an independent and       
peculiar faculty4 ,as for the heart     
,gemuth--as some peculiarly designate   
the collective sum of the tender1 moral 
emotions of the soul1 and which1 at any 
rate1 must be carefully distinguished   
from the conscience1 and also from      
love--it is1 however1 a kind of         
application of the triple relation and  
function of the soul rather than an     
independent faculty4 ,but the tenth     
faculty1 which completes the whole cycle
 and theory of the human consciousness1 
and which may be regarded as its crown  
and perfection1 is the judgment1 or1 in 
other words1 the judging mind geist4    
,but now1 if this term judgment be      
understood purely in a logical sense1 as
 that process of thought which forms    
combinations and deductions1 and by     
means of which we ascribe to a subject  
,a a predicate ,b1 this would fall very 
far short of the signification in which 

,i here intend it to be taken4          
,moreover1 it would be1 in truth1 quite 
a superfluous task to separate this     
cogitative relation1 or this relative   
cogitation1 from the other logical      
functions of the understanding1 and to  
make of it a special and independent    
faculty4 ,the judgment is something     
higher than this mere coupling in the   
thought of some special ,a with some    
general ,b4 ,understanding is the       
cognition of spirit and of that which it
 has uttered2 and judgment is the       
decision between two things understood1 
or the 8discerning of spirits40 ,of how 
great a multitude of intellectual       
relations does a scientific or even an  
artistic judgment imply the coincidence 
and concurrent action6 ,and yet these   
are merely private judgments1 which     
involve an assenting feeling in the     
individual1 but beyond that can not     
pretend to any valid authority4 ,in     
practical life the judicial function in 
the state alone furnishes an adequate   

standard for estimating the high rank   
which the faculty of judgment holds as  
the center of the human consciousness4  
,for1 in the deliberative sentence of   
the judge there is comprised both the   
mature art of the understanding--which  
has taken due cognizance of the matter1 
and impartially discerned between two   
objects equally well understood--and    
also a determination of the will3 for1  
though the actual carrying into         
effect--that which properly and         
peculiarly constitutes a willing--belong
 not to1 but is independent of1 the     
judge's office1 still the conclusion of 
a positive judgment implies the         
existence of the first determining      
motive of the will4 ,in this one act of 
judging1 therefore1 there is contained  
both functions of the mind geist1       
understanding and willing2 and as the   
loving soul is the center of the        
consciousness1 so the judging mind1 or  
spirit1 is the highest of all its       
operations4  ,in the ,book of ,truth    

there is a sentence which admits of     
application here4 8,there is none good10
 it is there written1 8but one1 that is1
 ,god40 ,however harsh and severe this  
judgment may sound at the first hearing1
 still1 upon a little reflection1 we    
shall see ample cause to admit its      
justice4 ,man is not wholly and purely  
good2 at the very best he is not free   
from faults1 and more or less of        
imperfection cleaves to all that he does
 or is4 ,and even granting that a man   
might be found devoid of all admixture  
of imperfection1 and quite faultless and
 thoroughly good1 still he was not so   
always and from the first4 ,and even if 
any should here urge that the angels1   
who have continued such as they were    
originally created1 were good from the  
beginning1 we must remember that1 at    
least1 they are not good in and by      
themselves1 but that1 that they are     
good1 comes from ,god1 who is the source
 of all goodness4 ,now1 just in the same
 sense can we also say1 ,who judges     

rightly8 ,there is none that judges     
rightly but one1 i4e41 ,god4 ,he is     
,himself the truth2 and1 therefore1 ,he 
alone has the standard of truth in      
,himself1 and all truth has its ground  
and principle in ,him alone4 ,every     
individual judgment and decision1 in all
 important matters1 has its ground1     
either mediately or immediately1 in this
 divine basis1 and its rectitude must be
 estimated according to this standard4  
,but this latter condition need not make
 us foolishly anxious1 for nothing      
impossible is required of us by ,god2   
and this requisition1 like every other  
which ,he lays upon man1 is modified by1
 and adjusted to1 the measure of human  
finiteness4 ,the conscientious judge1   
who1 after a patient investigation of   
the cause as it is laid before him1 and 
after a careful weighing of all the     
possible reasons and motives1           
nevertheless errs1 or is deceived by a  
rare coincidence of circumstances1      
stands1 nevertheless1 exonerated1 even  

though he should have passed an unjust  
sentence1 and have had the misfortune to
 condemn the innocent4 ,although1 when  
he becomes aware of it1 the thought must
 be painful enough to his own feelings1 
yet who1 in justice1 can reproach him   
merely because he was not omniscient8   
,he who1 in thought1 in science1 and in 
faith1 adheres to this divine           
foundation--the best and most certain   
that he can find1 or that is any where  
offered to him1 may rest calm and       
composed2 he has done the utmost that   
lies in his power4 ,he alone1 who makes 
a bad use of what he has and what has   
been given to him1 like an unjust       
steward1 need fear to give an account of
 his stewardship4  ,this reference of   
all judicial sentences to1 and their    
foundation in a divine authority1 is an 
idea which was not unknown even to the  
republican states of antiquity1 as is   
evident from the way they expressed     
themselves on the irrefragable sanctity 
of the laws and the inviolability of the

 supreme judicial power1 and also in the
 maxims which they practically advanced 
on this subject4 ,they honored herein a 
higher and a diviner principle1 of      
which1 however1 in theory they possessed
 no clear and perfect knowledge1 though 
in practical life they were taught by a 
correct feeling of sound reason and the 
natural conscience accurately enough to 
recognize and steadily and distinctly to
 respect it4 ,with us still more        
generally is it become an admitted      
doctrine that all sovereignty and kingly
 power is of ,god1 and that all         
obedience to the laws and to the supreme
 authority in the state rests ultimately
 on a divine foundation and sanction4   
,if very recently men were for a while  
disposed to argue that political        
institutions must be founded on the     
reason and its unconditional liberty1   
yet bitter experience quickly convinced 
them of their error1 and it was soon    
fully refuted by the convincing argument
 of actual fact4 ,and1 accordingly1     

theory has for the most part reverted to
 a right principle1 and recognized the  
divine authority as the true foundation 
of political authority4  ,but the       
principle being thus generally          
recognized1 it is1 ,i think1 still      
necessary to distinguish with care and  
accurately to define in what sense the  
supreme ruler of the state is the       
vicegerent of ,god4 ,the indefinite     
titles which are assumed by ,eastern    
despots have always been alien to the   
habits of the ,west4 ,but it is not     
enough to avoid such exaggerated titles 
of honor1 if1 nevertheless1 the appeal  
to divine right be made so very vaguely1
 and simply in general terms to ,god    
himself4 ,in ,his absolute essence1 ,god
 is wholly inconceivable2 it is only in 
his operations on man and nature1 and in
 ,his relations to the human race1 that 
we can at all think precisely of ,him4  
,it is only as ,creator of the world1 as
 the ,lawgiver of nature1 or as the     
,benefactor and ,redeemer of mankind1   

and so forth1 that we can form a clear  
and distinct notion of the ,godhead4    
,now1 is the supreme ruler of the state 
,god's deputy as ,creator of the world8 
,who would venture to assert any thing  
of the kind8 ,it is true that the       
paternal rule of the earthly parent1 and
 the universal feeling among all peoples
 and nations of the sanctity of a       
father's authority1 rests on a          
resemblance--which is1 however1 only    
symbolical--between his relation and    
that of our unseen ,father which is in  
heaven4 ,and it is no less true1 also1  
that the reign of a truly paternal      
monarch over his people may be regarded 
as a mere amplification of the father's 
government of his family2 a good king is
 the father of his people4 ,but such    
remote1 although most significant       
analogies1 furnish us with no precise   
notion of right2 and it is on such alone
 that the whole question here turns4 ,no
 doubt when a people is governed well   
and wisely--which is even the same as to

 say1 paternally governed--it exhibits a
 wonderful power of natural development2
 productive industry flourishes1        
population increases1 and its physical  
and mental cultivation advances rapidly4
 ,unfavorable seasons may undoubtedly   
check this tendency1 and it will be     
entirely stopped as soon as the subject 
refuses to follow with loving confidence
 the guiding hand of the paternal       
monarch4 ,whenever they whose duty it is
 to obey seek to be supreme1 then are   
the natural energies of a great people  
transmuted into a fearful element of    
universal desolation4  ,if now we       
inquire in the next place how far it is 
allowable to compare the highest        
authority in the state to the ,lawgiver 
of nature1 we shall find that even in   
this respect the difference is so very  
great that analogy almost entirely fails
 us4 ,holy1 unquestionably1 are the laws
 of every political community in respect
 to the duty of obedience which they    
suppose and require2 but this is not    

paid spontaneously and naturally1 but   
needs to be enforced and maintained by  
pains and penalties4 ,and not to speak  
of the stem laws of retributive justice1
 but rather of those mild and equitable 
enactments designed for the general     
benefit and the improvement of the whole
 community2 these are still more subject
 to the imperfection and manifold       
changes of human things4 ,suppose1 for  
instance1 a measure promulgated in any  
country with the design of balancing in 
some degree the agricultural and the    
manufacturing interests--however wisely 
designed1 it is found within a few years
 to have totally failed2 under it misery
 has but increased on both sides1 and   
the law must be repealed or modified4   
,but it is not so with the laws which   
,god has implanted in the system of the 
universe3 they never fail of their      
intended effect4  ,do we further ask in 
what1 if in any respect1 the earthly    
sovereign is the deputy of ,god1 as     
,redeemer1 ,emancipator1 and ,liberator8

 ,a notion of grace and mercy does1 we  
must admit1 attach itself to our idea of
 supreme authority2 and in this respect 
it presents a sort of analogy and       
resemblance to the idea of the ,godhead4
 ,properly speaking1 however1 the       
exercise of grace and mercy forms an    
exception to the general rule of man's  
sovereignty1 and belongs to him only in 
his special function as administrator of
 justice4 ,moreover1 the most paternal  
and beneficent of earthly rulers can at 
most provide only for the physical      
happiness of his people4 ,he may        
alleviate or avert heavy calamities1 or 
procure many temporal blessings and     
advantages for his subjects2 but the    
unhappy soul can be helped by ,one      
alone4 ,the distinction ,i have just    
made will become more apparent by means 
of a contrast4 ,wherever the clergy are 
not regarded merely as teachers of the  
people1 but as is the case in the       
greater part of ,western and of ,eastern
 ,christendom1 as priests speaking with 

a divine authority1 this their public   
vicegerency relates primarily and       
immediately to the ,redeemer2 its       
judicial functions over the conscience  
ought to shun a visible publicity1 and  
to be left entirely to the conscience   
and guarded by its seal of secrecy4 ,and
 in this respect lies the distinctive   
peculiarity of the relation subsisting  
between the supreme authority in the    
state and ,god1 which1 however1 refers  
pre-eminently to ,his attribute of      
justice4 ,and here it is no mere remote 
analogy and weak resemblance1 dependent 
on the principle of human weakness and  
imperfection2 but it is a true and real 
vicegerency1 publicly admitted and      
recognized1 and exercising consequently 
a great public influence4 ,and therefore
 it is1 that among the divers elements  
or branches of the supreme political    
authority 7which1 however1 fundamentally
 and in its essence is one and          
indivisible71 a special sanctity is1 as 
,i have already remarked1 ascribed to   

its judicial functions4 ,in a word1 the 
earthly head of the state is the        
dispenser of the divine justice1 the    
vicegerent of the ,judge of the world2  
he is a divine functionary1 and1 so to  
say1 the supreme judge in the world's   
tribunal4 ,and this is the point of view
 from which all matters and questions   
connected with this subject may most    
fully be answered and most correctly    
determined4 ,but that this exalted      
dignity of the earthly ruler may not be 
interpreted too literally1 ,i must here 
observe1 that the divine ,judge is one  
who allows mercy to take the place of   
justice1 not merely occasionally1 and by
 way of exception1 but always and       
invariably2 so long1 at least1 as it is 
in any way possible4 ,and here comes in 
the application of the principle which  
we previously advanced3--,that ,god is  
in nowise absolute1 but that on the     
contrary ,his justice is in every case  
limited by ,his love and grace2 while   
the latter again is restricted and      

modified by ,his justice1 and both1     
indeed1 reciprocally by each other4     
,whoever has formed in his heart the    
least vivid notion of ,god will not     
entertain the slightest doubt of this   
union of justice and of mercy in the    
divine essence4  ,when1 however1 we     
speak of kings being the dispensers of  
divine justice1 we mean it in quite a   
different sense from that in which1     
during the great immigration of the     
northern hordes of ,asia1 the barbarian 
conqueror proclaimed himself the scourge
 of ,god4 ,by assuming this title he    
merely meant to terrify his adversaries 
by the thought of having to encounter in
 himself a fearful and destructive power
 of evil1 whom1 in order to chastise a  
degenerate world1 the ,almighty had     
permitted to do as he pleased and to let
 loose his fury on the nations of the   
earth4 ,and phenomena of this kind are  
not confined to the period of the great 
migration2 for the true notion of the   
representation of the divine ,judge of  

the world by the supreme power in the   
state combines together with the        
sternest severity of justice1 which in  
this respect is both wholesome and      
necessary1 the greatest clemency--for   
where is there1 or can there be1 a      
clemency greater than the divine8 ,but  
most especially does this idea imply    
that which is here pre-eminently        
requisite1 and insists with a prominence
 proportionate to its great importance  
on the strictest conscientiousness in   
the discharge of the duties of this     
vicegerency4 ,but the superior          
excellence of this idea over many other 
explanations of a similar kind1 but     
laboring under the defect of extreme    
vagueness1 consists even in this1 that  
it comprises and inseparably combines   
those two important conditions1 both    
that the supreme governor is responsible
 to ,god alone1 and1 as following       
therefrom1 that he is unquestionably    
responsible to ,him1 and that it also   
determines in what sense and in what way

 he is so4  ,every great and remarkable 
event which marks an epoch in the       
political history of nations and the    
world1 may1 perhaps1 be regarded as a   
dispensation of justice4 ,if1 then1 such
 an event1 however partial and confined 
to a single people or empire1 or at most
 extending to an entire age1 may be     
looked upon as a sign of judgment       
already commencing1 or at least of a    
retribution threatening1 but mercifully 
suspended1 the same mode of             
consideration may1 with as good reason1 
be applied to every resolution of the   
political world on the grave questions  
of peace and war3 for the power of      
making war and peace is1 at all events1 
the peculiar and characteristic         
prerogative of the supreme authority in 
the state4 ,now1 the simplest standard1 
perhaps1 of judging of the justice of   
either is1 if we may so speak1 to ask1  
,is the proclamation of war or the      
treaty of peace so entirely founded on  
truth1 so perfectly correspondent to the

 righteous and judicial character of    
,god1 that man need not fear to lay them
 before the ,judge of the whole world   
for ,his ratification8 ,if such be the  
case1 then most assuredly are they right
 and righteous1 whatever be their       
consequences1 or whatever be the        
judgment that men may pass upon them4   
,but1 otherwise1 if the manifesto of war
 contain nothing but shallow and        
specious pretexts painfully raked       
together1 or of fine-colorable phrases  
which even the eye of the world can see 
through1 if a light touch of truth be   
only thrown over it in the hope of      
concealing the conqueror's lust of      
aggrandizement1 or the equally          
destructive principle of an old national
 feud or jealousy--if1 in the           
pacification1 under ambiguous terms and 
cunningly-devised phrases1 the seeds of 
a future war be carefully sown1 and thus
 the worst disease of the political     
world be propagated and multiplied from 
generation to generation1 then most     

assuredly the guardian eye of ,eternal  
,justice has not watched over its       
completion1 and bestowed on it ,his     
blessing1 but another and a very        
different coadjutor has had his hand in 
the game--the spirit of untruth1 viz41  
and of corruption1 of strife and ruin1  
whom no name so exactly describes as    
that of a 8liar from the beginning40    
,now1 as not only the annihilation of   
the race of giants in the universal     
deluge1 with which our sacred history   
opens1 and to which the ancient         
traditions of almost every people       
allude1 more or less directly1 but also 
the partial overthrow of a single       
nation1 the tragical closing catastrophe
 of particular ages1 is1 as it were1 a  
prelude of the final judgment of all    
nations and peoples of the earth at the 
end of time2 so1 on the other hand1 the 
original corruption of the primal lie is
 propagated as an hereditary evil from  
millennium to millennium1 and from      
century to century4 ,for even now1 may  

many a fertile spot1 the seat of a happy
 and united community in the midst of   
prosperous times1 and of peace unbroken 
at home or abroad1 be considered1 if not
 a garden of innocence1 still the       
blissful dwelling of peace and quiet4   
,but into these happy precincts the evil
 spirit of untruth and discontent ever  
and anon steals1 to repeat over again in
 the history of the human race the same 
scene of temptation which marked its    
commencement4 ,upward and downward1 and 
in a twofold direction1 does the lying  
spirit of strife ply his seductive arts4
 ,now1 on the one side1 he whispers in  
the ear of the rising generation1 8,that
 is the true knowledge and the real     
science which men are most anxious to   
withhold from you2 but seek first of all
 to be free--shake off this unworthy    
spirit of slavish obedience1 then shall 
all that is noble and intellectually    
great be at once yours4 ,in this way1   
and thus only1 was it attained by the   
great and good in ancient times40 ,but1 

on the other hand1 he directs himself to
 the individual invested with authority2
 and if the potentate be unrighteous1   
his ear is already more than half       
open--and even if he be upright1 still1 
as a man1 he is not always inaccessible 
to such whisperings4 8,why10 he         
insidiously asks1 8dost thou draw back  
so fearfully before that which the      
people call their rights8 ,these are    
nothing but childish notions which the  
school-boy may do well to declaim about1
 but practically they are worthless and 
unreal2 no one means them seriously--the
 whole world puts no faith in this      
comedy4 ,rule your subjects with an iron
 hand1 that is all they know how to     
respect2 nay1 they even admire the bold 
spirit that defies them1 and they will  
suppliantly reverence thy greatness of  
mind and strength of character if1      
betraying no infirmness of purpose1 you 
boldly and sternly encroach upon or     
disregard all their pretended rights and
 privileges4 ,if only your sovereignty  

be solidly established from within1 and 
well rounded from without1 then1 besides
 a great name with posterity1 you will  
also secure to yourself the present     
enjoyment of very great and solid       
advantages40  ,in this wise1 from the   
original source of the one lie1 is the  
inheritance of the old evil transmitted 
from generation to generation in the    
political world1 in the two opposite    
forms of popular anarchy1 and the       
despotic lust of power and              
aggrandizement4 ,these two forms of evil
 are more closely allied than at the    
first look they appear to be in reality2
 but history1 the great teacher of      
truth1 gives its sure witness to their  
affinity4 ,nothing is more common in    
great republics1 than for the discord of
 the citizens to be put an end to by    
some victorious general1 whom all       
parties1 weary of their dissensions1    
hail as the benefactor of the whole     
community4 ,but how seldom is the       
pacificator content with the glorious   

title of the restorer of domestic peace1
 and does not go a step farther1 and    
become the scheming tyrant and the      
aggressive conqueror4 ,the whole history
 of the world is1 in short1 little more 
than the continuous struggle between the
 purifying fire of the divine           
retribution and this spirit of political
 lying1 which is ever renewing itself in
 these twofold forms of anarchy and     
despotism4  ,moreover1 while we         
acknowledge the divine authority        
invested in the supreme ruler of the    
state1 we must take heed how we mix up  
with our conceptions on this head the   
notion1 so highly dangerous and so      
pregnant with fatal errors1 of the      
absolute and unconditional1 which1 as we
 have already remarked1 can not be      
applied even to the ,godhead without    
giving rise to misconceptions4 ,if1     
therefore1 in any country a party--for  
now-a-days even justice is made a party 
matter--if any where a party of         
otherwise well-disposed men call        

themselves 8absolutists10 such a        
designation is of itself sufficient to  
excite our apprehension1 lest1 with so  
absolute a way of thinking1 some spark  
of evil be slumbering beneath the ashes2
 inasmuch as one absolute1 i4e41 one    
unconditional element of destruction    
invariably calls forth another4         
,absolute1 if this pernicious term must 
be used1 the supreme power of the       
legitimate sovereign of a state may     
indeed be called in so far as he is     
responsible to ,god alone4 ,for were the
 supreme ruler responsible to man1 then 
the only difference would be1 that      
instead of one1 the many to whom he is  
answerable would be absolute4 ,but in   
another sense1 it is impossible to call 
the supreme power1 wherever lodged1     
absolute or unlimited2 for it is limited
 in many ways4 ,its exercise is checked 
and controlled by the treaties          
subsisting between it and other         
powers--by the laws which it finds in   
existence from the times of his         

predecessors1 and which are still in    
force by the family laws of succession1 
and all matters pertaining to or        
connected therewith4 ,if he who is      
invested with the highest power in the  
state1 is determined to interfere with  
all these institutions1 and violently to
 subvert existing customs and compacts1 
then is there1 in such a case1 no one   
really justified or entitled either to  
make objections to his measures or to   
oppose them4 ,by such arbitrary and     
violent proceedings1 however1 he is     
himself undermining the very foundation 
of his own power4 ,and a regard to and  
consideration of the possible           
consequences of such injustice will in  
most instances furnish the necessary and
 salutary check4 ,lastly1 if we look a  
moment from the right itself to its     
actual exercise and influence1 how often
 and how greatly are the latter limited 
by adverse circumstances and evil times4
 ,nothing1 in short1 is more at issue   
with and opposed to nature and to life1 

than the very notion of unlimited power1
 and generally all that is absolute or  
destructive4  ,but there is yet another 
side on which the supreme political     
power is essentially checked and        
controlled4 ,it is bound to consider and
 pay respect to the principles of       
religious society1 which rests no less  
than itself on a divine authority4 ,for 
the church1 although very different in  
its nature1 and flowing from a wholly   
different origin from that of the state1
 is1 nevertheless1 equally inviolable4  
,if1 however1 the civil and political   
ruler1 not content with a co-ordinate   
jurisdiction and the revision of        
ecclesiastical affairs--with a joint    
authority and influence1 should attempt 
to make the religious polity also       
entirely subject to his own arbitrary   
will1 no one perhaps will be able to    
oppose force to force1 and probably no  
one would be justified in so doing4 ,but
 by such an attempt1 as indeed by every 
act of religious oppression1 the supreme

 civil power would most fatally         
undermine the very basis of its own     
authority4 ,if1 for instance1 the ruler 
of a great nation places the third      
estate in the painful alternative of    
making1 what in any case must be most   
pernicious1 a choice between divine and 
human authority--or1 rather1 to speak   
more correctly1 between two claims to   
its allegiance equally divine1 he does  
but smooth the road which must lead at  
last to his own ruin4  ,and here1 too1  
in the spiritual community of the faith1
 in the same way as in the political    
body1 man's patrimony of original evil  
branches out into two directions4 ,in   
the one it turns longingly back toward  
the past1 and in the other it tends     
restlessly forward into the indefinite  
future4 ,both of these aberrations are  
wholly independent of the outer form as 
well as of the subject-matter of belief4
 ,they are consequently to be found in  
the old covenant1 as the first grade of 
divine revelation1 no less than in the  

second4 ,the first of these hereditary  
faults of man's nature is deadness1 or1 
in a somewhat different phase1          
lukewarmness--manifesting itself        
outwardly in a close and literal        
adherence to the old in its mere        
external forms4 ,in a word1 it is       
spiritual death4 ,for though in the     
abundance of ,his love1 ,god may have   
made a revelation of ,his will to man1  
and even died to make an atonement for  
him1 still it is left to the free will  
of the individual to receive it or not2 
and its retention and observance is the 
trial of his goodness1 and1             
consequently1 in this point1 as in      
others1 his hereditary and inborn       
spiritual death strongly manifests      
itself4 ,the second of these hereditary 
faults1 or1 rather1 the same in a       
different form1 is the spirit of        
innovation1 or a false semblance of     
life1 by which1 in fact1 this inner     
death is merely propagated4  ,on both   
these faults and erroneous ways of      

thinking on religious matters1          
,revelation expresses itself equally in 
the tone of stern reprobation1 though   
perhaps its language with regard to the 
former is even still more severe4 ,as   
regards the spirit of innovation1 all   
changes in this domain1 which are merely
 human1 and not visibly and manifestly  
of a divine spirit and origin1 must     
simply on that account be opposed and   
condemned4 ,now1 in both the parties    
into which the faith is unhappily       
divided1 there are many who are         
captivated and led away by this spirit  
of change4 ,for among those who were    
originally seduced by it not a few are  
now animated with a sincere and profound
 respect for whatever is old and        
sterling1 while of the                  
innovation-mongers of our days1 many are
 to be found in the ranks of those who  
originally strove to stem the tide of   
alteration and change4 ,oh that all who 
are pervaded by this evil spirit1 and   
are ever casting their views forward    

into the future1 would only advance a   
little farther still in their thoughts1 
so as to take in the end and conclusion 
of all4 ,in the knowledge of the final  
judgment of the world 7and what is this 
philosophy of revelation but such a     
reminiscence of death and the end--in   
which light philosophy was even in olden
 times explained--not1 indeed1 in a     
narrow-minded limitation to ourselves1  
but in a far wider sense1 embracing in  
its universal sympathy the final        
catastrophe of the whole human race71 in
 the warnings and allusions to this last
 day of account1 so long and so often   
given1 men will find all the information
 that they seek1 and will no longer need
 any human innovations1 since by this   
key all that is old and eternal shall   
receive a trebly-exalted significance   
and a doubly-new life4  ,but besides the
 political body and the religious       
community1 the world of letters forms a 
third society4 ,though numerically      
smaller1 yet in its effects on the minds

 of men1 whether it moves freely and    
diffuses itself without the rigid       
restraints of form1 or is narrowly      
confined to the formalism of the school1
 it is1 perhaps1 as great as either4    
,spiritual in its matter and in its     
dissemination1 it either renounces a    
divine sanction1 and stands under the   
protection and supervision of the       
state--such1 at least1 is the           
predominant relation in recent          
times--or1 as was formerly the case1 it 
grows and flourishes beneath the shelter
 and through the fostering care of      
ecclesiastical institutions4 ,holding an
 intermediate place between the two     
other bodies of human society--in its   
subject-matter more akin to the one1 but
 deriving from the other its external   
support--it is also of a mixed nature   
and partakes of both4 ,but the inborn   
and original sin of science is exactly  
similar to that which infects political 
life4 ,manifesting itself in a twofold  
aberration1 it either assumes1 in the   

spirit of anarchy1 an hostile position  
toward all that exists from without1 or 
is given to men from above1 or1 perhaps1
 comes forward in a predominant love of 
system or scientific sectarianism1 which
 not unfrequently is as fanatical as the
 political party-spirit with which1     
moreover1 it is often very nearly and   
closely allied4  ,the nature of the     
divine order which rules the history of 
the world1 and its stern1 retributive   
law1 must1 in all essential points1 be  
now apparent from the preceding remarks4
 ,it is an all-pervading alternation    
between the purifying fire of ,god's    
punitive justice and the inheritance of 
the old evil1 which breaks out1 now in  
anarchy1 now in despotism--at one time  
in spiritual deadness and lukewarmness  
of faith--at another in the pernicious  
lust of innovation and change4 ,this    
purifying fire1 it must also be clear1  
while1 confining its immediate operation
 to single nations or to marked and     
distinct epochs of history1 it gives    

them a new shape and form1 invariably   
gains for itself a wider extension1 so  
as1 at last1 to embrace the whole world4
 ,moreover1 every one must feel that1 in
 investigating the fiery track of this  
judging spirit in its stern course      
through centuries1 we must reverently   
follow at a respectful distance to learn
 from it what it is and how it manifests
 itself1 and take good heed how we      
presume to confine it within any narrow 
law1 or reduce it to any precise and    
rigorous definition4 ,we can not be too 
carefully on our guard against ascribing
 to ,providence in its guidance of      
mankind many and subtile designs1 which1
 after all1 perhaps1 are nothing but the
 mere fancies and conceits of man4 ,in  
general1 however1 it may safely be said 
that the subordinate views and higher   
ends which are visible in the leading   
catastrophes of nations and empires1 or 
even of entire ages1 have especial      
reference to that gradation in the      
divine revelation which ,i explained to 

you in the previous ,lecture as having a
 regard to1 and comprising the whole    
human race in1 its comprehensive design4
 ,by way of exemplification1 and as an  
instance of the right application of the
 ideas here advanced1 ,i will now1 in   
conclusion1 add a few words on those    
events and catastrophes of universal    
history1 which1 in this respect1 seem   
the most important4  ,the universal     
deluge1 of which the whole surface of   
our globe presents so many and so great 
traces and proofs1 forms a              
partition-wall1 sternly separating the  
earliest races of men from the          
subsequent generations4 ,of the former  
it is only probable that they were very 
different from the latter1 not only in  
their manner of life1 but also in their 
physical and intellectual powers and    
endowments1 and likewise1 perhaps1 in   
the nature and mode of their moral      
corruption and depravity4 ,my remarks1  
therefore1 may well be confined to this 
side of that great partition-wall4 ,the 

next great catastrophe1 which is both   
expressly given out as a divine         
retribution 7and1 as such1 can be proved
 from profane history as much1 though   
not so universally1 as the former71 is  
the so-called ,babylonian confusion of  
tongues and the dispersion of nations4  
,this1 and that which is so inseparably 
connected with it1 the confusion of     
mythical ideas and legends1 is rather   
hinted at than fully and clearly        
detailed4 ,the time1 too1 is not given1 
though the locality is expressly        
mentioned4 ,it is the same one which1   
according to all other historical       
statements1 was the very spot of        
,western ,central ,asia1 where that     
contagious malady of the lust of        
conquest first arose1 or1 if we may be  
allowed the expression1 where this      
unhappy invention was first made4 ,this 
dispersion of nations1 however1 was its 
natural punishment1 since every unity   
which is either politically false or    
intellectually untrue1 must terminate in

 chaotic dissolution4 ,this historical  
fact is distinctly traceable in the     
world of the ancients among the ,west   
,asiatic1 ,south ,european1 and ,north  
,african nations which dwell around the 
shores of the ,mediterranean4 ,here we  
can scarcely find our way out of the    
labyrinth of traces of reciprocal       
relationship which abound1 in their     
medley of cognate languages and their   
chaos of legends1 so remarkably         
agreeing1 and yet frequently so         
inconsistent in their ideas of nature1  
their far-reaching theogonies1 and the  
divine origination of their heroic      
families4 ,these chaotic contradictions1
 however1 in which the poetry of        
heathendom indulged without restraint1  
gradually undermined the old popular    
belief1 and led1 consequently1 at a     
later period1 to a very favorable       
result4  ,for by this means the         
,greeks--to whom our present remarks    
apply especially and                    
pre-eminently--gained free space for the

 unshackled development of a philosophy 
which1 though it may have run and       
wandered through many systems of error1 
yet in so far as it was an honest and   
sincere search after truth and          
certainty1 served and deserves to be    
considered as a preparation and         
introduction to a higher knowledge and  
the adoption of revelation4 ,for because
 of this intellectual development 7and  
the fact serves to prove that a pure    
sensibility to the beautiful1 and a     
clear and pregnant thought on human life
 and on nature1 is ever highly pleasing 
to ,god71 the ,greeks were chosen as the
 second people of the world1 to be the  
medium and the instruments of the       
further diffusion of revelation in the  
course of the development of humanity4  
,in political life1 the erroneous       
tendency of the ,greek mind was to the  
abuse of liberty and to anarchy4 ,when  
this evil had been carried to its       
wildest extreme1 it was overtaken by its
 natural penalty 7which inwardly follows

 close upon its track71 in the armed    
supremacy of ,macedon 7which1 however1  
was only a brief paroxysm71 and the     
final subjugation of ,greece to the     
,roman yoke4 ,among the ,romans both    
forms of political evil met together1   
and were closely connected with each    
other4 ,to escape from domestic anarchy1
 they entered on a victorious career of 
foreign conquest and aggrandizement2 and
 when intestine dissension had reached  
its greatest height1 a perfect despotism
 was established1 both at home and in   
the provinces4  ,we recently remarked   
that the whole of that mixture of ideas1
 confusion of legends and traditions1   
and that continual alternation between  
anarchy and despotism1 which in the     
olden times of heathendom ran through   
its whole course of development1 from   
the first dispersion of nations to the  
establishment of the ,roman empire over 
the world1 immediately applies to and is
 only to be understood of the ,west     
,asiatic and ,south ,european races4 ,in

 the ,east of ,asia1 two great nations  
or empires1 which together make up a    
third1 if not the half1 nearly1 of the  
population of the whole earth1 have     
remained in a great measure free from   
and uninfluenced by it4 ,it would almost
 seem as if the ,almighty1 with some    
special design1 had kept and reserved   
them unto these last times4 ,for three  
if not four thousand years ,india has   
preserved unchanged its institution of  
castes1 and all its essential customs   
and laws4 ,the very fact that this      
ancient empire1 so extensive1 so        
abundant in riches1 and so singular in  
its nature1 and with a civilized        
population equal to that of the whole of
 ,europe put together1 should be now    
conquered and held in subjection by the 
sea-ruling isles of ,britain1 which the 
ancients named the ,cassiterides1 or    
,tin ,islands1 and described as the     
ultimate limits of the habitable world1 
is one of the most remarkable signs of  
our days4 ,that in such great historical

 events1 and such singular              
juxtapositions1 there rules some grand  
and mysterious design of the ,mind which
 regulates the course of human affairs1 
we can not but feel2 only we shall      
greatly err if we precipitately         
determine its particular nature4 ,the   
wiser and the safer course is to look   
forward with attentive expectation to   
its further development4 ,already has   
this remarkable approximation of the    
extreme ,east and ,west led to important
 consequences4 ,the enlargement of our  
historical information1 by the sources  
discovered in the ,east1 has alone been 
so considerable as to give greater      
coherence and consistency to our        
knowledge of the earlier1 and1 indeed1  
of the very earliest times1 and of the  
origin of mankind1 and to have afforded 
a growing testimony and a strong        
confirmation of the truth of the sacred 
narrative4  ,the ,celestial ,empire too1
 with its monosyllabic language1        
remained until very recently within its 

walls separate from and never mixing    
with the rest of the world4 ,although   
,china has been several times subjugated
 by northern conquerors1 it has1        
nevertheless1 continued in all essential
 respects the same4 ,but now1 in these  
modern times of universal ferment and of
 change throughout the political world1 
,china1 too1 has been set in movement1  
and has become so far a conquering      
power1 that she who in the earlier      
centuries of ,christianity was only     
known by name1 through fable1 has become
 the immediate neighbor of two great    
,european powers4  ,the close of the    
ancient history of the ,eastern world1  
in its westerly regions1 is formed by   
the tragic overthrow of the ,jewish     
people and the fearful destruction of   
,jerusalem2 events which are properly   
described1 as also they were long       
previously announced1 as a partial      
judgment on an individual nation4 ,and  
in this light and in similar colors they
 are1 moreover1 depicted even by heathen

 writers4 ,few things in the whole      
course of history furnish so singular   
and striking a phenomenon as this total 
dissolution of the ,jewish nation4 ,the 
dispersion over all parts of the earth1 
for so many centuries1 of a people that 
has exercised so great and so decisive  
an influence on the progress of ideas   
and the higher cultivation of the human 
mind1 both naturally and scientifically1
 makes a sad and melancholy impression  
on our minds4 ,with so much the more of 
reason1 then1 may we regard it as a sign
 of the times1 and one1 too1 full of    
good promise and of bright and cheerful 
hope1 if this long and cruelly-oppressed
 people seems suddenly to be aroused    
again or awakened from its degradation1 
and in manifold ways evincing an        
intellectual1 moral1 and social         
activity1 begins to partake of a more   
liberal development and culture4 ,and on
 one account the fact appears still more
 consolatory4 ,such a reawakening of    
this long ill-treated and degraded race 

is1 in their oldest prophecies1 fixed   
for the last decisive days of the       
world's history4  ,in the medieval      
period of modern history we meet with   
all the elements of the ,christian      
state4 ,the idea of a pure monarchy also
 was here carried far higher toward     
perfection1 and much more manifoldly    
developed than in heathen antiquity4    
,but the civil and spiritual powers soon
 came into collision1 and in their      
mutual conflict were alike guilty of    
despotic encroachments on each other4   
,in this sad dissension the whole state 
of things fell more and more into a new 
kind of anarchy4 ,and in the same way1  
in our own times1 after a great part of 
the ,christian world had1 in sentiment  
at least1 reverted to heathenism1 then  
as a natural consequence of the ruling  
tone of thought and opinion1 there was a
 great relapse into the double evil of a
 wild and fatal popular anarchy1 and of 
a still more destructive military       
despotism4 ,and the whole history of the

 old heathen world is nothing but one   
continual alternation between these two 
evils4  ,in the ,christian ,west1       
indeed1 both now and in the middle ages1
 the predominant tendency to error      
inclined toward the side of anarchy4    
,among the ,mohammedan nations1 on the  
contrary1 from the very earliest days of
 their religion1 the despotic lust of   
conquest has been1 as it were1 an inborn
 and homebred hereditary failing4 ,it   
was indeed fed and encouraged by their  
national creed4 ,but here also the      
greatest changes have taken place4 ,the 
largest and most powerful of all the    
,mohammedan empires1 that1 viz41 in     
,india1 is entirely overthrown1 and     
scarcely a vestige of it remains in     
these times4 ,by a natural revolution of
 things1 the first irresistible         
conquerors are now themselves conquered 
and brought under the yoke of others4   
,and so1 too1 on the other and western  
side of their once wide rule1 they who  
formerly threatened the existence of    

civilized ,europe are now dependent     
upon1 essentially mixed up with1 and owe
 their political existence to1 ,european
 policy and the balance of power4 ,this 
total change of the relative position of
 the ,mohammedan states in general      
belongs undoubtedly to the              
characteristic signs which so peculiarly
 mark and distinguish our own age4  ,in 
the three centuries of modern history   
which fill up the interval between the  
middle ages and the revolutionary epoch 
of our own days1 the moral constitution 
of the monarchy has been far more fully 
and clearly developed than in any       
previous era4 ,but the most striking    
event of this period of history is      
furnished by the sad and melancholy     
phenomenon of the religious wars4 ,these
 were the lamentable consequence of the 
schism in the faith1 not indeed by any  
indispensable and necessary law1 nor    
even as its natural1 but still its      
perfectly explicable1 result4 ,in those 
lands where1 as in ,england and ,france1

 there existed a weaker party of either 
side1 which had either been fully       
conquered or was kept under by          
oppressive civil disabilities1 this     
unhappy phenomenon assumed the most     
revolting appearance4 ,but the same     
state of things took a very different   
turn in ,germany4 ,here the religious   
disputes terminated in a higher and a   
nobler result4 ,in a long and fruitless 
struggle of thirty years1 which wasted  
and consumed the best energies of the   
nation1 the two contending parties were 
taught1 that with so nicely-balanced    
strength1 no decisive result either way 
was to be expected4 ,coming at length to
 a wiser mind1 they acknowledged their  
respective rights1 and by a peaceable   
compromise they agreed to live together 
in the same social community4 ,this     
great and famous religious peace1 which1
 considered merely in the light of a    
treaty of general pacification1 is a    
master-piece of policy1 without equal or
 parallel1 and serving for the basis for

 all subsequent treaties and questions  
of peace1 is become for ,germany a      
species of inborn national necessity1   
and1 as it were1 a second national      
character4 ,she finds in it a full and  
perfect compensation for many           
disadvantages she labors under as       
compared with other lands1 while she has
 acquired from it a great and important 
position in the world of the future4    
,considered with regard to the whole    
world1 one can not well avoid ascribing 
to this indestructible religious peace  
in ,germany a still higher importance1  
however little it is commonly understood
 or regarded in this light4 ,indeed1 we 
can not but look upon it as the         
precursor1 with hopeful promises1 of a  
far greater and completer religious     
peace--a peace1 ,i mean1 which shall    
reconcile not only all differences in   
the faith1 but also that more universal 
and more pervading dissension between   
faith and unbelief2 the quarrel between 
science and faith being first adjusted1 

and unity restored thereby between them1
 and1 consequently1 also to life4 ,but  
to effect this object1 ,god1 who wills  
nothing but peace and unity1 must take  
the upper hand and be stronger than man1
 who loves and desires strife1 or1 at   
least1 without loving and seeking it1 is
 still ever relapsing into it4  ,in such
 or some similar way a religious view of
 universal history1 and of the divine   
order therein1 admits of being          
developed2 which1 however1 can not be   
truly done with too much of scientific  
rigor1 or by violently introducing into 
its plans any arbitrary and1            
consequently1 false designs and         
purposes4  ,my prescribed limits compel 
me to confine myself to these few hints1
 and in these ,i have wished principally
 to call attention to their reference to
 our own age1 and to exhibit them in the
 light in which they appear of universal
 interest and to possess an eminent and 
remarkable destination4 ,comprised1     
then1 in one result1 the following are  

the characteristic signs of the present 
age3 the two greatest heathen nations1  
which for thousands of years stood by   
themselves apart from the rest of the   
world1 have lately come into the closest
 contact with ,europe--the ,mohammedan  
empires are every where falling into    
decay1 more rapidly than men had been   
led to expect their fall--the ,hebrew   
race is beginning to rise from its long 
degradation--in ,christian states and   
communities there is here and there     
visible a strong inclination to the old 
evil of anarchy--and if the great human 
peace1 which has now lasted twelve      
years1 appears in some points insecure1 
or at least endangered from within1 it  
is only because it is devoid of a firm  
foundation of the internal sentiment of 
men4 ,what event1 then1 could be more   
happy for our age1 what better turn     
could the present posture of affairs    
take1 than by bringing about such a     
triple divine peace as we have already  
sketched1 to give a new foundation and a

 firmer basis to the external peace of  
society8 ,may not this1 in ,god's good  
purpose1 be the theme which is to occupy
 the next era of the world8             
,,lecture ,,ix4  ,,of ,,the ,,true      
,,destination ,,of ,,philosophy1 ,,and  
,,of ,,the ,,apparent ,,schism ,,but    
,,essential ,,unity ,,between ,a ,,right
 ,,faith ,,and ,,highest ,,certainty1   
,,as ,,the ,,center ,,of ,,light ,,and  
,,life ,,in ,,the ,,consciousness4      
,the philosophy of life can not be any  
mere science of reason1 and least of all
 an unconditional one4 ,for such does   
but lead us into a domain of dead       
abstractions alien to life1 which1 by   
the dialectical spirit of disputation   
connatural to the reason1 is soon       
converted into a labyrinthine maze of   
contradictory opinions and notions1 out 
of which the reason1 with all its       
logical means and appliances1 can not   
extricate itself4 ,and life1            
consequently--the inner spiritual life1 
that is--is disturbed and destroyed by  

it4 ,and it is even this disturbing and 
destroying principle of the dialectical 
reason that most requires to be got rid 
of and brought into subjection4 ,in the 
mere form1 however1 of abstract thought 
there is nothing in and by itself       
opposed to the truth4 ,there is nothing 
in it that it is absolutely and         
invariably necessary to avoid1 or that  
never and in no case admits of          
application4 ,it is1 no doubt1 most     
certain that every system of philosophy 
is on a wrong track which borrows its   
method exclusively from mathematics1 and
 copies it throughout from beginning to 
end4 ,still1 in the progressive         
development of philosophical ideas      
certain points may occur--there may be  
certain places in the entire            
system--where occasionally and by the   
way such formulas and abstract equations
 may be profitably employed4 ,such a    
case may happen in the present ,lecture4
 ,but by thus employing them only by way
 of illustration1 and episodically in   

passing1 ,i hope to establish such a use
 of them1 and to make it evident that   
the perspicuity of the exposition does  
not essentially suffer thereby4         
,philosophy1 as the universal science1  
embraces in its consideration the whole 
man4 ,as1 therefore1 it evidently       
involves the occasion1 so it is not     
unlikely that cases may occur where it  
can happily borrow1 now from one now    
from another of the sciences1 its       
external form and peculiar formularies4 
,it can1 in short1 advantageously avail 
itself of all in turn4 ,only1 such a    
use1 to be profitable1 must be free4    
,and this freedom will best evince      
itself in the deliberate choice and the 
diversity of the images4 ,the method of 
free speculation1 i4e41 of philosophy1  
must not resemble a coat of mail with   
its infinite number of little uniform   
chains and rings4 ,it ought not1 as is  
the case nearly with the mathematical   
method1 to be composed1 by mechanical   
rule and measure1 of simple propositions

 scientifically linked together1 and    
then formed again into higher logical   
concatenations4 ,in short1 the method of
 philosophy can not properly be uniform4
 ,the spirit must not be made           
subservient to the method2 the essence  
must not be sacrificed to the form4     
,philosophical thought and knowledge1   
with that diversity of illustration and 
variety in method which follows from its
 universality1 is1 in this respect1     
somewhat in the same case with poetry4  
,of all the imitative arts poetry alone 
embraces1 and by its nature is intended 
to embrace1 the whole man4 ,it is1      
therefore1 free to borrow its similes or
 colors1 and manifold figurative        
expressions1 from every sphere of life  
and nature1 and to take them now from   
this1 now from that object1 as on each  
occasion appears most striking and      
appropriate4 ,now1 no one would think of
 prescribing unconditionally to poetry1 
and compelling her to take all her      
similes and figures either from flowers 

and plants1 or from the animal world1 or
 exclusively from any one of the several
 pursuits of man--from the sailor's     
life1 for instance1 or the shepherd's1  
or the huntsman's--or from any of his   
handicrafts or mechanical arts4 ,for    
although all such similes1 and colors1  
and expressions1 appropriately1         
introduced1 are equally allowable in    
every poetical composition1 and none of 
them need be rejected1 still the        
exclusive use of any one class of them  
as a law would hamper the free poetic   
spirit and extinguish the living fancy4 
,in the same way1 philosophy is not     
confined to any one invariable and      
immutable form4 ,at one time it may come
 forward in the guise of a moral1       
legislative1 or a judicial discussion2  
at another1 as a description of natural 
history4 ,or1 perhaps1 it may assume the
 method of an historical and            
genealogical development and derivation 
of ideas as best fitted to exhibit the  
thoughts which it aims at illustrating  

in their mutual coherence and           
connection4 ,on other occasions1        
perhaps1 it will take the shape of a    
scientific investigation of nature--of  
an experiment in a higher physiology--in
 order to test the existence of the     
invisible powers which it is its purpose
 to establish4 ,or again1 by the        
employment of an algebraic equation1 or 
of a mathematical form 7which1 however1 
it regards as nothing more than a symbol
 and visible hieroglyphic for a higher  
something that is invisible71 it will1  
perhaps1 most conveniently attain to its
 loftier aim4 ,every method and every   
scientific form is good2 or1 at least1  
when rightly employed1 is good4 ,but no 
one ought to be exclusive4 ,no one must 
be carried out with painful uniformity1 
and with wearying monotony be invariably
 followed throughout4  ,the philosophy  
of life1 then1 can not be any mere      
absolute philosophy of reason4 ,and as  
little can1 or ought it to be purely and
 absolutely a philosophy of nature2 not1

 at least1 an exclusive one1 that is1   
exactly such and nothing more4 ,such a  
philosophy of nature may1 indeed1 in its
 physiological aspect1 possess unequaled
 scientific wealth1 and be full of      
profound and ingenious thoughts4 ,but   
still the right principles and the      
regulative ideas of human life can never
 be deduced from it easily1 and without 
having recourse to forced constructions4
 ,for even man is1 in his life1         
something higher than nature2 even he is
 something more than a mere physical    
being4 ,still less possible1 then1 were 
it1 from such a philosophy of nature1 to
 derive1 establish1 and to render clear 
and intelligible the idea and being of  
,god--the pervading reference to whom1  
however1 makes man what he is4 ,the idea
 of ,god deduced from such a source     
alone would1 and indeed could only be1  
some great final cause of the system of 
nature4  ,neither the conclusions of    
sound reason1 and least of all those of 
the conscience--no1 nor even dialectic  

itself 7so far as it is profitably      
employed1 by the knowledge of it being  
made available for the detection of     
error71 nor physical science1 when      
cultivated in a noble and lofty spirit1 
ought in any way to be excluded from the
 borders1 or even the very domain of    
philosophy4 ,on the contrary1 she may1  
in her own peculiar way1 adopt them all1
 and1 giving them a more extensive sense
 and spirit1 employ them for her own    
higher aims4 ,in its primary and most   
essential respects1 the philosophy of   
life is a thoroughly human science4 ,it 
is nothing less than the cognition of   
man4 ,now1 even on this account1 and    
because it is only by means of his      
all-pervading relation to ,god that man 
stands above nature and is something    
superior to a mere physical being1 and  
something higher1 too1 than a mere      
rational machine1 therefore is the      
philosophy of life actually and in fact 
a true philosophy of ,god4 ,the         
philosophy of life attains this high    

dignity beyond a mere philosophy of     
reason1 or of nature1 simply on this    
account--that the supreme life and the  
ultimate source of all other degrees of 
life is even ,god4 ,now this ,supreme   
,life1 which has its life in itself1 is 
the subject of my present disquisitions4
 ,for it is even with the correct and   
complete notion of this ,supreme ,life  
that the ,spirit of ,truth first enters 
the human consciousness2 and then1 in   
the inner world of man1 which before was
 8without form and void10 that light    
begins to shine which never shall become
 darkness1 and of which even this       
,spirit of ,truth has said 8that it was 
good40 ,this divine but initiatory      
illumination is the first step in that  
progressive development of the internal 
light and truth in human life and       
consciousness1 and which1 as starting   
from this point and passing through its 
successive stages of advancement1 it    
will be our object to trace in the last 
seven of the present ,lectures4 ,in the 

eight preceding disquisitions ,i have   
endeavored1 by advancing step by step1  
to arrive at this last end of all4 ,we  
have now reached the culminating point2 
and the ,supreme ,life1 which1 according
 to what has been already said1 is the  
primary source of all other life1 and   
which has life in itself1 is now1       
together with the full and true notion  
of this life1 to occupy our common      
consideration4 ,and then again1         
descending from this summit of light and
 truth--for which1 in the mean time1 ,i 
entreat your entire and closest         
attention--,i propose1 with hasty step1 
to retrace our way through all the      
grades of man's spiritual enlightenment1
 to carry back your regards and mine    
into all the several spheres of life and
 consciousness4  ,but now1 it has been  
said that the philosophy of life1 in    
every case and instance1 invariably     
ascends to the highest object of every  
sphere that it contemplates1 and that   
that supreme object is ,god4 ,from this1

 further1 it has been argued that it is 
even and truly a philosophy of ,god4    
,how1 then1 does it differ from         
theology8  ,at the very commencement of 
these ,lectures ,i confessed that       
philosophy in general1 and especially a 
philosophy of life1 by reason of the    
common object which they both treat of1 
could not avoid coming into frequent and
 close contact with theology4 ,but1 at  
the same time1 ,i asserted that the     
former1 in its whole essence1 is        
completely and materially different from
 the latter1 and requires to be         
carefully restricted within its own     
limits4 ,we must take heed lest it      
either violently encroach upon the      
proper domain of theology1 or1 on the   
other hand1 become its servile handmaid 
at the sacrifice of its own peculiar    
character and destination4 ,the true    
relation of these two kindred sciences1 
as occupied with a common subject1 which
 is often entirely identical1 and their1
 nevertheless1 so strongly-marked and   

distinct limits1 may perhaps be most    
clearly illustrated by a comparison with
 the mathematical sciences4  ,dogmatic  
theology1 or the science of positive    
belief1 resembles pure mathematics4 ,its
 ideas and formularies can not be too   
strictly1 or too simply1 defined2 nor1  
where it admits of demonstration1 can   
its proofs be carried out with too      
rigorous and mathematical a precision4  
,for in these matters it is impossible  
to give the least room or influence to  
individual caprice without hazarding the
 loss of all that is most essential in  
the positive articles of faith4         
,philosophy1 on the other hand1 in      
treating of such subjects--or1 at least1
 that part of it which is occupied with 
these matters--resembles rather mixed   
geometry in its several applications1   
such as practical mensuration1 or the   
science of fortification and the art of 
war4 ,for philosophy is1 if we may so   
speak1 an applied theology4 ,adopting   
the universal ideas of the one living   

,god and his overruling ,providence1    
and1 what is so closely connected       
therewith1 of the soul's immortality and
 man's free will1 it adapts them1 in    
many valuable practical applications1 to
 the whole and almost boundless field of
 historical knowledge and the           
development of the human race1 as well  
as to all physical and experimental     
sciences1 and even to the wide domain of
 scientific disputes and merely human   
opinion1 with its several conflicting   
systems4 ,in this course of practical   
application philosophy needs not1 in its
 expressions and formularies1           
scrupulously to confine itself to the   
terminology of its sister science1 or to
 repeat its words with a careful        
exactness4 ,on the contrary1 its best   
and wisest course is to move with       
freedom1 changing and varying its       
expressions at pleasure4 ,for inasmuch  
as it is not itself so rigorously tied  
up as theology is to authority1 so it   
can not appeal to it with equal justice 

in order to enforce assent to its own   
teaching4 ,in the same way1 too1 that in
 algebraic equations a mere hypothetical
 calculation is oftentimes introduced1  
which1 moreover1 afterward suggests many
 a valuable practical application1 so1  
also1 a similar hypothetical use of the 
theological magnitudes or axioms1 if we 
may so speak1 is quite open and         
allowable to philosophy in the pursuit  
of its merely scientific ends4 ,it is   
only the most general articles of the   
faith that philosophy makes use of4 ,at 
least1 the minuter and sharply-defined  
determinations of a positive creed are  
not immediately and indispensably       
necessary for its object4 ,now1 an      
overruling ,providence1 the soul's      
immortality1 and the freedom of the     
will1 are articles of universal belief1 
which1 although1 perhaps1 not couched in
 express words and definite notions1 yet
 still as germs and vague feelings      
exist1 however deeply they may slumber1 
in every human breast that is as yet    

pure and uncontaminated by that captious
 skepticism which frets and corrodes    
itself with its seeming perplexities4   
,these1 philosophy may safely take for  
granted4 ,nay1 it is its duty so to do2 
and where it does so in the right way1  
then will it never1 on that account1    
meet with any considerable obstacle or  
opposition4 ,on the contrary1 by        
pursuing this course it will the more   
surely arouse and awaken these universal
 feelings from their slumber in the     
human mind1 and gradually shape and     
convert them into fixed and stable      
points from which to carry on the       
further progress and development of the 
principle of faith4  ,and it is even    
herein that philosophy will most display
 its art1 or1 rather1 its intellectual  
power over the minds of men4 ,it is in  
this1 pre-eminently1 that lies its      
vocation4 ,but if1 on the contrary1 it  
makes this mission to consist rather in 
demonstrating1 in a strictly scientific 
form1 the existence of a ,deity1 with   

its natural train of those eternal      
verities--the immortality of the soul1  
and the freedom of the will1 then at the
 very first outset it will lose sight of
 its true aim1 and set up a false one4  
,for1 were such a demonstration         
possible1 still nothing essential would 
be gained by its actual attainment4     
,for1 in such a case1 the existence of  
,god1 and ,god himself1 would naturally 
become dependent1 in thought at least1  
on that from and by means of which the  
proof was established1 and would1       
consequently1 appear to us no longer as 
the first cause of all1 but1 rather1 a  
secondary and derivative being4 ,in such
 the primal essence would be made to    
depend on our human knowledge and       
science of reasoning1 so to speak2 the  
latter must1 in the plenitude of its    
power1 first confer upon and guaranty to
 the former its existence4 ,this would1 
indeed1 be a complete inversion of the  
true and natural order of things1 such  
as1 alas1 has but too often occurred and

 manifested itself in actual experience4
  ,these remarks1 however1 must be      
understood as applying to a strict      
demonstration of this great verity1 or  
at least to all attempts of the kind4   
,to point to this truth1 to trace every 
indication of it1 to elucidate it1 to   
confirm it by analogy or other          
corroborative evidences1 is quite a     
different matter4 ,all this is perfectly
 allowable4 ,but ,god does not allow his
 existence to be proved4 ,by force of   
reasoning such a belief is not to be    
impressed on the mind of that man who is
 unwilling spontaneously to admit it4   
,as life generally1 so also this supreme
 life must be learned and concluded from
 every man's own experience2 it must be 
adopted with the vividness of a feeling4
  ,let us now1 for a moment1 revert to  
the old scholastic forms and the        
designations usually given in the       
schools to the several philosophical    
sciences1 and compare with them the     
division on which our present           

disquisitions are based4 ,we might1 in  
this respect1 say that the first five   
sections of our treatise have been      
exclusively devoted to psychology2      
though not indeed in the ordinary narrow
 sense of the word1 but in one far more 
extensive1 and embracing the whole      
universe4 ,according to this wider      
extent and signification of psychology1 
we have considered the soul relatively1 
first of all1 to the whole of philosophy
 and its several systems2 secondly1 to  
moral life2 and1 lastly1 to revelation1 
to nature1 and to ,god ,himself4 ,the   
three following ,lectures were devoted  
to an examination of the divine order of
 things in the several spheres of       
existence1 and to the indications of a  
ruling ,providence discoverable therein4
 ,they constitute1 therefore1 a species 
of theology2 but one1 however1          
empirically conceived and historically  
worked out from observations in nature  
and in history1 not only in the annals  
of the external world1 but also in the  

spiritual history of the progressive    
terms in the development of truth4 ,such
 a theological essay exactly corresponds
 to that notion we so lately advanced1  
of an applied or mixed science of       
theology as the peculiar sphere for this
 part or branch of philosophy which     
concerns itself with the doctrine of the
 supreme essence1 and the right         
understanding thereof4  ,now if1 in     
compliance with olden forms of division 
and a scholastic phraseology1 it be     
necessary to deliver a scheme of        
ontology as the philosophical science   
and cognition of really existent things1
 and also of their true and real        
essence1 it is clear that such is only  
conceivable and possible by means of    
such an applied theology4 ,for how can  
things be truly real1 and how can they  
as such be known in their inmost        
essence1 except so far as they have     
their existence and determination in    
,god1 and1 in this respect1 admit of    
being known by us8  ,in any case1       

however1 the name of natural theology1  
which ever and anon we still hear       
applied to the philosophical cognition  
of the ,divine ,being and ,his          
existence1 ought carefully to be        
avoided4 ,such a designation is based on
 a thorough misconception and total     
inversion of ideas4 ,every system of    
theology that is not supernatural1 or at
 least that does not profess to be so1  
but pretends to understand naturally the
 idea of ,god1 and regards the knowledge
 of the divine essence as a branch of   
natural science1 or derives the idea    
simply from nature1 is even on that     
account false4 ,missing and entirely    
mistaking its proper object1 it must1 in
 short1 prove absolutely null and void4 
,properly1 indeed1 this inquiry needs no
 peculiar word nor special division and 
scientific designation4 ,the name       
generally of philosophy1 or specially of
 a philosophy of ,god1 is perfectly     
sufficient to designate the             
investigation into science and faith1   

and their reciprocal relation--their    
abiding discord1 or its harmonious      
reconciliation and intrinsic concord4   
,and this is properly the point which is
 here in question2 it forms the         
essential part of the topic which we    
have at present to examine4  ,the       
internal schism in the faith itself ,i  
formerly excluded from our inquiry1 as  
not lying properly within the limits of 
philosophy1 and belonging to a higher   
tribunal4 ,i at the same time expressed 
my conviction that ,god alone could     
universally and totally reconcile it4   
,by this1 however1 ,i would not by any  
means wish to be understood as asserting
 that works on this subject1 written    
with a thorough knowledge of historical 
facts1 and in a luminous and instructive
 style1 can not contribute much to the  
refutation of error4 ,works of this     
nature may1 in their degree1 tend to    
bring about a mutual approximation of   
sentiment4 ,for they serve to elucidate 
and clear up points which1 even though  

they do not involve the essential       
articles of positive belief2 do1        
nevertheless1 greatly and extensively   
co-operate in keeping alive a mutual    
spiritual alienation and estrangement of
 mind4 ,the great merit of treatises of 
this kind1 when composed with high      
intellectual powers and in that noble   
spirit which is at once just and        
desirous of peace1 must not in any case 
be denied or depreciated4 ,nevertheless1
 it is idle to pretend that the         
influence of such essays1 whether       
greater or less1 is not confined to a   
limited sphere1 extending to a few      
individuals1 or at most to classes4  ,to
 judge by the usual course of the divine
 order in the realm of truth1 a total   
conversion of the whole mind of the age1
 or a reawakening of entire nations1 is 
only to be expected from a higher and   
universal impulse imparted from above4  
,as a preparation1 however1 for that    
divine peace in a universal unity of    
faith1 which so repeatedly and so many  

ways is promised most distinctly even to
 this life1 nothing can be so effective 
as to remove1 if possible1 or at least  
to reconcile1 that triple discord       
already described as dividing and       
distracting the inner man4 ,and this is 
a matter which1 as lying within the     
sphere of human consciousness and       
science1 unquestionably belongs to the  
domain of philosophical investigation4  
,and it is even the duty of philosophy1 
whenever it follows its prevailing      
mediatory and atoning tendency1 to      
attempt scientifically to bring about   
the reconciliation of that strife1 and1 
undiscouraged by repeated failures1     
still to labor to re-establish the      
perfect and profound harmony of         
consciousness and of life4  ,now the    
first dissension1 that1 viz41 between   
science and faith1 whether actual or    
apparent1 requires for its removal      
before all things a mutual understanding
 and compromise4 ,the second dissension 
between faith in general1 even a mere   

philosophical and natural faith1 and    
that unbelief which is so general and   
prevalent in our age1 can only end with 
the perfect triumph of the truth4 ,for  
only by the full light of divine        
knowledge and truth--by the triumphant  
exposition of this true light1 and by   
the magic power of such a display on the
 minds of men--shall doubt and          
infidelity be fully eradicated and      
destroyed4 ,the third dissension1       
between both faith and science on the   
one hand1 and life on the other1 needs1 
for the removal of all misunderstanding1
 something more than a mere peace and   
compromise on the disputed points4 ,for 
this purpose there is required a        
thorough union of both carried out into 
fruitful and practical application1 by  
which the living faith and the living   
science may evince themselves as such1  
and manifest their true and wholesome   
influence on life1 however at present   
estranged from and adverse to it4  ,the 
second and the third of these           

dissensions are reserved for            
consideration in the two following      
,lectures2 but the first1 that1 viz41   
which subsists between faith and        
science1 is to form the subject1 and its
 reconciliation the problem of our      
present disquisition4  ,now1 is this    
dissension necessarily and really       
grounded in the thing itself1 and in the
 nature of the thing8 ,or1 rather1 does 
the blame of it lie with men1 and in    
their defective apprehension and form8  
,i have no hesitation in saying that a  
living faith and a living science will  
never be at issue together1 at least on 
essential points4 ,in three cases1 no   
doubt1 a dissension1 a reciprocal       
misunderstanding1 and endless conflict  
between both is perfectly conceivable4  
,it is possible1 either when the faith  
is a mere matter of memory and of a few 
acquired notions1 rather than a         
deeply-rooted conviction of the soul4   
,or1 secondly1 since all the faculties  
of the human mind ought to co-operate in

 giving a full internal development and 
an external shape to the truth thus     
divinely imparted1 it may spring up even
 when the soul receives it with a full  
love1 but is nevertheless principally1  
or at least too much1 under the dominion
 of a lively fancy1 to the exclusion of 
a due admixture of clearness of         
understanding1 and the circumspection   
which belongs to the distinguishing     
judgment4 ,or1 thirdly1 it may arise1 on
 the other side1 when a conceited and   
presumptuous science seeks to establish 
itself rather than truth1 and places    
more dependence on its own conclusions  
than on its announcements4  ,what1 then1
 is faith1 taken in itself1 but the     
reception into the soul of the divine   
and divinely-communicated verities8 ,and
 what is science1 more than the         
apprehension thereof by the mind geist8 
,are there1 then1 two truths1 of which1 
however1 one or the other is not true8  
,undoubtedly there exists1 along with   
the spirit of truth1 another            

spirit--that of contradiction and       
negation4 ,but the latter is no spirit  
of truth1 but the spirit of untruth and 
delusion so often described1 which      
invariably triumphs whenever the mind of
 man1 in its pursuit of knowledge1 seeks
 itself rather than the truth1 and      
consequently finds1 perceives1 and      
retains nothing but its own ,me4 ,and   
this evil spirit the soul even meets    
half way whenever it is incapable of    
embracing and retaining the life and the
 spirit of the holy faith1 and when1    
consequently1 these quickly flee away1  
and nothing but the letter and the empty
 form remain behind4 ,but where the     
spirit of truth has once departed1 error
 in manifold shapes and forms finds1 one
 way or other1 an entrance into the     
soul4 ,is it not one and the same truth 
which1 on the one side1 speaking from   
the one revelation1 impresses itself on 
the soul of man as the commanding voice 
of love enjoining faith1 and which1 on  
the other1 condescendingly offers and   

presents itself to the mind or spirit of
 the believer as a mystery1 in order    
that he may1 if he will1 investigate it 
in order to discover and adopt the      
meaning and the light that are veiled   
and inclosed within it8 ,is there1 then1
 to be a party feud and a civil war in  
the heart of man1 between soul and      
spirit1 the two elements of his         
existence2 just as if it were some      
ill-organized state where1 in opposition
 to the supreme political power1 some   
insubordinate body sets itself up in    
authority1 and presumes to give the law8
 ,ought1 forsooth1 the soul in secret to
 be liberal1 and1 in half-unbelief1 to  
grant immunity to all manner of lusts   
and desires1 while the spirit is        
legitimist in sentiment and             
constitutional in language8 ,or ought   
the soul to be honestly ultra and a     
thorough legitimist in its established  
faith1 while the mind1 on its part1 by  
its liberal measures1 is perfectly      
falling into error8 ,so far is this from

 being allowable1 that even these names 
and these parties would soon cease and  
disappear altogether1 if1 instead of    
party1 the knowledge1 and the might1 and
 the inspiration of life--the supreme   
life1 i4e41 or ,god1 were once to take  
full possession of the minds of men1 and
 so animate them anew and ardently      
inspire them with the common spirit and 
ardor of the one faith and the one      
science4  ,now1 the intermediate link   
which unites science with faith--the    
mean function between both which admits 
of demonstration within the limits of   
the consciousness and of philosophy1 is 
discernment erkennen4 ,of this there are
 two kinds3 the one distinguishes       
between right and wrong1 and1           
consequently1 as a separate function1   
directs itself outwardly in its         
operation1 and observes differences4 ,by
 the other we see and comprehend1 or    
understand and discern1 that two objects
 apparently different1 are properly and 
essentially one and the same4 ,it is    

with this intrinsic and                 
inwardly-directed discernment that we   
are here concerned4 ,for it is by this  
highest function of thought1 which      
penetrates into the inmost essence of   
each of two ideas1 and by its sentence  
declaring their similarity1 that we     
perceive and discern that this science  
and that faith are essentially          
identical4 ,discerning in this sense is 
something different from knowing2 it is1
 as it were1 a second knowing2 or1 if we
 may be allowed to express ourselves    
mathematically1 8knowing raised to a    
higher power40 ,it is this that         
discovers the essential unity of        
,science and ,faith1 and that must bring
 about the restoration of concord       
between them1 and reconcile them with   
each other4 ,if1 however1 this second   
and higher knowing1 or this science of  
science1 be referred and confined to    
one's own ,me or ,self1 as is too often 
done1 such a course will only lead us   
out of the common error of the ordinary 

self-delusion into one still more       
profound1 which will prove the more     
complex and aggravated1 the more        
scientifically it is evolved1 and which 
,i have already depicted to you in its  
true colors4  ,now this unity of science
 with faith can only be found and       
discovered in their common object--in   
truth1 consequently1 and i4e4 in ,god1  
who is the sum of all truth4 ,mere      
negations--like that of the idea of the 
infinite1 or the notion of the          
immeasurable1 which is applicable even  
to nature itself1 or that of the        
absolute or unconditional1 of which many
 palpably erroneous applications might  
easily be made--no such pure negations1 
nor even any mere enumeration of        
predicates and properties devoid of     
intrinsic coherence1 can furnish us with
 an adequate conception of the ,deity4  
,but now if a cognition1 an             
understanding of life in general1 be    
attainable 7and no skeptical            
perplexities have yet been able to deter

 or seduce man's sound common sense from
 entertaining and acting upon such a    
supposition71 then it is clear that     
there is no reason for holding the      
notion of the supreme life in and by    
itself to be impossible or utterly      
unattainable by man4  ,now1 this is the 
path which a profounder science and     
philosophy has invariably marked out for
 itself in this respect2 and in the     
three different powers1 which1 however1 
are at the same time but one1 in the    
trine energy of the one first cause of  
all1 has it ever sought and discovered  
this highest notion4 ,in this notion    
belonging to the supreme science1 as    
advanced by philosophy in very different
 ages of the world and among            
widely-remote nations1 there is a       
remarkable resemblance1 although in the 
subordinate statements there is a       
greater or less admixture of error4 ,in 
the midst of many subordinate           
aberrations1 it has recognized the one  
great fact1 that in the ,supreme ,life1 

who has ,his life in ,himself1 and is   
the prime source of all other life1     
there is1 at the same time1 a creative  
intelligence and thought which from the 
beginning issued therefrom as the       
,eternal ,word self-subsistent and      
ordering all things1 and that the ,light
 which proceeded therefrom was itself   
also the first life4 ,but now1 just as  
this original life1 which was from the  
beginning1 was not simply ,infinite1 but
 even the source of all finite and      
infinite existence1 and as this ,life is
 an illumination which illuminates      
,itself and all other things1 so is this
 ,light also a living entity1 and not   
merely spiritual and immaterial 7for as 
such even ,it might still be a part of  
nature71 but one thoroughly supernatural
 and holy1 and1 if man will have it so1 
an awful light which repels all darkness
 from itself1 and1 eternally rejecting1 
annihilates it4  ,now1 this ,life1 this 
,word1 and this ,light1 these three     
different powers in the same energy and 

in the one substance1 which even1       
therefore1 is called the ,supreme1 is at
 once the highest object of all science1
 and the center and fundamental source  
of all faith4 ,and this science of the  
,highest1 even when regarded exclusively
 from this single aspect of knowing1    
does not exhibit itself as entirely     
separate from1 and independent of1      
faith1 but even1 as such1 is from the   
very first in contact with it1 and1     
taken simply as knowing1 involves in it 
a concurrence and co-operation of faith4
  ,in very many and different1 not to   
say infinitely various ways it may be   
shown1 pointed out1 and established1    
that without this full and correct      
notion of the ,supreme ,being1 every    
other species of existence and of       
knowledge must be without coherence and 
proper significance4 ,however1 as has   
been so often observed already1 there is
 not involved in it any strict          
necessity4 ,it does not possess any     
rigor of logical sequence1 constraining 

the assent of one who in his heart is   
otherwise disposed1 and in his          
sentiments has otherwise determined4    
,for so must it ever be3 the final      
resolve of conviction is left to the    
free assent1 that quiet internal        
concurrence of the will already         
mentioned1 which in general brings man  
into actual communion with ,god1 and    
opens and enlarges his sense for the    
divine--since such assent is itself even
 that sense1 or1 at least1 the principle
 and commencement of it4  ,and this     
complement of the highest science1 which
 is furnished by the free internal      
assent1 is even of itself nothing less  
than an act of faith4 ,consequently1 the
 complete and correct notion of the     
,supreme ,essence is the mystical ring  
in which science and faith are at the   
first beginning indissolubly connected4 
,nothing but the perversity and         
shortsightedness of men in regard both  
to science and faith1 tears them asunder
 again1 and1 separating what in ,god is 

one and what ,he has joined together1   
sets science and faith in hostile       
opposition1 mutually obstructing and    
destroying one another4 ,moreover1 this 
highest notion of the highest science is
 the scientific vertex or the           
scientifically culminating expression of
 man's universal belief in the one      
living ,god4 ,for if this one ,god is   
necessarily to be conceived of as endued
 with life1 it will be sufficient for me
 to appeal to the fact1 that physical   
science knows not1 and no one even can  
conceive or comprehend or think of a    
mode of life in any sphere of existence1
 without implying a plurality1 or1 at   
least1 a duality of co-operating forces4
 ,but if1 further1 we are to think of it
 as a perfect life1 then must there be  
in it a third living energy or          
operation4 ,thus1 therefore1 on this    
side also the highest notion of a       
science which has attained to its end1  
and to the summit of all existence and  
all knowledge1 is in perfect unison with

 the universal feeling of truth and the 
natural and simple faith of man4  ,but  
now1 if the highest science and a divine
 faith intrinsically and essentially be 
properly one1 it will naturally turn and
 depend on the preservation of the true 
ratio and correct proportion between the
 two powers and elements of human       
existence1 whether or not in their      
further application and actual life they
 are to continue at unity1 without      
coming into hostile collision and       
discord4 ,the believing soul1 like the  
mistress of a family1 ought to hold and 
retain the chief place in the house2 the
 spirit that knows1 or that aims at     
knowledge1 as the master1 may pursue out
 of doors whatever avocations it        
pleases1 only it must be continually    
returning to the domestic hearth1 and   
there warm itself at the pure ascending 
flame of devotion and pious meditation4 
,and if in its wanderings it should most
 love to stray in the rich and blooming 
garden of nature1 then of the rare      

aromatic woods and seeds it there       
gathers1 it may throw one or more into  
the fire1 in order to add some sweet1   
ethereal incense to its warming and     
illuminating flames4  ,or1 leaving      
figure1 to express myself in more       
precise and exact terms--the believing  
part of the consciousness observing its 
due proportion1 ought not to refuse and 
reject the true and ,godlike science    
together with that which is ,godless1   
pernicious1 and false4 ,so1 too1 the    
cognitive or scientific portion ought to
 abstain from all hostile attacks on the
 other domain and on positive faith1    
which in all probability it has not     
sufficiently studied1 and still less    
perfectly understands4 ,and thus1 also1 
when this cognitive part 7as it ought1  
and as is essential to its truth and    
correctness as science7 carefully       
watches itself and rigorously abstains  
from all arbitrary1 presumptuous1 and   
egoistic opinions and ideas1 suggestions
 or beginnings of ideas1 as involving   

the first disposition to false science  
and every species of error1 then there  
is no need for it to be held in check by
 the other part1 nor to be limited by   
it4  ,but in any case we must be ready  
to admit that the fault lies in man1 and
 on no account suppose that the         
dissension has its ground in the thing  
itself4 ,for the thing here is nothing  
less than truth itself1 which can not be
 twofold1 since ,god ,himself is this   
truth and the sum thereof4 ,it is       
therefore important1 on the one hand1 by
 means of the old spirit1 to be ever    
giving new life and energy to faith1 by 
carrying it back continually to its own 
eternal foundations1 in order to avert  
the danger1 which is ever threatening   
it1 of spiritual deadness and of the    
ascendency of the letter that killeth4  
,and1 on the other hand1 we ought never 
to cease from or to become weary of     
refining more and more the higher       
philosophical science from all the      
egoistic dross of arbitrary opinions and

 fancied apodictic conclusions1 laboring
 the while to complete it according to  
the threefold dimensions 7to hazard the 
expression7 of this so utterly          
immeasurable essence of everlasting     
truth1 by keeping incessantly in view   
the unfathomable depth1 the inaccessible
 height1 the inexhaustible center of    
bliss of the one inconceivable and      
ineffable ,being4 ,for the fault and the
 cause of the dissension must in no case
 be ascribed to the thing itself1 but   
invariably either to a dead1 imperfectly
 enlightened1 and untelligent faith1 on 
the one hand1 or on the other1 to the   
arbitrary assumptions or one-sided      
conclusions of a science1 which in this 
respect and degree at least is false and
 erroneous4  ,but inasmuch as the fault 
and origin of the dissension has partly 
its foundation in human imperfection and
 finiteness1 we must rest content1 even 
if we can not all at once get rid of and
 remove it4 ,we must be satisfied if in 
this ceaseless struggle with man's      

hereditary and connatural fault of      
error1 the progress though slow is sure4
 ,it is enough if in this surely        
advancing progression1 each step1       
however short1 brings us nearer to the  
truth1 and to the perfect cognition of  
the unity of the highest science and    
divine faith4 ,but this is a point on   
which even individuals1 with the most   
perfect honesty of purpose and a sincere
 love of truth1 too often go wrong4     
,unable1 perhaps1 to reconcile to their 
own minds some conflicting claim of     
science and of faith1 and to see their  
way clear out of their perplexities1    
then to cut the knot of the problem to  
which they despair of soon finding a    
satisfactory solution1 they             
precipitately adopt some partial and    
overhasty conclusion4 ,but slow1        
extremely slow1 is the advance of man's 
mental enlightenment in the realm of    
truth4 ,and if the course of            
,providence1 according to the very      
gradual progression of divine order in  

this domain1 must be counted by         
millenniums1 then in the life of        
individuals1 years and decades must be  
reckoned as days and hours4 ,even though
 some grave doubt1 distracting the      
inmost feelings1 but scarcely definable 
in express terms--some oppressive       
problem suggested by the peculiar mental
 temperament of the individual1 can not 
be resolved in three hours1 or even     
three days1 still it may perhaps in     
three years2 and if three years be too  
little1 then thirty years may probably  
suffice4 ,while in spite of this inward 
doubt we follow uninterruptedly our     
vocation in outer life1 many a silent   
change is effected in our minds1 and so 
at length with altered views and        
enlarged experience we attain to a calm 
and clear conviction on the points which
 at an earlier period had appeared to us
 obscure1 had held us in suspense1 and  
oppressed us with perplexing            
difficulties4  ,this is the only road   
that can be safely trod by those who    

desire above all things to retain a     
divine faith1 but at the same time not  
to renounce the pursuit of higher       
science4 ,and is not this the difficult 
position in the present day of every    
well-disposed person who is in any way  
connected with science1 or whose        
pursuits in life require him to occupy  
himself with it8 ,but now1 in the case  
of physical science1 we are all content 
to observe this law of tardy progress2  
indeed we think it quite natural1 and   
hold it to be the only correct method4  
,and it is only by following a similar  
course in the internal investigations of
 philosophy that we shall ever arrive at
 a stable position and the firm ground  
of eternal truth4 ,by any other method1 
we shall most assuredly lose ourselves  
among the ever-shifting systems which   
change with the fashions of the day1 or 
be carried away by the baseless         
hypotheses of this or that sect or      
school1 which1 like the sterile blossoms
 in the spring1 fall fruitless to the   

ground4  ,in respect to this tardiness  
of progress1 which most assuredly is at 
least not inconsistent with true        
philosophy1 ,i can appeal to my own     
instance1 which in such a case is1 ,i   
hope1 allowable4 ,it is now             
nine-and-thirty years since ,i first    
read1 with indescribable avidity1 the   
entire works of ,plato in the original2 
and ever since1 amid many other         
scientific studies1 philosophical       
research has been my principal and      
favorite avocation4 ,in this pursuit    
many and various have been the systems  
of science--of discord and of           
error--that ,i have had to wander       
through4 ,satisfied neither with the    
opinions of others nor with my own      
views1 ,i felt reluctant to come forward
 with a system of my own4 ,in the mean  
while my view of philosophy has been in 
a state of inchoation and of tardy but  
progressive development4 ,slowly and    
incompletely1 little by little1         
incidentally and fragmentarily1 at      

different epochs1 has some of its       
principles come to the light1 or escaped
 me in my earlier literary works and    
compositions--an explanation which ,i do
 not consider superfluous1 even for     
those who are best acquainted with them4
 ,but the more ,i held fast to the two  
poles of divine faith and of supreme    
science1 which as such is also divine1  
the firmer footing did ,i gain in that  
point and that center in the everlasting
 ,beginning1 in which both are one and  
cease to be at issue1 but rather        
intimately cohering1 do but lend fresh  
life1 strength1 and elevation to each   
other4 ,and now at length ,i believe ,i 
have attained to that point when1 fully 
persuaded myself of this unity of       
science and faith as grounded in ,god1  
,i may safely indulge the wish to impart
 to others this important truth1        
publicly to set it forth1 and develop it
 to the whole world4 ,and it is to me no
 slight cause of congratulation that ,i 
am to enter upon this task in the       

present place and in the present manner4
  ,besides those points of correlation  
already pointed out1 between the highest
 science and faith1 there is still      
another way in which the former1 in its 
all-embracing notion of the triple life 
of the primal cause and force1 is       
referred to faith1 and even to its      
positive articles and its divine        
authority4 ,it is obliged to appeal to  
this1 in order to find and maintain its 
guiding rule and correct standard for   
the further application and development 
of this highest and fundamental notion1 
and to keep it dear of all erroneous and
 extravagant excrescences4 ,the         
necessity of this will be best and most 
simply shown by a few historical        
instances4  ,when we open any of the    
ancient writings of the ,hindoos1       
whether it be their scientific systems1 
their books of laws and customs for     
practical life1 or their merely         
mythological poems1 we find them1 in    
every instance1 based on the notion of a

 divine trinity1 and1 in some cases1    
asserting it in express words and       
phrases4 ,but inasmuch as1 forgetting to
 maintain the unity together with the   
trinity1 they abandoned the simple truth
 and made thereout three distinct gods1 
the metaphysical theory 7which otherwise
 contains so many and distinct traces of
 ancient truth7 and the trinity of the  
,hindoos has become a pure mythology1   
comprising as long a genealogy of gods  
as any other4 ,but the retention1       
however1 of this fundamental notion1    
their mythology has acquired a theistic 
hue and coloring1 which forms a strong  
contrast between it and the better known
 mythology of ,greece1 notwithstanding  
that in other respects1 and in its      
purely poetic portion1 it exhibits many 
and strong features of resemblance and  
affinity4 ,thus1 in this wonderful chaos
 of distorted truth1 of monstrous error1
 and pure fiction1 we meet with ten     
fabulous creations of men1 instead of   
the single true one with which1 only    

within the last three centuries1 the    
,hindoos have formed a more thorough and
 permanently-based acquaintance4        
,moreover1 in life and in practice there
 is exhibited a renunciation of the     
world1 and a mortification of the body1 
which1 far surpassing the rigorous      
self-denial of the early ,christian     
solitaries in ,egypt1 is carried to an  
intensity and an extreme which it is    
almost incredible that human nature     
should be capable of4 ,but co-existing  
with all this1 we meet with immoral     
practices and licentious excesses       
sanctified by falsehood and             
superstition1 similar to those we have  
already become acquainted with in the   
more sensual heathenism of antiquity1   
that1 ,i mean1 which prevailed among the
 ancient races of this our western      
portion of the globe4 ,into such a      
frightful abyss of error even the most  
spiritual system of metaphysics         
inevitably falls1 or at least easily    
becomes associated with falsehood1      

whenever it is left entirely to itself1 
and is devoid of a divine rule for its  
guidance1 and the simple standard of a  
higher and heaven-descended authority4  
,in the history1 too1 of the development
 of the ,grecian mind we discover a     
similar doctrine advanced in one of its 
latest epochs4 ,the ,neo-,platonists    
were very well acquainted with this     
doctrine and idea of a divine trinity2  
as1 indeed1 it may also be traced in the
 still earlier writings of ,plato       
himself4 ,how far the expressions and   
formularies employed by the former      
writers scientifically to convey this   
idea were perfect and correct is a      
question which does not concern us at   
present to inquire4 ,moreover1 the      
determination of it would carry us far  
beyond our proper limits1 inasmuch as   
its exact solution would require a nice 
and accurate classification of the      
several writers and systems which belong
 to this school4 ,it is1 however1       
sufficient to remark that this profound 

metaphysical school of the              
,neo-,platonists1 which reckoned among  
its adherents the ,emperor ,julian1     
stood in direct and hostile collision   
with ,christianity4 ,to adapt to the    
purpose of their opposition the old     
,grecian mythology1 a faith in which had
 sensibly declined even among the       
masses1 they attempted to mold it       
according to their own views and        
notions1 into such a theological shape  
and direction as would make it more     
closely resemble the ,indian4 ,by this  
means they believed it possible to      
revive and reanimate the popular faith4 
,but1 even if their ulterior view and   
their whole object and actuating motive 
had not taken a direction so decidedly  
hostile to the truth1 still their       
enterprise1 even as such1 could not but 
miscarry4 ,no doubt the mythology of    
,greece1 in its earliest times and      
original shape1 did contain1 in some of 
its less prominent and more hidden      
passages1 esoterically interpreted1 a   

few symbolical doctrines and somewhat   
theistic ideas1 as many a profound      
examiner of it1 in modern times1 has    
recognized and demonstrated4 ,but1      
notwithstanding all these traces1 which 
we must regard as the remains of an     
older tradition of the primary knowledge
 and full revelation belonging to       
primeval times1 still1 in subsequent    
ages1 the ,grecian mythology had1 on the
 whole1 assumed exclusively and         
pre-eminently a poetic development and  
form1 which even subordinated to itself 
that political tendency which in so many
 of its details is so strong4 ,it was1  
therefore1 nothing less than an absurd  
and inconsistent attempt to try1 so late
 in the day1 to metamorphose this       
beautiful world of fable into a         
factitious theory of metaphysics1 and a 
colossal system of mysticism1 after the 
manner and fashion of the ,indian4      
,accordingly1 like every other attempt  
that is fundamentally false and directly
 opposed to the spirit of the age1 it   

passed away at last1 without leaving a  
trace of its influence4  ,this          
inclination to the poetic aberration of 
polytheism and a deification of nature1 
so universally prevalent in the heathen 
antiquity of the ,west1 renders it      
easily conceivable why1 in the first and
 ,jewish portion of written revelation1 
such great stress is laid pre-eminently 
and primarily on the oneness of the     
living ,god4 ,all other                 
expressions--such as that of the eternal
 creative ,word1 of the life-giving     
,spirit of ,god--are1 as it were1 but   
allusions full of hidden meaning for the
 more clear-sighted and profounder      
inquirers4 ,how numerous1 nevertheless1 
such indications are2 how frequent the  
reference to three powers or            
persons--the time1 energy1 and property 
of the one ,supreme ,being--an allusion 
to which is contained even in the       
different ,hebrew names of the ,godhead1
 is known and acknowledged1 even by     
those who would1 if they could1 deny it1

 both to themselves and others4  ,the   
tradition of the ,jews1 which1 lying    
without the strictly-defined body of    
,scripture1 yet proceeds concurrently   
with it1 while it possesses of itself no
 authority1 is1 nevertheless1 a very    
useful though too much neglected source 
of illustration for the sacred volume4  
,now1 in the ,talmud the doctrine and   
notion of the divine trinity is         
expressed quite fully and distinctly1   
and without reserve2 although in the    
mode and manner of conceiving it there  
is much that is both false and          
objectionable4  ,in that second portion 
of revelation with which our present era
 commences1 together with the fulfilling
 and perfection of the object of faith1 
this supreme science is brought         
prominently and clearly forward4 ,no    
doubt a certain caution and degree of   
reserve on this doctrine of the ,trinity
 are distinctly visible in the earliest 
teaching and statements1 so long as the 
preaching of the new faith was confined 

within the ,jewish nation1 on whose mind
 the idea of the oneness of ,god was    
still deeply imprinted1 even though1    
like every other principle of their     
religion1 it was ill understood and had 
long ceased to be embraced with a living
 energy1 being taken merely in the dead 
letter4 ,but ere long this thin veil was
 also removed from the ,all-holy ,one1  
and the great mystery of faith set forth
 as the introduction to the fourth and  
last ,gospel4 ,from the latter ,i have  
accordingly borrowed that designation of
 this great mystery which is even the   
most appropriate to science2 of the     
supreme life which is itself            
omnipotence1 of the eternal word which  
is ominisence1 and of the uncreated     
light which is the ,all-holy4  ,certain 
great thinkers1 who1 however1 in many   
respects can not be classed among proper
 ,christians1 have indeed recognized and
 acknowledged the profound significance 
of this opening of the ,gospel4 ,only   
they adopted a spirit of hostile        

analysis1 which1 as it attacked so many 
of the great works of olden time1 did   
not spare even this divine monument4    
,they lost themselves in all sorts of   
superfluous hypotheses as to the source 
from which this or that passage was     
derived1 and with what object it was    
introduced4 ,much simpler were it1      
without having recourse to any such     
artificial explanations1 to receive the 
divine truth in sincerity as it is      
offered to us4 ,if we must ascribe some 
special design for its composition1 it  
will be sufficient to suppose1 that     
after the ,evangel of ,life and the new 
era commencing therewith had been       
sufficiently set forth as history in a  
triple narrative1 it was requisite to   
add thereto this ,evangel of the        
,beginning--as the ,gospel according to 
the spirit of the highest science1 in so
 far as this is fully identical with the
 divine faith1 and henceforward was     
always to continue one with it4 ,it was 
quite in the natural order of things    

that the word which was uttered at the  
beginning of the material creation1 and 
is the basis of the first revelation1   
should also at the opening of the second
 revelation1 and the spiritual creation 
of a new era1 be repeated 7though in a  
different and far higher sense7 for the 
soul in the realm of truth3--8,and ,god 
said3 ,let there be light1 and there was
 light40     ,,lecture ,x4  ,,of ,,the  
,,twofold ,,spirit ,,of ,,truth ,,and   
,,error ,,in ,,science2 ,,of ,,the      
,,conflict ,,of ,,faith ,,with          
,,infidelity4   ,in the terrestial      
creation1 in the realm of nature1 no    
sooner did the behest go forth1 8,let   
there be light10 than the accomplishment
 forthwith followed4 ,scarcely was this 
light and life-creating word spoken1    
than it was succeeded1 spontaneously and
 immediately1 without let or hinderance1
 by the second word of the joyful       
conclusion3 8,and there was light40     
,quite otherwise1 however1 is it in the 
life and in the world of free-created   

man1 in the progression of his          
intellectual development1 in the history
 of his mind geist1 in his now          
advancing1 now retrograding thought and 
knowledge4 ,here1 indeed1 the first call
 to light and divine truth does not pass
 over even man's stubborn and taciturn  
heart altogether unheeded and           
unanswered1 and without eliciting some  
faint response4 ,but lasting is the     
struggle between light and darkness1    
between knowledge and ignorance1 between
 faith and infidelity4 ,ever wavering   
from side to side1 and fluctuating from 
one extreme to another1 the victory long
 remains undecided4 ,and centuries      
often1 nay1 thousands of years1 pass    
away ere with perfect truth that word of
 fulfillment and completion can be      
uttered1 and we can go on1 undoubtedly1 
to say1 8,and there was light40 ,even   
when the true end is pursued along the  
direct road1 the right track is often   
lost amid the endless strife and        
controversy of men1 while a long train  

of useless discussion raises so thick a 
cloud of dust as shuts it entirely out  
of sight1 and so a new route has to be  
sought and opened from quite an opposite
 quarter4  ,how deeply was the ,gentile 
world sunk in wild and cruel            
superstition1 when the ,great ,prophetic
 ,spirit and the ,disperser of that     
,egyptian darkness1 which hung over it1 
repeated or wrote down those first words
 of light for the spiritual no less than
 the material creation6 ,assuredly he   
had in view thereby a new genesis for   
his people--a new life and a new        
beginning of light4 ,then followed      
fifteen centuries of probation4 ,and    
what was this long period but one       
ceaseless though alternating struggle   
between light and darkness8 ,at the end 
of it1 in spite of its great and noble  
gifts and superior knowledge1 the whole 
nation had fallen into the lowest depths
 of luxury and corruption1 on the one   
hand a prey to the wilder passions1 on  
the other spiritually dead and rotten4  

,but1 the shadow of its former self1 it 
dragged on a miserable existence1       
oppressed by a foreign yoke and torn by 
intestine sects and parties4 ,the one   
claiming to be the only legal sect 7and 
as concerned the letter of the law1 and 
the outward ritual1 it was so in fact71 
and arrogant and obstinate1 closely     
adhering to the dead letter1 was widely 
estranged and alienated from the spirit 
of love and mildness4 ,and thus the very
 name of ,pharisee has become odious and
 hateful1 having passed into a proverb  
and a by-word4 ,wholly mistaking the    
meaning of the revelation imparted to   
them1 they misunderstood the future to  
which it referred1 no less than the     
immediate fortunes of their nation and  
their own condition4 ,consequently they 
went totally wrong in the interpretation
 of the former1 as well as of the       
problem of the present which was laid   
before them4 ,for they took it in the   
narrow and perverted spirit of party4   
,no doubt the ,pharisees reckoned among 

their members many truly pious1         
well-disposed1 and right-thinking       
individuals--men1 who in the beginning  
of the new era of the world1 as appeals 
from the simple history of those times1 
acknowledged the truth1 and recognized  
the hand of ,god pointing and leading   
onward to the future4 ,these men mourned
 in silence over the revolting pride and
 stiffneckedness of their cotemporaries4
 ,but though endued with great learning 
and talents1 and burning zeal for right 
and truth1 they did not venture openly  
to oppose and to teach differently from 
their brethren1 even because in reality 
the law1 the dead and external law1 was 
on their side4  ,but the other party was
 that of the ,sadducees4 ,quite         
different in principle1 these were the  
innovators among the ,jews4 ,explaining 
away the theological creed of their     
nation1 they went so far in this        
direction as to throw into shade1 and to
 question1 or1 rather1 absolutely to    
deny1 the immortality of the soul4 ,in  

civil matters and questions of law and  
policy1 they were the liberal           
free-thinkers of their day4  ,from amid 
these two dark clouds1 which1 if they   
shone at all1 glimmered only with the   
deceptive halo of the false light and   
hue of party1 broke the new dawn and sun
 of ,truth--at first unobserved1 nor    
understood by any1 so thickly had these 
mists overspread the horizon4 ,but this 
new genesis1 and this full illumination1
 was no longer destined exclusively for 
a single people4 ,accordingly1 it       
gradually spread over the ten or twelve 
great nations who occupy two parts of   
the habitable globe1 and also possess   
and govern the greatest portion of the  
third and the most ancient4 ,and it is1 
in short1 by means of that intellectual 
superiority and civilization which they 
owe to this springing of a new era1 and 
this first light1 that the former bear  
rule in the remotest regions of the     
earth4  ,since the dawning of that      
day-spring eighteen centuries have      

elapsed1 and sadly torn and distracted  
is the present aspect of ,christianity4 
,we should1 no doubt1 give a very       
distorted picture of the state of       
,christendom were we anxiously to trace 
its resemblance1 through every minuter  
trait and nicer shade1 to the old world 
at its close and at the end of those    
fifteen centuries of ,jewish            
preparation4 ,such a minute parallel    
would be false1 whether we were to      
compare it to the moral state and       
character of that nation1 mentally      
blinded and hurrying with hasty steps   
toward its ruin1 or even to the old     
heathen world of ,rome1 already         
condemned by anarchy and infidelity4    
,still it is generally true4 ,for it is 
undeniable that man is perpetually      
relapsing into dissension and party     
quarrels1 even while the hand which     
sways the destinies of the world1 in    
ever-recurring epochs of renovation1 is 
continually presenting to him anew both 
truth and life1 health and peace4 ,and  

every one can answer for himself the    
question whether this new proclamation  
of light and truth1 this divine message 
of peace and salvation1 has yet reached 
its full accomplishment4 ,has the ,sun  
of ,righteousness yet penetrated1 and   
cast its bright beams on all the        
relations of life1 to the very inmost   
joints of soul and spirit8 ,can it with 
perfect truth be said1 relatively to the
 whole human race1 8,and there is       
light0--that light1 at least1 which     
alone is good1 even because it shall    
remain forever8 ,for those meteoric     
sparks which flash across the universal 
night and darkness1 from the systems of 
man's wisdom1 which1 crossing and       
recrossing each other's path1 are soon  
again extinguished forever2 or those    
clouds of public opinion1 charged with  
electric fluid and with pestilence1     
which1 for the most part1 is but the    
public outburst of some party passion2  
these emit no lasting1 no salutary1 and1
 therefore1 no true light4 ,dark and    

gloomy1 too1 perhaps1 in its future     
prospects1 appears the long struggle    
between divine truth and human discord1 
between light and darkness1 between     
faith and infidelity4 ,but the more     
difficult and intricate the problem is  
which forms the theme of our present    
disquisition1 the more diligently and   
the more conscientiously ought we to    
seek out and dwell upon every bright and
 quiet spot4 ,for such alone can cheer  
us on our way along the rugged path that
 leads to the blissful goal of internal 
and spiritual peace1 which will         
essentially contribute to give a solid  
basis to the public and social          
tranquillity1 and to insure its         
permanence4  ,slowly and gradually is it
 that the individual mind1 distracted   
and vacillating between ,god and a      
divine faith on the one hand1 and a     
higher1 or even the highest1 science on 
the other1 advances in its progress     
toward the perfect truth4 ,arriving1    
step by step1 at fuller and better      

convictions1 it attains at last to a    
clear discernment that1 properly and    
fundamentally1 these two                
apparently-conflicting objects are not  
distinct1 but in their inmost essence   
are perfectly one4 ,but for the final   
attainment of this end1 the most        
important condition to be observed is   
that scientific patience to which ,i    
called your attention in the last       
,lecture4 ,the chief thing to be guarded
 against is a precipitate and over-hasty
 decision4 ,for by such we should incur 
the great danger of sacrificing the     
sacred deposit of faith to science1 or  
of foolishly rejecting the treasures of 
true science1 which as such is          
indispensable to the higher life1 and   
even necessary and useful for the       
confirmation of faith itself4 ,and why1 
in the pursuit of truth--that proper    
spiritual theme and highly interesting  
matter of the otherwise flat and insipid
 drama of life--should we feel          
indisposed to such a scientific         

patience1 as ,i called it8 ,why should  
we be unwilling to recognize it as what 
it really is--both salutary and         
indispensable to human frailty1 and1 as 
an intellectual virtue1 no less         
necessary than even moral patience8 ,and
 the latter is even the fundamental     
condition of every great or little      
business1 and almost every pursuit of   
life1 if it is to attain to a happy     
result1 and is not to fail of its true  
end and aim4 ,for patience is1 as it    
were1 the indispensable portion which   
their earthly existence brings to all   
men4 ,not only is it needed by the      
invalid on the bed of sickness1 in the  
long and tedious observance of his      
physician's precise and rigid           
prescriptions--not only is it wanted by 
the teacher in his troublesome task of  
giving the first development to the     
intellectual powers of the child--not   
only is patience requisite for the judge
 who has to settle the complicated      
quarrel of two litigants1 of whom each  

claims his sympathy1 each desires to win
 him to his own side and to bias his    
judgment--but it is also indispensable  
to the warrior whom ambition hurries    
forward in the pursuit of honor for     
himself and his country4 ,for numberless
 are the hardships and privations1 and  
many1 too1 are the miseries which the   
soldier must undergo before he can gain 
the object of his hopes1 the hard-fought
 battle and the glorious victory4 ,the  
statesman1 too1 with his wide sphere of 
influence and authority1 stands         
eminently in need of patience4 ,how     
watchful and comprehensive must be his  
vigilance1 how deliberate his           
precautions1 lest the organic course of 
his administration should come to a     
check or stop1 in consequence of his    
having neglected1 or failed to provide  
for any single member of the great body1
 or any regulating-wheel in the         
complicated machinery of the state4     
,but1 on the other hand1 there are also 
moments in human life where the final   

issue turns not so much on a steady and 
uniform perseverance in continuous      
activity1 as on a decided resolution and
 firmness of purpose4 ,among these we   
may place foremost1 perhaps1 in an      
intellectual relation1 the dissension   
between faith and infidelity1 and the   
choice at the point where the two branch
 off forever4  ,it is not here my design
 to set up1 to commend1 and to extol    
faith1 nor to decry1 to attack1 and to  
make war upon infidelity4 ,for the      
former would take me beyond my present  
limits2 the latter would lead me into a 
boundless field of details1 and require 
me to take an exhaustive survey1 not    
only of all actually existent1 but also 
of all conceivable1 prejudices and      
delusions4 ,my principal object is      
rather to sketch a true and exact       
picture of both1 comprising1 at the same
 time1 all their historical             
manifestations1 and explaining their    
psychological causes1 in order to       
exhibit them both in their true light1  

so that man may choose for himself and  
decide between them4  ,now the          
apparent--or it may be real1 but still  
only accidental--schism between science 
and faith is1 in the first place1       
internal4 ,it is often1 indeed1         
profoundly hidden and concealed in the  
inmost depths of the heart4 ,it is      
therefore inwardly only that it admits  
of being adjusted and finally           
reconciled4 ,when this task is once     
accomplished in the heart of an         
individual1 and the choice is at least  
made one way or the other1 then this    
decision manifests itself outwardly1    
either as the triumph of truth in the   
unity of science and faith1 or as       
infidelity and skepticism1 shows itself 
in the form of a determined opposition  
to this unity1 or to faith itself4 ,and 
the latter is the form it also assumes  
in the intermediate case when the schism
 between science and faith is declared  
to be irreconcilable4 ,openly expressed1
 therefore1 these two views go far      

beyond the original dissension1 and pass
 into the second schism and conflict    
between faith and infidelity4 ,and      
although this problem be itself an      
original and internal one1 still it     
reveals itself pre-eminently as a       
practical schism in actual life1 and it 
is as such1 also1 that it develops and  
manifests itself in history4  ,but it is
 our object to make this comparison and 
parallel between faith and infidelity1  
in the full practical meaning of the    
words1 useful and historically          
applicable to life4 ,for this purpose we
 must not regard infidelity as founded  
exclusively on caprice1 aversion1 or    
obstinacy--consequently on              
ignorance--but consider it rather as    
enjoying every intellectual advantage1  
and commanding all the resources of     
learning and science4 ,for a purely     
personal1 and merely negative unbelief1 
without any deep foundation1 and without
 even an apparently scientific          
confirmation1 is neither very dangerous 

to the community1 and1 above all1       
presents little if any interest to      
philosophy4 ,but1 on the other hand1 if 
faith is successfully to cope with such 
an adversary1 furnished with all the    
armor and expedients of science1 it must
 be able to stand the comparison with it
 in this respect4 ,it must1 in short1 be
 conceived and set forth in its natural 
relation to true science1 and1 taking   
its proper place and position1 must act 
in union and co-operation with it4  ,i  
must here1 however1 premise a second    
preliminary remark4 ,i can not bring    
myself to follow a very general opinion1
 and look upon faith as a true and duly 
moderated medium between superstition   
and infidelity4 ,on the contrary1 ,i    
join superstition with infidelity1 and  
can not but class them together4 ,if by 
this term of superstition nothing is    
meant but some exaggeration or other1   
some over-excitement of the moral and   
religious feelings in individuals1 then 
such a purely-personal case admits not  

of being raised to a general rule1 nor  
elevated into a universal principle4    
,and in any case it does not fall within
 the range of philosophical speculation4
 ,for the care of the spiritual health  
and healthy diet of the believing soul1 
which draws both life and love from the 
deep sources of faith1 belongs to a     
wholly different province from that of  
philosophy4 ,but by this word and notion
 of superstition there is often         
understood a very childish error1 which 
does not duly separate and distinguish  
the figurative language and figurative  
forms of fancy from the substance of the
 true intrinsic meaning4 ,this error1   
which thus confounds the figurative     
expression with reality1 and takes it to
 be something real1 may justly be called
 childish1 inasmuch as it is universally
 peculiar1 almost natural1 to the       
intellect of children4 ,now1 in and by  
itself1 and simply understood1 such an  
internal optical delusion results from  
nothing but a psychological             

imperfection1 or a mere semblance of    
intellectual nature4 ,but when this     
error is carried out into a system1 and 
applied1 on a large scale1 to the sum   
and essence of faith1 then1 undoubtedly1
 it possesses a profounder origin and   
significance4 ,this species of          
superstition belongs to one of those    
classes of error which ,i am about to   
describe4 ,when1 for instance1 an actual
 positive error is comprised in and     
understood by this name1 then it belongs
 to infidelity1 which1 in general1 is   
rather a false faith than any mere      
absence of belief4 ,infidelity1 in      
short1 is an erroneous belief4 ,and     
such1 also1 is every species of         
superstition1 and this designation of it
 by the name of erroneous faith1 if     
generally adopted1 would be more correct
 and accurate1 or1 at least1 less liable
 to be misunderstood than its ordinary  
title4  ,for1 to adhere to the usual    
term1 every species of infidelity is    
either a material deification of nature 

and a worship of the sensible powers of 
life1 or it is an abstract deification  
of the absolute subjective ,me1 and the 
pure reason1 with its endless thinking  
and knowing4 ,even when it is conceived 
in a purely skeptical light as an       
absolute not-knowing1 still even in this
 case it is the understanding that is   
deified4 ,standing apart from1 and      
thinking itself superior to1 the weak   
prejudices of other men--in its negation
 feeling and fancying itself to be      
instinct with genius--it is regarded and
 set up as the highest object of        
existence1 and thereby in a certain     
intellectual sense is made an idol of4  
,even the evil power of perverted       
genius--for such we may well call it    
when it ventures to contemn both law and
 right1 and fancies itself to be raised 
high above the voice of conscience and  
the moral duties of docility and        
humblemindedness as belonging to        
ordinary minds--even such a perverted   
genius may be made the idol of a man who

 has once turned his back on the simple 
truth and on ,god1 and has arrogantly   
set himself in opposition to both4 ,we  
may1 in short1 without hesitation1      
advance it as an invariable principle   
and an unerring rule1 that the man who  
has lost or abandoned--not to say       
rejected--the idea and belief in the one
 good and righteous ,god1 has enshrined 
within his breast and cherishes some    
more or less dangerous idol1 whether it 
be the subjective ,me or some fearful   
passion1 or1 it may be1 some firm and   
well-finished system of deified reason  
or nature4  ,the complete notion or     
ideal scheme of pure faith1 in its      
organic union1 co-operation1 and true   
relation with all higher and with all   
natural or earthly science1 must be     
conceived of and sketched in agreement  
with the triple principle of the human  
consciousness1 according to which it is 
divided into spirit1 soul1 and sense4   
,at least it is in this way that it can 
most easily be made clear1 and being    

accurately apprehended in its essential 
properties and nature1 is kept distinct 
from all foreign elements and           
adscititious matters4 ,but infidelity1  
and that doubt and absence of harmony   
from which it takes its rise1 as well as
 that error which results from it1 have 
their seat in the fourfold              
consciousness4 ,these all owe their     
origin to that disunion in which the    
mind was involved by the ,fall1 and     
which manifests itself principally in   
the dissension which subsists between   
,fancy and ,reason1 and eventually      
destroys all harmony and co-operation   
between the ,understanding and the      
,will4 ,for this twofold schism in the  
human consciousness is the source of all
 philosophical error and of its various 
false systems4 ,and this scientific     
error again1 so soon as it attains to a 
practical utterance1 and in a living    
form enters into or interferes with     
life1 becomes infidelity4  ,originally1 
however1 the consciousness was not thus 

rent by dissension4 ,throughout1 in its 
triple principle of sense1 soul1 and    
spirit1 prevailed one living1 harmonious
 action4 ,now1 in this its natural      
state1 the soul must be regarded as the 
principle of faith4 ,and this is a point
 especially to be borne in mind4 ,it is1
 however1 too often forgotten4 ,and     
consequently the faith1 or1 rather 7for 
we are not speaking at present of the   
subject-matter so much as of the mental 
act71 the believing1 is in an external  
manner derived very incompletely and    
unsatisfactorily from the divided and   
quadruple consciousness4 ,for generally 
the act of believing and its essence is 
made to consist in a certain internal   
reserve on the part of both             
understanding and will1 and a similar   
control of the fancy1 and even of the   
reason1 as well as in the recognition of
 these limits and of such limitation4   
,we must1 no doubt1 admit that there may
 be very much which the human intellect 
can not fathom nor see through4 ,this it

 would by no means be difficult to      
prove4 ,and still more easy were it to  
show that man's will can not always give
 the law1 but must often submit to and  
recognize a higher and more universal   
authority4 ,and as regards the fancy1   
every one will be ready--not to say     
forward--to make a somewhat similar     
admission4 ,the faculty of imagination1 
sensuous and material in its origin and 
in its operation1 and always remaining  
in the highest degree subjective1 is    
liable to innumerable illusions1 to     
which we ascribe no value1 or1 rather1  
which we carefully endeavor to dispel   
from our minds1 whenever we attempt to  
penetrate into the inmost essence of the
 highest truth which it is the object of
 faith to embrace4 ,that1 moreover1 the 
reason1 no less than the fancy1 has its 
peculiar--one might almost say1 its     
innate--optical delusions1 must be but  
too well known to every one who has made
 the slightest progress in the art of   
logic1 and advanced beyond the mere     

elements of a philosophical examination 
of this faculty4  ,all this1 however1 is
 only a negative nature4 ,the mere      
recognition and acknowledgment of the   
fact that we can and ought to restrain  
our reason and reserve our judgment     
whenever a higher act of faith comes    
into question--or1 in other words1 that 
in such a case the absolute reason1 with
 its logical processes and laws of      
thought1 is not alone qualified to      
decide1 but meets with limits which it  
is unable to surmount--such concessions 
do not lead to any positive result4     
,they do but establish the possibility  
of a faith which may transcend and is   
not confined within these bounds4       
,while1 however1 they lead to the       
inference that such a faith is          
thoroughly conceivable1 and that while  
it transcends the reason is1            
nevertheless1 rational1 and capable of  
being brought into perfect unison with  
the sound reason1 they do not by any    
means establish at once its reality4    

,all this is rather the preparatory step
 to believing1 and not the true living  
faith itself4  ,a true living faith 7and
 we are here speaking of the function of
 believing1 rather than of the          
particular details of a positive creed71
 is nothing else than the reception into
 the soul of the truth given unto us by 
,god4 ,and inasmuch as the soul is in   
its origin loving1 and1 indeed1 the very
 faculty of love1 a true living faith   
can not be thought of or exist without  
this accompaniment of love1 which is    
even its distinctive characteristic4    
,in the case1 for instance1 of a special
 form and positive rule of faith1 the   
incompetency of the reason and          
understanding to pass a definitive      
judgment on such high and divine matters
 may be acknowledged1 and even the      
external will may sacrifice its own     
inclinations and submit to the          
requirements of a positive law4 ,but so 
long as all this remains1 as it were1   
external to man1 so long as the soul    

within does not concur therewith--a fact
 which may be infallibly discerned by   
the want or absence of love--then in    
this case it is but a dead faith1 even  
though outwardly1 and in the judgment of
 others1 it may pass as legitimate and  
orthodox4 ,then only is it a true living
 faith when it is wholly received into  
the entire soul1 as manifested by its   
internal fruitfulness in spiritual      
thought and moral action4 ,for it is the
 soul that believes--that same thinking 
and loving soul which we have already   
designated the center of the collective 
consciousness of man and of his moral   
life4 ,in this state1 however1 the soul 
has undergone a change2 is this higher  
act of believing its cogitation has     
become steady and uniform1 and its love 
perfectly pure and abidingly permanent  
in ,god4  ,but now1 if in the triple    
consciousness the soul be the principle 
of faith1 then is the spirit or mind    
geist that of higher science1 of free   
thought1 of a full and complete         

discernment1 and of the final and       
supreme act of distinguishing and       
deciding4 ,and by this higher science ,i
 mean that which has for its exclusive  
object the eternal truth1 and ,him who  
is the sum and source of all immutable  
verities4 ,but1 thirdly1 the sensuous   
faculty is the principle of all lower   
sensible1 terrestrial1 and natural      
knowledge4 ,and this comprises all human
 history1 and together therewith all    
language and art1 and every branch of   
learning that is occupied therewith4    
,but besides the physical sciences1     
mathematics also belong to this         
department1 for these are dependent on  
the sensuous conditions of number1      
weight1 and measure1 and consequently on
 time and space1 and on those material  
properties which fill space1 viz41      
gravity and solidity4  ,now there is    
nothing1 however hidden--nothing1       
however profound--into which this       
sensuous principle of knowledge1 which  
investigates all that is earthly1       

natural or human1 and historical1 may   
not attempt at least to penetrate4 ,only
 the inquiring senses must not quit     
their true center4 ,in other words1 they
 ought not to make a hostile attack on  
the center of the consciousness1 which  
is even the believing soul4 ,they must  
not1 by breaking through it1 or passing 
by it1 attempt violently and unduly to  
ascend to the highest4 ,for in such a   
case1 attempting to create a supreme and
 highest object of their own1 raising it
 on their own soil1 and drawing its     
materials from their own sources1 they  
will produce nothing but absolutely     
false and mere nature-gods1 or else some
 historical phantoms1 or idols of       
national recollections and patriotic    
enthusiasm1 such as were enshrined in   
the heathen worship of antiquity4 ,for  
even1 without material images and       
altars1 such an idolatry may be revived 
in a scientific form1 similar to what we
 have witnessed1 or1 if we look around  
us1 may still witness1 with our own     

eyes4 ,and as little can the free spirit
 of supreme knowledge look down from its
 own height on this center of the soul1 
and pay no regard either to faith or    
love4 ,in the depths of sensuous        
observation1 amid all the rich treasures
 of physical and historical science1 it 
can not move as sovereign without being 
first invested with the luminous garment
 of pure faith and love4 ,otherwise it  
only hastens from one error to another  
to fall from the first abyss into a     
second and still deeper one4  ,the pure 
and living faith of a loving soul       
abiding permanently in ,god1 is properly
 the center of the human                
consciousness--the natural passage of   
life for the senses as they ascend into 
the heights1 and for the mind or spirit 
as it penetrates into the depths4 ,it is
 the connecting mean which not only     
reconciles and adjusts1 joins and       
combines the two1 but also restores them
 to harmonious unity4  ,in the preceding
 ,lecture ,i considered the notion of   

the truth in which the supreme science  
and the divine faith coincide1 and are  
at unison in reference to their         
subject-matter--consequently1 as the    
right notion of ,him who is truth       
itself4 ,viewing it thus from its       
objective side principally1 ,i          
designated it the sum and source of all 
truth4 ,we have now1 in the progress of 
our speculations1 met again with this   
notion in its subjective aspect4 ,it is 
chiefly in regard to its form that it is
 at present to engage our attention4 ,we
 have1 in short1 to answer the question 
how the consciousness must organically  
be formed and fashioned1 and divided1   
but still harmonized in all its parts1  
so that in thought and knowledge1 in    
faith1 love1 and science1 in            
investigating and in learning1 it may be
 well-grounded and find a stable        
resting-point1 and be no longer         
distracted by dissension and doubt4     
,now the more the living faith becomes  
love the more does it1 through the      

immediate feeling and personal          
experience of life1 attain to the       
certainty of science4 ,for whatever we  
experience in our own selves1 or        
whatever our own life brings as         
acquainted with1 whatever we are        
immediately sensible of1 and feel that  
we also know and are certain of it1 that
 at least is a matter on which we are   
not likely to be led astray by the      
seeming dialectical proofs of the       
opposite1 or by all skeptical attacks1  
or objections to the effect that such an
 immediate sensation and knowledge of a 
higher object is impossible4 ,although  
we are incapable of refuting them1 we   
are1 nevertheless1 unmoved by the doubts
 which are raised even against the      
possibility of our own life and         
existence4 ,we let them pass by and     
still live on in the world until1 in    
some unlooked-for moment1 and some      
unhoped-for way1 the true solution1 and 
the answer to these cavils which call in
 question the reality both of man's     

inner life and his personal experience1 
spontaneously suggest themselves4 ,and  
in the same way that the highest        
science1 so soon as it discerns and     
understands its own nature1 also becomes
 conscious of faith1 and of its own     
dependence on faith1 and being          
supported1 completed1 and perfected     
thereby1 comes into immediate and living
 contact with it1 so1 on the other hand1
 the higher faith in the divine1 the    
more vivid and the more earnest it is in
 love1 becomes a more immediate         
conviction1 and a science founded on the
 personal experience of life4  ,faith in
 the soul1 as the center of man's entire
 consciousness1 may be likened to the   
outspread canopy of the blue heavens1   
according to that olden notion of it as 
a firmament1 which perhaps in its       
figurative investiture still contains   
much that is strikingly true4 ,according
 to this old but beautiful conception1  
the firmament was a definite limit that 
divides the heaven from the earth4      

,above it the free ether of light       
diffuses itself and stretches into the  
wide regions of illimitable space2 while
 in the lower sphere1 inclosed by the   
firmament1 the wind of life ,lebenswind 
now plays with refreshing motion1 now   
descends to the earth in quickening dews
 or fertilizing showers1 or draws out of
 the ground and to the light the hidden 
springs of life and mighty streams4     
,faith1 therefore1 is1 as it were1 the  
heavenly firmament in the consciousness 
that divides the streams of spiritual   
life and of external and internal       
science that are above it1 from those   
that are under it4 ,if this boundary be 
taken away1 or violently broken through1
 the light and the darkness are no      
longer held apart1 but mingle together  
in one confused and orderless mass4 ,the
 true light grows darker and gradually  
becomes extinct1 while the darkness     
begins to shine with a false glare and  
the glimmering twilight of pernicious   
delusion4 ,the old chaos breaks in again

 upon the human mind1 and it becomes    
anew what it formerly was1 8without form
 and void40  ,when1 however1 the triple 
consciousness preserves its beautiful   
order and harmony1 then the spirit1 as  
the heavenly height above1 the sensible 
nature as the deep below1 and the soul  
as the firmament between them1 are      
indeed divided1 but not separated or    
hostilely opposed to each other4 ,on the
 contrary1 the height as well as the    
deep1 and the whole circle of spiritual 
existence1 are organically combined and 
united together in this center of faith 
in the soul4 ,now this original         
constitution of the mind being          
preserved1 the further development and  
progress of knowledge and truth may be  
regarded as the second step of internal 
creation1 wherein the light begins to   
shine more and more on the mind and on  
science4 ,the first clear insight1 on   
the other hand1 and internal perception 
that the highest science and the divine 
faith are not essentially distinct1 but 

are fundamentally identical1 must be    
considered as the earliest entrance of  
the spirit of truth into the heart of   
man4  ,such is the right notion of      
faith1 and of a mind wherein faith and  
science are organically united and      
harmoniously concordant4 ,but in order  
to afford freedom of choice between     
faith and infidelity1 it is necessary to
 contrast this living image with the    
complete picture of a mind involved in  
doubt1 distraction1 unbelief1 and error4
 ,for all the motives that can influence
 a decision must be furnished by a      
simple comparison of the two1 which1    
indeed1 if made honestly and completely1
 furnishes of itself the solution of the
 problem4  ,now ,i have already more    
than once called your attention to the  
tendency to discord1 and to the         
disposing causes to error which subsist 
in the natural constitution of the human
 mind with its four poles or members4   
,in particular ,i directed your notice  
to the fact that reason and fancy1 such 

as they now are in their present state  
of mutual alienation and of hostile     
opposition to each other1 can not be    
regarded as original faculties of the   
human consciousness4 ,originally they   
were both in unison in the thinking and 
loving soul so long as living and       
working in faith and truth1 it was on   
that account confirmed by the divine    
,spirit1 and preserved by union with    
,him4 ,but when it had once lost this   
center of unity1 and1 its light being   
obscured1 it had become a prey to       
dissension1 it immediately fell asunder 
into these two halves or faculties of   
thought4 ,on the one hand stood the     
reason--as a mere organ of              
reflection--one1 i4e41 which1 in        
lifeless abstraction1 thinks over the   
objects previously presented to it1 or  
as a mere directive faculty of thought1 
without any originative powers of its   
own2 while1 on the other1 the fancy     
presented itself with a                 
blindly-productive energy in thought and

 invention1 as a wild1 but1             
nevertheless1 living sense and instinct 
of nature4  ,reason and fancy1          
therefore--those two faculties of half  
truth1 if it be allowable so to         
speak--whenever1 instead of seeking to  
escape from dissension by reverting to a
 higher center of unity1 they stand     
isolated1 and attempt each by itself to 
reign supreme1 are the real source and  
actual seat of all error4 ,now1 one     
species of error to which man has been  
most prone ever since his soul was rent 
asunder and lost its unity1 is the      
subjective shape which he gives to      
material phenomena4 ,for that fancy1    
even when most comprehensive1 purest1   
and best1 invariably remains more or    
less subjective1 is a fact which no man 
will either wish or attempt to deny1 any
 more than that the imagination takes   
its beginning from the sensuous         
impressions of the material world4 ,and 
this subjectivity of the fancy may1 ,i  
think1 be taken for granted1 even       

without any reference to and without    
discussing the question of the          
possibility of demoniacal influences4   
,now1 this subjective shaping of        
material phenomena forms the foundation 
of all mythology2 it is the general     
explanation of all the facts of         
heathenism4 ,it is1 of course1 implied  
in the very principle of its            
explanation1 that manifold and various  
shapes or forms and developments are    
both conceivable and possible4 ,and1 in 
actual fact1 it exhibits the greatest   
diversity1 from the rude objects of the 
grossest ,fetischism up to the exquisite
 creations of a refined and artistic    
mythology4 ,in its actual               
manifestations1 however1 and in its     
effects on practical life1 the latter   
still retains its affinity with the     
former2 at least1 it rests on the same  
foundation of a poetical religion--some 
view of the universe embodied in a real 
shape--in short1 the deification of     
nature4  ,we have here taken the olden  

heathenism in a very simple light1 and  
quite generally as a materialism        
assuming a poetic form and expression1  
but one1 at the same time1 in which1 as 
soon as we pierce through its poetical  
investiture1 we discern many points of  
contact with ,pantheism4 ,when1 however1
 pursuing a searching historical inquiry
 into the heathen modes of conception1  
we enter thoroughly and deeply into its 
details1 we meet therein with so many   
magical rites and usages1 that1 in spite
 of any previous inclination to the     
contrary1 we feel indisposed to deny the
 possibility of a demoniacally-affected 
imagination having1 in some degree1     
influenced the character of heathenism4 
,and1 indeed1 even in a philosophical   
point of view1 there does not exist any 
sufficient reason for such a denial4    
,this1 however1 as we formerly said1 is 
a matter which needs not to be taken    
into consideration at present4  ,it     
would be a great mistake to suppose that
 this error of a heathenish deification 

of nature is confined to the ancient    
world1 or to those great and            
half-civilized primeval races of the    
remotest ,east1 which1 however1         
remained1 and still continue1 as it     
were1 a living monument of an earlier   
epoch in the development of humanity4   
,in the more intellectual ages of the   
world1 physical science1 or the         
philosophy of nature1 may still be      
heathenish4 ,it may be this1 even while 
abstaining rigorously from all          
symbolical language1 it comes forward in
 the highest elevation of the dynamical 
theory1 and in pure scientific          
formularies4 ,this may be the case even 
when outwardly it appears to be highly  
spiritual1 or1 at least1 far removed    
from all the ordinary features of       
materialism4 ,and it is invariably such 
whenever it recognizes nothing higher or
 superior to the infinite vital force   
and its dynamical play and law1 and1    
consequently1 does but deify nature4    
,heathenish it must ever remain so long 

as it does no more than this4 ,this     
forms1 as it were1 a relapse of science 
into heathenism1 and here1 under a      
different form1 fancy asserts her olden 
authority4 ,for this purpose she does   
but assume a geometrical shape1 and1    
decking herself out with all the riches 
of science1 and moving with free dynamic
 action1 speaks a thoroughly            
mathematical language4 ,the point of    
indifference1 and the positive and the  
negative pole of all existence1 are now1
 so long as such a philosophy recognizes
 nothing beyond them1 the new gods      
which1 in those scientific fictions1    
whereof our own age has been profuse    
enough1 may receive a shifting rank and 
honor1 but still hold a similar position
 therein to that of ,jupiter and ,venus1
 or ,mars and ,apollo1 in the ancient   
mythologies4  ,when1 however1 in epochs 
pre-eminently devoted to science1 and   
possessed of a true or false scientific 
enlightenment1 we look to the whole age 
and its general tone1 this philosophical

 error of an exclusive materialism1 and 
of a scientific deification of nature1  
does not appear to be the most          
universally prevalent4 ,it occurs rather
 as an episode and an exception1 and1 in
 a certain limited degree1 as an        
opposition to another error1 which1 as  
it is received far more generally1 so it
 exercises a still more despotic        
authority over the minds of men4 ,i mean
 rationalism2 this is properly the new  
heathenism of scientific times4 ,here1  
in the infinity of dialectics1 and the  
endless dialectical disputes of an      
abstract and empty thinking1 as well as 
in the false semblance of a logical     
necessity which prevails in these       
logical disputations1 lies the source of
 the second leading error of philosophy4
 ,all erroneous systems1 whether of     
philosophy or religion1 lie somewhere   
between these two extremes of false     
thought4 ,every species of theoretical  
or practical unbelief or erring faith1  
or even of a scientific superstition1   

either approximates1 on the one hand1 to
 naturalism1 whether under the garb of a
 poetical symbolism1 or the scientific  
form of a dynamical theory1 or1 on the  
other1 to the absolutism of the reason1 
with its dead formularies4 ,every       
religious and every philosophical error 
is either a subordinate or a distorted  
species of one or the other--or1 it may 
be1 a mixture--a mean compounded of     
both4 ,manifold1 however1 or1 rather1   
innumerable1 are the several changes and
 combinations into which these two      
elements of infidelity and an erring    
faith may1 and1 indeed1 actually do1    
enter4  ,these1 then1 are the two       
principal elements out of which all the 
other forms of error are produced4      
,reason1 therefore1 and fancy must be   
looked upon as their true roots and     
sources in the human consciousness4     
,they spring either from the scientific 
productive faculty of imagination1 as   
the unpurified sense of nature before   
the ,spirit of ,god has moved on the    

face of these waters of infinite life1  
or from the mere subjective reason1     
which1 in its pursuit of the absolute1  
thinks only and knows only its own ,me4 
,it is on this soil also that           
philosophical error first assumes a     
systematic shape and development4  ,our 
meaning will perhaps be made clear by an
 illustration from the healing art4     
,confining ourselves to the simple      
facts1 we might say correctly enough1   
fever and gout1 as two leading forms of 
human disease1 have their seats either  
in the organs and circulation of the    
blood1 or in the system of the bones and
 muscles4 ,still it would not be        
inconsistent with such a statement to   
believe that the primary occasion or    
cause of both evils has a deeper and    
more hidden origin in some higher organ 
of life within the human frame1 and in  
some derangement or disturbance of its  
functions4 ,in their outward effects1   
however1 and manifestation1 these two   
diseases respectively seize upon these  

two spheres of bodily organization1 and 
there spend themselves4 ,and the same is
 true of those two intellectual         
diseases1 rationalism and the absolute  
system of nature1 as regards the reason 
and fancy4 ,the latter are their        
principal seats3 they form the domain   
wherein all the false productions of    
erring systems are engendered and spring
 up1 or1 in other words1 the spot where 
the paroxysm of their internal enmity   
and strife comes to a complete outbreak4
 ,of course we do not mean that these   
two diseases always present themselves  
simply and purely4 ,in the morbid state 
of the intellect1 as well as in the     
similar case of organic affection1 there
 are numerous complications of disease  
which require a careful and accurate    
treatment4 ,the first cause of all      
intellectual disease1 of scientific     
error1 or systematic infidelity1 or     
generally of every species of a false   
faith1 may lie still deeper1 or must be 
traced still higher to some more remote 

and hidden cause4 ,and1 in truth1 the   
primary origin of all human error is to 
be found in the alienation of the mind  
or spirit from ,god and ,his eternal    
light1 and in its inevitable            
consequences--the obscuration of the    
soul1 and the blinding1 and the         
aberration and disorder of the          
senses--and especially of the higher    
scientific sense for truth4 ,and in     
order that the senses may be gradually  
restored to their true state and order1 
and reopened--and in order that the soul
 be also illuminated anew1 the spirit   
must recover its true luminous center in
 ,god4 ,when this is once done1 the     
whole of man's cognitive faculty will be
 restored to its original state4  ,but  
in the outward manifestations of        
consciousness1 as it is now entangled in
 and limited by the material1 or        
sensible world1 or practical life1 the  
absolute reason1 and a fancy totally    
merged in and engrossed by nature1 form 
the two poles of philosophical error4   

,in all the systems hitherto so         
frequently alluded to1 these two are    
essentially the only sources of         
delusion1 although1 of course1          
innumerable intermediate tints or       
chemical combinations of both are       
possible4 ,the understanding and the    
will--that is1 a faulty sophistical     
intellect1 and a faulty unconditional or
 absolute volition--do1 no doubt1       
essentially co-operate in the formation 
and completion of both these erroneous  
systems of science4 ,there are1 besides1
 certain passionate and personal errors 
and prejudices of the understanding no  
less than of the will4 ,these1 however1 
in their immediate effects1 are         
practical1 and confined to actual life4 
,at least1 taken by themselves1 and     
without the co-operation of fancy and   
reason1 they will never be able to      
create a scientific system4  ,in order1 
however1 more precisely to indicate the 
extent to which the understanding and   
will co-operate in the production of    

philosophical error1 it is necessary to 
repeat my previous remarks1 and also to 
add some more precise determinations    
with respect to the form of aberration  
peculiar to1 and1 as it were1 inborn in1
 each of these faculties4 ,as concerns  
the will1 we placed its proneness to err
 in its unconditional or absolute       
volition1 which manifests itself in life
 as a destructive or disturbing force1  
where1 however1 its effects are         
variable1 being proportionate to the    
wider or narrower sphere of action4 ,in 
all alike1 however1 this principle of   
absolute willing retains its true       
character4 ,it shows itself1 first of   
all1 in the obstinacy of the child1     
where it forms the greatest obstacle    
that education has to contend against4  
,its action is1 no doubt1 but very weak 
here2 still this apparently             
insignificant phenomenon serves to      
prove--and for this purpose we referred 
to it--that the fault has its root1 and 
is1 as it were1 inborn in the very      

nature of man1 and in the present       
constitution of his mind4 ,as for the   
second degree1 since the evil runs      
through all the various stages of human 
life1 and assumes manifold shapes1 we   
are1 therefore1 at no loss for examples4
 ,whether we take our instance from the 
obstinacy of the founder of a sect      
passionately adhering to and maintaining
 the opinions he has once adopted1 or   
that of the leader of some dangerous    
political party1 in either case the     
consequences of this pernicious         
principle will appear to be1 in the     
highest decree1 extensive and awful4    
,but1 lastly1 it shows itself in its    
full and most frightful energy in the   
reckless and unsparing lust of conquest1
 and in the unsatiable thirst of        
absolute dominion which stimulates the  
conquering despot4  ,the second of the  
two similes1 however1 as it is most     
immediately connected with1 so it throws
 most light upon1 the problem before us1
 the explanation1 viz41 of intellectual 

error4 ,for science1 too1 has its sects1
 and even into the calm regions of      
philosophy 7for such it surely ought to 
be1 as professing to be the satisfaction
 of our inmost longing after a knowledge
 of ourselves and of nature in truth and
 in ,god71 the violent spirit of party  
finds too often an entrance4 ,in the    
spirit of system1 and in the prejudices 
of a view or opinion once adopted1 the  
absolute and resolved will1 which       
originally is rather a fault of         
character than an error of the          
understanding1 nevertheless co-operates 
essentially to the establishment of a   
philosophical error1 at least from its  
formal side4 ,when1 however1 as1 under  
the influence of the spirit of system1  
is easily1 and indeed generally done by 
the founders of scientific sects1 the   
absolute is itself adopted as the       
immediate object1 then it is the pursuit
 of this idea of the unconditional that 
carries each of these two general forms 
of error to the highest pitch of        

extravagance4 ,applied to nature and any
 positive view and particular system    
thereof1 it gives to it a character of  
exclusiveness and definiteness1 by      
which1 separated from all that is higher
 and properly divine1 and made to rest  
entirely in itself1 it is carried away  
to the pantheistic self-sufficiency and 
deification of a false unity4 ,combined 
with the egoistic or subjective reason1 
this pursuit of the absolute and the    
idea thereof creates the idealistic     
delusion1 or1 at least1 readily gives   
rise to it1 and this is the first step1 
or1 at any rate1 the usual introduction1
 to scientific atheism4  ,as to the     
understanding--in one of the earliest of
 these ,lectures1 we mentioned abstract 
thought as its peculiar form of error4  
,it is unquestionable that the          
understanding may lose itself in mere   
abstract and dead thinking1 so as1 amid 
its mass of purely abstract conceptions1
 to forget entirely all truly pregnant  
and vital cogitation4 ,such as          

understanding1 there can be no doubt1   
must either be defective in its         
organization1 or imperfectly and falsely
 developed2 and so it goes on deceiving 
itself and propagating error among      
others4 ,correctly speaking1 however1   
this abstract thinking does not belong  
to the understanding1 so much as to the 
reason1 which is even the faculty of    
abstraction4 ,and indeed1 apart from its
 great and manifold abuses1 the latter1 
in its right place and within its       
assigned limits1 forms nothing less than
 a natural requirement and an essential 
function of the human mind4 ,as for the 
understanding1 it is based on           
intellection2 consequently it supposes  
that in this intellectual act the object
 is vividly seen through and thoroughly 
penetrated by the mind4 ,and this object
 may be either an external one1 taken   
from nature or actual life1 or          
internal--a mere thought or conception1 
and the word or name designating it4 ,in
 the latter case1 the mental act of     

penetration is directed to ascertaining 
the true and original sense of an idea1 
or the import of the notion1 or of the  
term by which it is designated4 ,an     
understanding which has lost itself     
among abstract ideas must1 in such      
purely abstract thinking1 become        
eventually entirely extinct4 ,wholly1   
however1 without life and spirit1 the   
understanding1 according to its peculiar
 character1 can never be2 it is         
therefore its total absence1 or a very  
defective condition of it1 rather than  
its death1 that is marked out and       
indicated by such a state4  ,but if we  
wish to determine the particular fault  
or error that is peculiar to any one    
faculty of the human consciousness1 it  
is evident that we must not seek for it 
in any defective state or imperfect     
development2 but1 on the contrary1 in   
the highest and fullest energy4 ,but now
 an extremely ingenious1 clear1 and     
vivid intellect may be combined with    
what ,i have lately termed an evil      

genius--the false power of genius4 ,in  
such a combination1 we have the true    
state of a perverted understanding1 or  
of that aberration which is peculiar to 
it1 and for which the term of a         
sophistical intellect seems the tersest 
and most appropriate designation4 ,and  
this sophistical understanding is ever  
the working organ and instrument for the
 building and construction of all false 
systems1 and to which sooner or later   
the latter are all obliged to have      
recourse4  ,with regard1 then1 to the   
co-operation of the sophistical         
understanding in the formation of       
philosophical error1 and its share and  
influence on the spirit and the matter  
of any system of untruth1 it furnishes  
an opposition to the idealistic         
confusion which the absolute will       
produces by its predominant idea of the 
unconditional4 ,here we have rather a   
predominating tendency to a realistic   
view of the world1 according to the     
principle it adopts of the universal    

insignificance of all things1 not merely
 in reference to morals or practical    
life1 and in the domain of history1 but 
also in nature and the whole creation4  
,and with this view is associated a     
skeptical contempt for all who dare to  
think otherwise--all ordinary minds who 
can not rise to the height where the    
consciousness of knowing and believing  
nothing sits enthroned4 ,this tendency1 
therefore1 and this error of the        
sophistical understanding1 is most      
immediately related to1 and associated  
with1 the dialectical confusion of the  
reason with its endless disputations4   
,but as the absolute volition and       
pursuit of the unconditional can not    
well be thought of entirely apart from a
 certain perversion of the intellectual 
powers1 so the operation of the         
sophistical understanding is impossible1
 without a certain admixture of an evil 
will and an intentional determination to
 oppose the truth4  ,but notwithstanding
 this intrinsic connection between these

 two intellectual faults1 yet in their  
outward manifestation1 and in actual    
life1 they often stand wide apart from  
each other4 ,the true notion of a       
sophistical intellect will perhaps be   
best illustrated in a few words by      
recalling to your recollection the most 
celebrated writer of the eighteenth     
century1 who exercised so great an      
influence not only on the minds of his  
countryman1 but on the whole spirit of  
the age4#ej ,if1 again1 it were         
necessary to employ instances in order  
to give you a clear idea of the         
philosophical pursuit of the absolute1  
examples enough might be found among the
 ,german schools and philosophers of    
recent times4 ,but to revert to the     
sophistical intellect3 rarely has it    
been1 and rarely will it be1 found      
manifesting itself in such fullness as  
it did in this anti-,christian and      
worldly writer1 who indeed worshiped the
 age which worshiped him1 but mocked and
 scoffed at all besides4  ,now as to    

these two opposite systems of error and 
unbelief--rationalism1 viz41 and a false
 idolatrous system of nature--in their  
inmost essence they are both equally    
false and pernicious4 ,in this respect  
there is nothing to choose between them2
 they are alike utterly abominable4     
,even in the judgment of theology1      
pantheism1 as the one extreme of error  
on the side of nature1 can scarcely     
appear less false and abominable than   
atheism as the other idealistic extreme4
 ,both must be placed on the same line2 
for the one no less than the other is a 
full and perfect refusal to recognize   
the one ,eternal ,truth and the ,living 
,god4  ,looking1 however1 to their      
external manifestation and effects--a   
philosophy of nature which cloaks its   
thoroughly heathenish sentiments beneath
 the bright and seductive attraction of 
beautiful and highly-finished form--may 
perhaps appear more dangerous and more  
pernicious than rationalism1 especially 
when in the comparison the latter       

appears under its more moderate1 pliant1
 and skillfully modified phases4  ,but  
it is not so much in and by themselves1 
and generally1 that we have here to     
consider these two kinds of error4 ,in  
such a case the sentence we must pass   
upon them would be1 that they are       
equally fatal and pernicious4 ,at       
present we are rather concerned with    
them in their reference to our own age1 
and to that struggle which it has to    
undergo with them4 ,in this respect ,i  
can not hesitate decidedly to pronounce 
rationalism the greater and the more    
dangerous error of the two4 ,for not    
only has it struck its root more deeply 
in the spirit of the age1 and is far    
more widely diffused1 but it is far more
 supple4 ,parasitically it engrafts     
itself on the truth and its various     
systems1 to prey upon them the more     
successfully4 ,it is ever ready to make 
concessions to and to capitulate with   
its adversary1 in order to triumph over 
it the more completely in the end4 ,and 

when it seems driven altogether from the
 field1 it still holds its ground       
beneath some new disguise4 ,in short1 it
 is scarcely possible to determine the  
point1 if indeed it is ever reached1    
where it can be safely said that the    
evil is completely and forever          
eradicated4 ,it is only life itself--the
 higher spiritual life1 that is--and the
 true philosophy which traces and       
restores it in the mind's triple        
faculties of knowledge1 that can        
extricate us from this dilemma of       
conflicting errors1 and provide the clew
 which shall guide us out of the        
dialectical mazes of the reason4 ,on the
 other hand1 a false philosophy of      
nature--and such is every system that   
stands in hostile opposition to         
religion1 or attempts to usurp its      
place--which is conceived in a merely   
empirical spirit1 will never prove      
dangerous4 ,after a brief and limited   
influence1 it will soon fall into       
neglect and oblivion4 ,when1 however1 it

 is the result of a lofty and           
intellectual effort--when a truly great 
and comprehensive spirit moves within   
it--then will it soon become conscious  
of those limits1 and feeling its own    
false position1 it will1 ere long1 find 
the passage to the divine1 which is     
beyond and above it4 ,but it is not easy
 for a philosophy of nature to be or at 
least long to remain strictly and       
absolutely confined to its own limits of
 system1 even because of the continual  
advance of this science of life4 ,and as
 soon as it recognizes its true place as
 second and subordinate to a divine     
philosophy1 then does it immediately    
cease to be a false faith4 ,it is       
forthwith reconciled to the truth1 or at
 least is already far on the road toward
 a complete reconciliation with it4     
,this milder judgment1 however1 can not 
in justice be extended to that          
pantheistic science in which nature is  
as decidedly and absolutely deified as  
in any of the old systems of heathenism4

  ,we have now completed our comparison 
of faith and infidelity1 and sketched   
the picture both of man's mind and of   
his science1 to and from which they     
respectively belong or issue4 ,we1      
therefore1 leave it free to the judgment
 of every thoughtful mind that reflects 
upon itself and the nature of things1   
and loves and desires the truth1 to     
choose and decide between them4 ,this   
comparison is ever the proper problem of
 philosophy2 and even if the sketch and 
delineation of these two states of the  
human consciousness be1 from the limits 
to which we are confined1 not perfectly 
complete1 still we may regard this      
problem as satisfactorily solved4 ,the  
struggle1 however1 between belief and   
unbelief is still to go on in the world 
and time1 but the victory of truth is   
reserved to higher powers and forces    
than man's4  ,as to the nature and      
conditions of that intellectual         
conflict1 and its several moments1 a few
 remarks must be added1 on its relation 

to1 and bearings on1 philosophy4 ,first 
of all1 ,i think the previous remarks   
must have tended to throw light on a    
phenomenon which otherwise is remarkable
 and startling enough4 ,the good cause1 
even when advocated by men of the best  
intentions and the purest zeal for      
truth1 with the greatest acuteness and a
 thorough knowledge of the truth and its
 essential principles1 nevertheless is  
but little successful4 ,at the very     
best1 it makes an extremely slow        
progress1 while evil error advances with
 the fearful rapidity of contagion4 ,to 
account for this singular fact it is not
 sufficient to appeal to the persuasive 
rhetoric which the latter has at its    
command1 or to any superior power of    
intellect in its advocates4 ,the cause  
lies rather in the miasmas of spiritual 
pestilence which are spread throughout1 
and are suspended in the moral          
atmosphere4  ,we should err greatly were
 we to suppose that the cause of truth1 
and of the refutation of error1 could as

 easily be disposed of as any civil     
process before a judicial tribunal4     
,here1 to carry the day1 it is enough   
completely to refute the pretensions of 
one's adversary1 and to set forth one's 
own claim in a clear and irrefragable   
chain of legal proof4 ,but1 in the      
matter of philosophy and the higher     
truth1 how little is gained by the      
refutation1 be it ever so complete1 of  
one written system of error1 when1 in   
the mean while1 two or three more spring
 up and call for refutation no less than
 the first4 ,the straight road1         
therefore1 of a calm1 simple1 and1 at   
the same time1 luminous and complete    
exposition of the highest system of     
knowledge seems1 to my mind1 a far more 
appropriate means for the establishment 
and diffusion of the truth than the     
indirect course of refuting any false or
 erroneous system that may reign in a   
particular age and throughout the whole 
world4 ,for1 in the latter course1 if   
the controversy be at all searching and 

complete1 it is necessary to enter into 
all its tortuous windings1 at the risk  
of being lost and entangled in them4    
,and even in the most favorable case1   
where the refutation is complete1       
nothing is ultimately gained by it but a
 mere negative--the establishing the    
untruth of the refuted system1 together 
with the proofs of that negative4  ,it  
would be most erroneous to suppose that 
this controversy is either entirely or  
in the main directed against books and  
leaves1 propositions and words4 ,it     
looks rather to the soul and spirit1 and
 seeks to drive away1 to remove1 and    
banish from them1 and utterly to        
extirpate1 all the deadly seeds of error
 and falsehood1 replacing them by truth 
in all its fullness and energy1 so as to
 win the minds and souls of men to its  
beneficent rule4  ,this1 however1 is    
only possible by an individual process  
and a personal interchange of ideas4    
,for error and the restoration of truth 
assume a thousand different shapes1     

according to the different temperaments 
of individuals1 or to the different     
periods of life in each4 ,if1 therefore1
 it be the wish or duty of philosophy to
 make this its principal aim1 it is only
 in the form of dialogue that it can    
successfully accomplish the task1 by    
suiting itself and closely conforming to
 the personal character of individuals4 
,in this sense1 and on this account1    
,plato1 and the other disciples of      
,socrates1 in their controversy with the
 ,sophists1 invariably employed the     
dialogical style1 and chose this form   
for the exposition of their             
philosophical views4 ,but even the      
written dialogue can not do more than   
exhibit1 as it were1 a vertical section 
of the whole infinite variety of        
individual views1 convictions1 and      
characters4 ,and what thereupon is to be
 done in order to set them free and     
emancipate them from error1 and to win  
them for1 and to fill them with1 the    
truth8  ,the inner sense for the truth  

and the spiritual eye must be opened1   
and the spirit of man must be led back  
and restored to its lost center4 ,but   
the soul must be won and attracted1     
totally converted and endued with new   
life4 ,but is this possible without some
 higher and divine power8 ,can it be    
accomplished by man's ordinary art of   
disputation1 even though it be perhaps  
sufficient for the ordinary transactions
 of a civil tribunal2 or by a logical   
train of proofs1 or by the skillful     
terms of a well-managed dialogue1 in the
 absence of all profounder power to move
 and actuate the soul8  ,and such a     
higher power and effectual word of truth
 does exist4 ,in the language of        
,scripture it is called the ,sword of   
the ,spirit1 which pierces to the very  
marrow and divides asunder the soul and 
the spirit4 ,a deep meaning is involved 
in this expression of the dividing      
asunder of soul and spirit1 and the very
 greatest of all the soul's pains is    
most appropriately indicated thereby4   

,in death the immortal soul is separated
 and departs from the body2 but soul and
 spirit still continue together in      
indissoluble union4 ,these words1 then1 
allude to some other and more violent   
separation4 ,and it is one1 moreover1   
which is indispensable to the triumph of
 truth in this struggle for life and    
death4 ,for when error goes to the      
inmost depths1 and reaches to the very  
center of life1 both spirit and soul    
grow and adhere together1 and the       
delusion can not otherwise be dispelled 
than by the violent separation of the   
two4 ,and thus the light suddenly shines
 upon the spirit to show it the abyss on
 whose brink it stands1 while the soul  
is simultaneously set free from all the 
chains which bind it to its false life1 
and is thereby completely changed and   
converted4 ,in this way is the triumph  
of truth over error and infidelity      
effected4 ,only we must remember that   
the ,sword of the ,spirit1 8which       
pierces even to the dividing asunder of 

soul and spirit1 and of the joints and  
marrow10 needs not always to be properly
 a spoken or a written 8word40 ,in some 
deeply-moving catastrophe of a man's    
life it makes a distinct and speaking   
manifestation of itself1 working in him 
a total change of his feelings and      
sentiments4 ,but the ,spirit's flaming  
sword of judgment may be turned not only
 upon individuals1 but also upon whole  
nations and ages1 to divert them from   
error and unbelief1 and to lead them    
back to truth4 ,lastly1 it may also be  
directed toward the whole world and the 
whole human race2 and to this           
interesting topic1 which in so many ways
 is brought so immediately home to the  
present era of the world1 we shall1 in  
the course of the following ,lectures1  
have occasion to recur4     ,,lecture   
,,xi4  ,,of ,,the ,,relation ,,of       
,,truth ,,and ,,science ,,to ,,life1    
,,and ,,of ,,mind ,,in ,,its            
,,application ,,to ,,reality4   ,the    
union of profound knowledge with divine 

faith1 and the recognition and          
perception of their unity1 is the mind's
 first step within the domain of truth  
and of the consciousness of it2 or1     
rather1 the first step in that gradation
 by which the mind and consciousness    
advance toward verity2 and it is even   
the fundamental principle of truth      
itself that constitutes this beginning4 
,the judgment which discriminates and   
decides between a simple universal      
belief in ,god1 and the connection of   
such a faith with all natural and       
sublimely true philosophy on the one    
hand1 and unbelief1 false science1 and  
the various systems of error on the     
other1 forms the second term or step in 
the gradual progress of truth and the   
spirit of truth in the human            
consciousness1 whether of individuals1  
or of the whole human race1 or of any   
particular period of its development4   
,these two subjects have already        
occupied our attention in the two       
preceding ,lectures4 ,the third point   

which the mind must attain to as the    
spirit of truth is more fully expanded1 
both in the consciousness and in        
science1 is the profitable application  
thereof to actual life1 or its real     
manifestation1 and the practical        
carrying out of its principles4 ,for it 
is by this alone that the divine and    
fundamental principle of truth1 and that
 important faculty of judgment which    
separates and distinguishes truth and   
true science from ignorance and error1  
are realized1 and attain to their full  
end and perfection4 ,the consideration  
of this subject will form the basis of  
the present and all the following       
,lectures4  ,before1 however1 ,i enter  
upon this new topic1 or attempt to solve
 this third problem of the actual       
application of science to life and of   
its profitable combination therewith1 ,i
 would wish to add here a few historical
 remarks on the subject-matter of our   
last discussions1 which1 while they     
serve to complete and to illustrate it1 

will at the same time furnish a natural 
and easy transition to our present      
speculations4 ,the struggle and the     
alternate triumph of belief and         
unbelief1 as they gained in turn the    
ascendency over the minds of men1 and   
gave the dominant tone to different     
ages1 or1 rather1 the contest of truth  
and true science with the different     
systems of error in the several periods 
of the development of mankind and of the
 history of the human intellect1 is at  
all times a subject of the highest      
interest for philosophical observation4 
,in historical applications like the    
present1 it invariably proves           
pre-eminently useful and instructive4 ,i
 shall1 however1 confine myself to a few
 examples1 and select such as are most  
immediately connected with our subject1 
or seem likely to lead to the most      
important results4  ,from the whole     
history of the ancient world ,i shall   
adduce but two illustrations3 first of  
all1 the twofold mental or spiritual    

state of the primeval times2 and1       
secondly1 the highest reach of thought  
and knowledge which ,greece attained in 
her most enlightened days1 which are    
marked at once with the signs of first  
maturity and of earliest decline4 ,from 
both these instances it will be my      
object to prove that truth invariably   
prevails in the beginning1 and that it  
is always and every where prior to and  
antecedent to error4  ,from the annals  
of modern history ,i shall in like      
manner bring before you only a few      
particularly fruitful instances4 ,from  
such periods of the world's history ,i  
propose to show that the problem of     
science1 in its reference to life and   
its profitable application1 admits not  
of any pure and complete solution2 or   
that often after an opening of promise  
it suddenly takes a wrong direction1 and
 so misses its true aim1 and1           
consequently1 the problem of the age    
remains unsolved4 ,this examination of  
the actual relation subsisting between  

science and life as it has been1 or     
still is1 historically exhibited in this
 or that particular epoch1 together with
 the difficulties and the questions     
which it suggests1 will serve as an     
introduction to our entire theme4 ,for  
this is nothing less than the           
satisfactory exposition and correct     
theory of the application of true       
science to life1 and of their profitable
 combination4  ,first of all1 let us    
cast our glance back to the infancy of  
the human race4 ,in these primeval      
times1 we every where meet with legends 
and traditions of man's divine origin1  
mixed up and interwoven with the fables 
and symbols of heathenism4 ,now we are  
accustomed to regard heathenism1 or the 
religion of the ,gentiles1 as           
universally1 and1 without exception1    
false and idolatrous1 or at least absurd
 and fabulous4 ,but is this consistent  
with the natural course of things8--is  
it not probable1 or1 rather1 necessary1 
that1 in its beginning at least1 this   

chaotic medley of symbols and legends   
must have had for its foundation some   
very simple form of error1 if we must   
suppose that it was always1 and even    
from the very first1 nothing but error8 
,no doubt the heathenism of the first   
races1 so far as we can trace it1 and   
the early legends and rites of the      
oldest times that we are acquainted     
with1 appear to be already involved in a
 perplexing confusion of the strangest  
fancies4 ,nothing better are they than a
 chaos of symbolical images of nature1  
mingled and interwoven with some vague  
and shadowy outlines of truly spiritual 
ideas and thoughtful notes of a higher  
strain1 and also with ambiguous and     
enigmatical legends of historical       
tradition4 ,the whole medley1 moreover1 
differently developed1 according to the 
peculiar varieties of national          
character1 or the hereditary feeling of 
tribe and family1 assumes a particular  
hue from the local colorings of these   
different spheres of life2 or1 moreover1

 as is not unfrequently the case1 is    
remolded and cast into new combinations 
by the arbitrary caprices of the poetic 
fancy4 ,who can hope to find the simple 
clew of such a maze8 or who will give us
 the threads of ,ariadne to guide us out
 of its intricacies8  ,it is true1      
generally speaking1 that our historical 
knowledge and research do not reach very
 far back4 ,the ,flood1 to which the    
traditions of all people remount1 and   
which all telluric sciences1 whether    
geography1 or natural history1 or       
geology1 or whatever other name they may
 bear1 directly or indirectly confirm1  
forms an impassable gulf between the    
modern and later family of man1 and that
 first and gigantic race of the         
antediluvian world4 ,and yet careful    
criticism and historical investigation  
are still able to distinguish in the    
chaotic congeries of different          
mythologies the several strata and      
epochs1 and can separate the primary    
rock of the earlier natural legend from 

the later mythical formations4 ,but even
 this primary rock itself1 amid the     
legends of primeval times--this first1  
and oldest1 and simplest basis of       
heathenism1 is itself but a fusion and  
the debris of some earlier and precedent
 convulsion4 ,but now all legends1 every
 mythology1 and universal tradition1    
agree in this one point4 ,they concur in
 deriving the origin of man from ,god1  
and assert that the first man1 who1     
while he proceeded immediately from     
,god1 was also the first-born son of    
earth1 in which he was placed1 because  
it was of a nature nearest akin to his  
and ours4 ,now this same first man1 as  
proceeding and taking his beginning from
 ,god1 could not well be without some   
knowledge of ,him4 ,the concurrent      
tradition of all nations leads us to the
 idea of man's possessing knowledge1 and
 in truth an immediate and intuitive    
knowledge of ,god in and out of nature1 
and indeed primarily and principally    
from this source1 and on the other hand 

also of his having an immediate and     
intuitive knowledge of nature in ,god4  
,and this exactly is the old and true   
,gentilism of the holy patriarchs of the
 primeval world1 if by this term we     
understand the original religion of     
nature1 among the earliest families1 and
 the pious patriarchs of the human race1
 as it is described in the language and 
after the analogy of ,holy ,writ1#ea and
 also in the ancient traditions which   
have grown out of and attached          
themselves to it4 ,now1 according to the
 simple progression of truth1 which is  
also that of ,god1 and of the knowledge 
of ,him1 this revelation of nature was  
the first and earliest that was imparted
 to man upon earth1 and must be         
carefully distinguished from that later 
or second revelation of ,god1 which is  
both of a positive nature and is        
contained in a written law1 or written  
word and book of the law4 ,and in the   
written revelation this distinction is  
most carefully observed throughout4 ,the

 divine law1 which although not written 
on brazen tablets1 unquestionably       
existed in these primeval ages of a     
natural revelation1 which was read and  
intuitively understood in nature        
herself1 or immediately in the hearts   
and minds of men1 was far simpler1 and  
consequently also easier and less       
burdensome1 than the later law of the   
second revelation1 which was designed   
for the moral regeneration of a         
degenerate people1 and for fitting them 
to be a witness of the truth to other   
nations of the world still more degraded
 and benighted than themselves4 ,and in 
the same way this second revelation was 
less stringent and less exalted in its  
scope than the last law of later times1 
promulgated in the third age of the     
world to all nations and kindreds of the
 earth4 ,for the latter was not designed
 for the first happy period of the      
infancy of mankind1 but for his last    
difficult1 but decisive struggle1 which 
is to end in the perfect triumph of     

good1 and in man's total emancipation   
from the hostile and oppressive yoke of 
original evil4 ,for the wise and        
omniscient ,father of all has given to  
every age of man's history a peculiar   
and appropriate law4 ,for the infancy of
 the race1 ,he published an easy rule of
 life--permitting the full expansion and
 the blooming development of all his    
vital energies2 but one of sterner      
preparation1 of promise and of          
expectation1 for his youth4 ,for his    
maturity1 lastly1 ,he has set forth a   
law of determined struggle with evil1   
and of a predominant love of the        
invisible1 and even of perfection4 ,and 
consequently a new application of the   
same law1 and a new strengthening for   
the same conflict1 is to be looked for  
in the last times of the final          
consummation4 ,but not only was the     
divine natural law1 as promulgated to   
man in the earliest ages1 far different 
from that of later times1 and the       
subsequent stages of a further          

development of revealed knowledge4 ,this
 immediate revelation1 and intuitive    
knowledge of nature1 was likewise very  
dissimilar to the artificially elaborate
 and complicated systems of physical    
science4 ,for these have principally to 
trace out and to revert to the original 
source of life1 and of the full truth of
 nature1 although even on this right    
road of return we are not always nearest
 to the end1 even when we seem to have  
made the greatest advance in that       
direction4 ,but as the first man        
recognized ,god in nature1 and not      
merely understood1 but immediately      
perceived1 and1 as it were1 saw1 that   
,he was there1 therefore nature also    
was1 in a certain measure1 transparent  
to his eye in ,god4 ,and although his   
knowledge of nature was in the highest  
degree simple1 still did it even on that
 account penetrate more deeply into its 
inmost secrets4 ,it was rendered thereby
 more thoroughly vital and endued with  
power4 ,one might almost call it a      

natural force within him1 similar to and
 akin to those without him4 ,for        
generally in those early ages of the    
world1 man possessed many higher        
energies and living powers in and over  
nature1 which subsequently were entirely
 withdrawn from him1 or which in later  
times1 as wonderful phenomena1 formed   
singular exceptions to man's ordinary   
endowments4  ,we are1 perhaps1 only too 
much disposed to imagine that the       
ancient race before the ,flood resembled
 in every particular a later and even   
the present generation4 ,our conceptions
 of it1 as regards both its virtues and 
its vices1 are in nowise great and      
wonderful enough4 ,in the first place1  
it is highly probable that the          
atmosphere of the globe was at that     
period totally different from what it is
 in the present day1 and that           
consequently both the food and manner of
 living in those days were also         
dissimilar from our own4 ,if any        
reliance is to be placed on the best and

 oldest historical testimonies on these 
points1 we can scarcely doubt that the  
primeval race--at least the generations 
immediately preceding the ,deluge--were 
of gigantic stature1 and that their     
mental powers and faculties were on a   
correspondent scale of magnitude4 ,in   
perfect conformity with these other     
proportions1 the ,scripture also assigns
 to those antediluvian races a duration 
of existence1 which1 as compared with   
our own standard of the average life of 
man1 is equally gigantic4 ,and so little
 of antecedent improbability is there in
 this statement1 that to get rid of it  
commentators have been forced to have   
recourse to the most far-fetched and    
arbitrary1 and1 in fact1 most untenable 
and groundless hypotheses4  ,now1 it is 
manifest that such corporeal advantages 
and length of life which the first      
patriarchs of the human race enjoyed1   
must have been highly favorable to the  
development of their intellectual gifts 
and immediate intuition1 as founded on a

 living natural faith1 so long as they  
were rightly used and directed toward   
,god1 as their proper object4 ,and in   
the same way their tendency to fearful  
corruption1 under an impious and sinful 
employment of their great mental        
endowments1 must be equally evident4 ,at
 the same time we must confess our      
inadequacy to form a conception of the  
height to which they attained in either 
state which would be in any way         
proportionate to the truth4 ,it is1     
however1 an invariable principle of     
development1 confirmed by the           
observation of nature1 and a careful    
induction of historical facts1 that all 
that is greatest and noblest1 if it once
 begins to degenerate and corrupt1      
reaches in its corruption and degeneracy
 the worst and most fearful extremes4   
,and so it appears to have been with    
this gigantic and gigantically endowed  
race of the antediluvian world4  ,in    
modern times1 a great ,german           
philosopher1 who flourished toward the  

close of the seventeenth century1 and   
was no less famous for his historical   
learning than for his mathematical      
discoveries1 made the memorable remark1 
that the last sect in the whole         
development of ,christian revelation1   
and toward the close of modern          
history--the last sect1 and also the    
most prevalent and most fearful1 would  
be that of atheism4 ,this dictum1 at the
 time at which it was pronounced1 which 
was somewhere about the transition from 
the anxiety and oppression of the       
seventeenth century to the enlightenment
 and self-complaisancy of the           
eighteenth1 must have appeared a perfect
 paradox4 ,but now that its fulfillment 
seems1 both to our eyes and             
understanding1 so close at hand1 we     
recognize with amazement1 not to say    
with a slight feeling of horror1 its    
deep oracular truth4  ,now1 as the      
beginning and the end often bear a      
wonderful resemblance to each other1 it 
is not improbable that the first sect   

was of the same kind and nature as it   
has been predicted that the final heresy
 will be4 ,a mere dead unbelief and     
purely negative atheism1 it is true1 can
 as little have prevailed in those times
 as a symbolically degraded and         
immorally materializing heathenism4 ,for
 it was only after the higher magical   
powers were withdrawn from man1 that the
 fancy became in this sense1 and to such
 an extreme degree1 symbolical and      
figurative4 ,or1 perhaps1 we may more   
correctly say1 that of all high         
endowments now lost forever1 a purely   
figurative fancy was all that remained2 
whereupon1 in opposition to it1 the     
other erroneous extreme of abstract     
thought gradually attained to a greater 
and undue development4 ,and we may with 
good reason assume1 that with this      
fearful catastrophe the very            
consciousness of man was essentially    
altered and changed4 ,of the wild and   
lawless state of the generations before 
the ,flood1 we can not1 perhaps1 form a 

juster conception than by regarding it  
as an open rebellion and organized      
revolt of man against his ,maker and    
benefactor1 a complete and visible      
supremacy of the evil principle and the 
wicked spirits on earth1 and an intimate
 union between man and the devil4 ,it   
must have resembled the description     
which we meet with in some old books of 
the future reign of antichrist4 ,such a 
state of things may justly be           
denominated atheism4 ,but1 however this 
may be1 and whatever conception we may  
form1 and whatever historical shape we  
may give to particulars in this domain  
7where1 after all1 we can not get beyond
 conjecture and presumptions1 or1 it may
 be1 hypothetical history1 based on     
probabilities71 one general point is    
incontestable4 ,truly noble1 in those   
primeval times of a pure natural faith1 
must have been the intellectual powers  
and development of the first ancestors  
of the world and those great progenitors
 of the human race1 and fearful1 in the 

same degree1 must have been the fall and
 corruption which followed the abuse of 
those high privileges4 ,for man's mental
 powers1 still subsisting in the        
plenitude of their productive energy1   
and his lordship over nature being      
undisturbed1 his corruption must have   
generated the wildest and most monstrous
 excesses4 ,consequently1 amid the      
universal reign of evil and wickedness1 
the only course that remained was the   
total destruction of the existing       
generation1 and the complete renovation1
 or1 rather1 a new commencement of      
mankind4  ,but the corruption of later  
times1 though1 in truth1 on a less      
scale1 has likewise been very great4    
,rapid1 too1 has been the passage from  
good to evil4 ,moreover1 it is          
self-evident that in the primeval ages  
of a vivid natural faith1 and of a life 
according to nature1 that separation    
between life and nature that exists in  
these later times could not well have   
taken place--nay1 at such a period it is

 totally inconceivable4 ,on the         
contrary1 science and life must have    
been in perfect unison4 ,and this is    
true1 not only of the virtuous knowledge
 in the first happy epoch of the world's
 golden age1 but also of the wicked     
ideas and the demoniac efforts of error 
in the succeeding periods of gigantic   
bewilderment and arrogant enmity to     
,god4 ,it is by reason of this unity    
between life and knowledge that this    
instance belongs to that gradation in   
the mutual relations of the two in the  
different ages of the world4  ,quite    
otherwise1 however1 was it1 in this     
respect1 with ,grecian philosophy4 ,in  
the most enlightened days of classical  
antiquity we behold it either coming    
forward in direct opposition to life1   
especially in its public aspect of      
politics and religion1 or else as       
absolutely esoteric1 retiring altogether
 and estranged from active duties4 ,now1
 in adducing the history of ,grecian    
philosophy as my second instance1 and as

 an eminently important moment in the   
history of the intellectual development 
of the ancient world1 my object is to   
show that in the same way that1         
according to all grounds of analogy1 a  
simpler natural faith1 as the simple    
religion of the first patriarchs of the 
human race1 preceded the later form of  
heathenism into which the worship of the
 ,gentiles so wildly and so fearfully   
degenerated--so1 also1 in the philosophy
 of ,greece1 its later systems and      
sects1 which were so thoroughly false   
and pernicious1 were preceded by1 at    
least1 a comparatively better and higher
 view--by a purer theory of science and 
of truth4  ,for though the oldest       
philosophers of the ,ionian school held 
water1 or air1 or fire1 to be the ground
 and principle of all things1 and built 
on such hypotheses their whole theory of
 nature1 nevertheless we should1 in all 
probability1 greatly err1 were we1 on   
that account1 to charge them with or to 
suspect them of materialism4 ,they      

understood these elements1 not in the   
ordinary1 but in a spiritual and living 
sense1 as the elements of universal     
life1 and1 at the same time1 did not    
fail to acknowledge a higher spirit     
operating in and above nature1 and      
,god's all-disposing intelligence4 ,of  
,heraclitus1 who made fire the essential
 ground and first principle of all      
things1 we know1 with historical        
certainty1 that1 notwithstanding1 his   
philosophy and view of the universe was1
 in the highest degree1 ideal and       
spiritual4 ,and the same is true also of
 ,anaxagoras1 the teacher of ,socrates4 
,much1 too1 that would do great credit  
to the general spirit of thought and    
science of that period1 might be adduced
 from the venerable founder of the      
valuable art of medicine1 and also from 
his school1 were the present the        
appropriate place4 ,the simple fact1    
too1 that ,socrates proceeded from out  
of this ,ionian school1 would alone     
dispose me to form a favorable opinion  

of it in its earliest state2 and it is  
greatly to be regretted that our        
information concerning the oldest of    
these great thinkers is so scanty1 and  
its details so uncertain and so little  
to be depended on1 that it is impossible
 to form any settled and definite       
judgment on the matter4  ,when1 however1
 we proceed to examine the religious    
spirit and value of ,grecian philosophy 
in general1 or any of its special       
branches1 schools1 and epochs1 we must  
adopt as the fundamental rule of our    
judgment the universal dogmas of man's  
pure and uncorrupted feelings or        
judgment4 ,taking for our standard the  
natural belief in a living and personal 
,god1 and in an everlasting and         
all-ruling spirit1 in the immortality of
 the soul1 and in the freedom of the    
will1 together with the immutable       
principles and ideas of justice1 honor1 
morality1 and virtue1 we must1 in this  
case1 carefully exclude all the special 
doctrines of a positive faith4 ,we must 

not look for or require1 in so early an 
age1 that which the further development 
of later periods brought to light4 ,far 
be it from us to wonder at1 or to urge  
it as a reproach against ,pythagoras or 
,plato1 if among their doctrines we meet
 with ideas1 which1 strictly understood1
 are not perfectly consistent with      
,christianity4 ,rather is it a matter   
for surprise and congratulation that    
they knew and were aware of1 had        
anticipated and taught1 so much that a  
later date first placed in a fuller     
light1 and made the common property of  
all men4 ,this1 at least1 was the       
opinion and conclusion on this subject  
entertained in the first century by the 
greatest and best-informed of the       
fathers of ,christian doctrine and      
science4  ,this highly religious        
tendency and perception which we        
recognize in ,pythagoras1 for instance1 
or in ,plato--this anticipation by      
science of the ideas of ,christianity1  
of principles which1 with this          

exception1 belong to the ,christian era 
of the world's history1 could not have  
been without ,god4 ,we must1 in short1  
recognize therein a higher providence4  
,we may accordingly justly regard       
,grecian philosophy1 in its better      
spirit and elements1 as forming on its  
part a preparation for the ,gospel1 and 
a scientific introduction to            
,christianity1 of a special and peculiar
 kind4  ,now1 among those whose         
observations1 and sciences1 and         
endeavors were throughout directed      
,godward1 the ,pythagoreans stand       
highest and foremost4 ,we have already  
alluded to the fact1 that in physical   
science they were acquainted with the   
best and the most important of all that 
our history of discoveries1 within the  
last three centuries1 is so proud of4   
,here and there1 perhaps1 their         
knowledge even outran our own1 and in   
all probability they were not without   
some insight into those mysteries of    
creation1 about which our philosophy of 

nature has within the last half century 
excited so much wonder and admiration4  
,it is also probable1 we observed1 that 
by their theory of numbers we are not to
 understand the ordinary formul of      
mathematics1 nor the usual arbitrary    
play with them in which science so often
 indulges1 but rather the development of
 the intrinsic and divine law of nature 
and of life according to its everlasting
 structure and immutable foundations1 or
 according to the vicissitudes of its   
critical times and seasons4 ,but here it
 may be asked--whence had they all this8
 how1 without the telescope1 and with1  
at best1 a very defective system of     
mathematics1 and an imperfect art of    
calculation1 did they attain to a       
knowledge of the true astronomical      
system of the universe8 ,to start the   
hypothesis1 that they learned and       
borrowed it all from the ,egyptians1    
would only be to remove the question a  
step farther back1 and not really to    
answer it4 ,but even if we were to admit

 the fact1 such an assumption would     
only1 as regards the essential question 
with respect to the ,pythagoreans and   
the origin of their science1 increase   
their merits and their glory4 ,for in   
the same way as we observed on an       
earlier occasion1 with reference to     
,moses and the ,hebrews1 it must have   
been by the exercise of a rare wisdom1  
that while they selected all that was   
best and most valuable in ,egyptian     
science1 they rejected so much that was 
pernicious1 and laid aside so much that 
was likely to lead them astray1 and even
 the impious magical superstitions that 
were to be found there4  ,in much later 
times1 and even down to our own days1   
the name of the ,pythagorean school and 
science has been forced to serve as a   
cloak for every noxious farrago of      
mysticism1 as also that of the          
,neo-,platonists has been made the      
symbol of every visionary extravagance4 
,but even if 7what1 however1 ,i greatly 
doubt7 an historical connection can be  

shown to subsist between the so-called  
,pythagoreans of later times and the    
earlier and genuine school1 nothing     
further would follow from such a fact1  
than a confirmation of my general       
position4 ,it would but furnish an      
additional proof that all that is       
greatest1 noblest1 and most beautiful1  
when it once begins to degenerate and   
corrupt1 invariably reaches a           
proportionate depth of corruption and   
degeneracy1 and assumes the worst and   
wildest aspect of deformity4  ,as       
concerns the influence of this school of
 life1 and its political aims and       
tendencies1 which were unquestionably   
part of the general design of the       
,pythagorean doctrine3 all this must be 
judged of in conformity with ,greek     
notions and habits1 and with reference  
to the unsettled and disordered state of
 the several ,grecian communities4 ,this
 being granted1 it will appear that a   
simple but lofty object was the basis of
 their fraternity4 ,by forming an       

enlightened aristocracy of highly       
cultivated minds1 of men of scientific  
attainments1 and of pure and noble      
morals1 they hoped to establish a new   
and better polity1 such as might check  
the reigning anarchy and revolutionary  
spirit of democracy1 which distracted   
all the republics1 whether smaller or   
greater1 into which ,greece was at that 
time divided4 ,but the evil had become  
too great1 and its power was            
irresistible4 ,but the whole enterprise 
failed1 and its failure entailed the    
dissolution of the ,pythagorean society4
  ,many similar views and political     
designs1 which ,plato subsequently      
ingrafted on his own philosophy1 in like
 manner remained nothing more than      
ideas1 and led to no practical result4  
,a far more considerable influence on   
life and its relations was exercised by 
the ,sophists4 ,considered in a         
political point of view1 they were truly
 and properly pernicious demagogues1    
and1 in the fullest sense of the term1  

the flatterers of the populace4 ,not    
only did they undermine the outward     
national worship1 with its poetical and 
hereditary associations1 but also       
overthrew the inward religion of good   
principles and of moral sentiments4 ,in 
short1 they practically taught a true   
moral atheism1 and succeeded in making  
it the prevailing and ruling principle  
in the conduct of life4  ,at this stage 
of ,grecian philosophy1 we witness1 for 
the first time1 a remarkable phenomenon4
 ,the true and good science which       
directs itself to the ,godlike and      
divine1 is unable to attain to any      
lasting or pervading influence on the   
lives of men3 on the other hand1 we see 
a false and evil sophistic gradually    
gaining a complete ascendency amid the  
general demoralization of society1 and  
the growing anarchy of the political    
community1 which1 thoroughly corrupt and
 degenerate1 only rose out of one       
revolution to fall immediately into     
another4 ,or1 rather1 this false        

sophistic1 and this moral and political 
anarchy1 were perfectly one together1 so
 far at least as two destructive        
principles can ever be or be brought in 
unison4  ,the complete alienation which 
now existed between the better science  
and life1 and especially public life1 is
 most distinctly manifested in the case 
of the greatest among the ,grecian      
philosophers of later times--in         
,aristotle1 and the position he occupied
 in his own age and nation4 ,this acute 
thinker1 with the utmost care and       
diligence1 collected together all the   
most eminent results of the science1 and
 the most remarkable thoughts of earlier
 times4 ,examining and analyzing them   
with great critical acumen1 and with a  
comprehensive survey1 he formed them    
into a new whole1 and arranged them into
 a system of his own1 completer and     
fuller than had ever before been        
attempted or accomplished4  ,we can not1
 perhaps1 estimate too highly or admire 
too much this great master of human     

subtilty1 whether for his intellectual  
powers and extent of learning1 or even  
as a writer4 ,still we must not forget  
that in his system were contained the   
germ and evident tendency to the two    
chief forms of philosophical            
error--naturalism on the one side1 and  
rationalism on the other4 ,and so we    
find that in the later times of the     
following centuries1 each of these false
 systems1 according as the occasion     
favored the one or the other1 were drawn
 out from the ,aristotelian doctrine1 to
 receive a further and a distincter     
development4 ,in his doctrine on the    
,godhead1 he can least of all stand a   
severe and rigorous criticism4 ,and in  
many points1 as1 for instance1 in his   
notion of the absolute self-sufficiency 
of the reason1 he approximates but too  
closely to the idealistic view which we 
have already designated as the          
transition to scientific atheism4  ,it  
was only in a very remote and distant   
age that ,aristotle attained to a very  

great importance and authority4 ,in his 
own day he did but form a very          
inconsiderable school1 which exercised  
far less influence on public life than  
two other sects1 in whose history the   
development of ,grecian philosophy finds
 its close4  ,the system of the ,stoics1
 with its stern and1 consequently1      
impracticable theory of morals1 its     
doctrine of absolute necessity and blind
 fatalism1 announces itself at once as  
identical with an austere rationalism4  
,at the same time1 under the teaching of
 the ,epicureans1 a soft and effeminate 
naturalism became almost universally    
prevalent4 ,and while1 in another and   
newer form1 it gradually assumed the    
place of the old mythical heathenism1   
which daily fell more and more into     
neglect and disrepute1 it still retained
 the old heathen sentiment1 and a       
careless and undisturbed indifference in
 inactive bliss and self-enjoyment1 as  
it was even ascribed and imputed to the 
gods1 was introduced into life1 and     

extolled as the true wisdom4 ,thus1     
then1 while on the one hand the         
foundation was laid for that            
insensibility with which the            
wide-spreading and growing corruption   
and the approach of the general ruin    
were contemplated1 so1 on the other     
hand1 the apathy of the ,stoics was not 
exactly the right kind of sentiment to  
furnish a check or counteractive to this
 sybaritic indifference4  ,as concerns  
the relations of public life1 the social
 community1 and the state1 the ,stoical 
doctrine appears1 no doubt1 in a        
worthier and a better light4 ,on this   
account it numbered among its adherents 
almost all the great statesmen that     
lived from the last times of the        
,republic down to the later centuries of
 the ,empire4 ,considered1 however1 in  
themselves1 and scientifically regarded1
 both systems must be looked upon simply
 as the last chemical decomposing       
process1 or the initiatory putrifying   
state of all higher science and         

philosophical reflection among the      
,greeks4 ,on the whole1 then1 we        
conclude that ,grecian science and      
philosophy have exercised no influence  
at all on life1 or at least1 either a   
very inadequate1 or such as has proved  
radically baneful and pernicious4  ,but 
now1 in the very center of man's        
history--in the transition-point between
 the ancient and the modern             
world--science and life were again at   
unison1 as at the beginning4 ,and this  
was effected by the appearance of a new 
science in another form4 ,for most      
assuredly we shall not err in giving    
this name to a new living and spiritual 
power1 which1 totally changing and      
giving an entirely new direction to the 
arbitrary views1 sentiments1 and        
principles of public and private life1  
and also to the modes of thinking       
prevalent in the age and in the world1  
was strong enough to triumph1 not only  
over heathenism itself1 but also over   
the science and philosophy of its most  

enlightened nations4 ,now this new mode 
of thinking1 which came forward in the  
full certainty of the most undoubting   
faith and the highest internal          
illumination1 had1 so far as it is right
 and allowable to call it a science1 a  
very different form and scope from all  
that has previously and usually been so 
called4 ,for it issued out of the very  
depths of life1 and received from       
love--a divine love1 that is--its first 
diffusion and establishment4            
,consequently1 it was a thoroughly      
living science1 or1 as being perfectly  
clear and certain in itself1 a new      
scientific life1 which1 moreover1       
proceeded from this its first           
starting-point1 was able to penetrate   
into all the other forms of public life 
and of the anterior systems of science1 
and by adopting or remodeling them1 give
 to itself therein a further and more   
universal development4  ,but here1 also1
 the divine impulse from above          
encountered the usual partial or entire 

resistance from below4 ,accordingly1    
this new living wisdom1 which1 in its   
essence1 is one with life1 and which1   
therefore1 the more it is developed only
 unfolds this unity the more universally
 and the more immutably1 was not1 at the
 first1 universally adopted1 or did not 
become every where predominant4         
,moreover1 even where it was received1  
and its authority acknowledged1 its     
reception was often little more than    
external4 ,it was not admitted as a     
living principle into all the depths of 
the soul1 or impressed on all the habits
 and tendencies of the mind geist4 ,and 
even where1 in some degree at least1 it 
was adopted in the inner man with full  
and sincere love1 it was often nothing  
more than an undeveloped germ of the    
future and of a higher life4 ,isolated  
by itself1 and standing apart1 it       
remained shut up within the inmost      
bosom1 without at the same time         
penetrating1 reanimating1 and giving a  
new life and shape to all the other     

life-elements of the consciousness and  
the productions of human science4       
,thus1 then1 it was only too possible   
for error to find its entrance even here
 also4 ,and it is remarkable that both  
its principal forms1 such as in varying 
shapes the history of philosophy is     
constantly presenting to us in the      
different epochs of its progress1 here  
again most distinctly present themselves
 with all the features of their         
intellectual physiognomy plainly marked1
 and with the still more obvious        
contrast of their intrinsic diversity4  
,a philosophy of nature more or less    
visionary and fanciful was the common   
basis of the various ,gnostic sects4    
,with their long series of imaginary    
emanations from the ,deity1 resembling  
in no slight degree the old heathen     
genealogies of the gods1 they would1 had
 they triumphed1 have converted         
,christianity into a similar mythology1 
though of a more philosophical          
character4 ,in the ,arians1 on the      

contrary1 and other kindred sects before
 and after them1 we recognize rather the
 spirit of rationalism1 which1 dwelling 
on some point of life1 or theory1 with a
 show of rigor and accuracy1 while1     
apparently1 it disputes only about      
words1 is1 in fact1 undermining the     
foundation of the most essential ideas4 
,all these parties1 however1 as they    
originated1 so they also disappeared1   
within the first five or eight centuries
 of our era4 ,it was1 therefore1        
impossible for their pernicious         
influence to gain a deep hold of life4  
,at least it was neither universal nor  
permanent4 ,yet by them the ardor of a  
first love was cooled4 ,and sad1 indeed1
 has been the loss as regards the       
fullness of living energy1 and even in  
respect of profounder wisdom4  ,the     
history of the middle ages again        
presents a rare and singular phenomenon4
 ,one great mind and writer of          
antiquity1 whose influence in his own   
day was far from extensive1 became at   

this date1 in a most remarkable manner1 
the problem and center of scientific    
inquiry4 ,for several centuries the     
human mind was laboriously engaged in   
disputing about the philosophy of       
,aristotle4 ,and although men did not   
understand it--not1 at least1 its deeper
 meaning1 for they lacked the first and 
most essential qualifications1 and also 
the requisite means for such a          
purpose--this apparently aimless        
disputation1 and this unsolved problem1 
was1 nevertheless1 not without great and
 manifold influence on their own and the
 following ages4 ,it has had a permanent
 effect on the whole frame of man's life
 and being4  ,of the two wholly         
different aspects which1 as we have     
already so often remarked1 the          
philosophy of ,aristotle presents1 it   
was probably not its fruits of          
rationalism 7for1 at this period1 such  
were generally regarded as forbidden7   
that throughout the great part of the   
then civilized world excited so         

incredible a fondness for this          
all-absorbing and all-understanding     
system4 ,its attraction lay rather in   
some great and mysterious knowledge of  
nature4 ,and the desire for these       
intellectual treasures was not a little 
heightened by the fact1 that1 in        
general1 they were inaccessible4  ,in   
the little intercourse subsisting1 at   
this period1 between distant nations and
 lands1 and the almost total separation 
of the ,east from the ,west1 it was only
 through the ,arabic versions1 or ,latin
 translations molded again upon these1  
that any knowledge of this philosophy   
could be drawn4 ,this must have led1 it 
is obvious1 to a wide deviation from the
 true sense and critical spirit of the  
author4 ,its original aim must have been
 generally missed4 ,for1 however highly 
we may be disposed to estimate the      
intellectual merits of the ,arabians1 as
 writers of their native history1 or in 
poetry1 or in any other science1 they   
are notoriously deficient in the true   

critical spirit4 ,their total and       
universal want1 in this respect1 is     
especially evident when they are        
compared with the ,greeks1 among whom   
this critical acuteness1 whether false  
or true1 sprung up and reached its      
greatest height4  ,strange1 no doubt1   
and singular is it at first sight1 to   
view this old master of philosophical   
thought and science1 who1 on the whole1 
is so perfectly heathen1 suddenly       
received among the medieval theologians1
 and taking1 as it were1 his seat1 and  
giving his voice among them4 ,still1 if 
men of great mental powers and authority
 sought to make themselves masters of   
the whole matter--both of the           
much-disputed works of this writer1 this
 ,aristotle1 so strangely disguised in  
his new motley dress of ,arabic ,latin1 
and also of the voluminous labors       
bestowed upon him--we must look upon    
this procedure as analogous to that of  
the thoughtful physician1 who1 in the   
midst of a wide-spread pestilence and   

inevitable contagion1 prefers to        
inoculate it himself1 in order the more 
safely to treat and to cure it4 ,in     
short1 as the case really stands1 we    
must look on these illustrious men in   
two distinct lights4 ,on the one hand we
 must see in them the ,church's         
venerable teachers1 and the sagacious   
and discriminating theologians of the   
day2 on the other1 the scholastic       
interpreters of ,aristotle1 who had now 
become a necessary evil for the         
,christian middle ages4  ,this1 however1
 and whatever else was the matter and   
object of such subtile disputes1 was too
 soon forgotten4 ,in these scholastic   
contests1 after the fashion of the day1 
the combatants1 horse and man1 were     
armed cap-a-pi1 incased and disguised in
 logical coats of mail1 composed of     
countless rings of thought and chains of
 ideas4 ,with this heavy panoply1 the   
great object was to heave their         
antagonist out of the saddle4 ,often    
they recoiled from the shock without    

advantage on either side--so equally    
matched were they in their good lances  
and the weight of their armor--and often
 they swerved from the charge4 ,mostly1 
however1 both of the philosophical      
knights found themselves1 at the end of 
the strife1 at their old station in the 
lists1 or driven back1 perhaps1 to their
 original entry4 ,this scholastic       
philosophy1 in the form it now took1 of 
a highly elaborate art of logical       
tourney in the philosophical schools1   
was1 undoubtedly1 an abiding evil in the
 age that immediately followed1 and     
furnished an important element to the   
party disputes of later1 and to the     
rationalism of these latest times4  ,the
 overthrow of the ,grecian empire and   
the discovery of the new world1 suddenly
 and at once introduced into ,western   
,europe vast and varied treasures of    
historical1 physical1 and philosophical 
knowledge4 ,in this brilliant epoch of  
the fifteenth century1 a new world of   
thought was1 as it were1 laid open4 ,a  

new era of science would have been      
founded1 and a veritable reformation of 
the whole ,christian life must have     
ensued1 had not the moral corruption and
 the political disorders of the period  
been gross beyond description4 ,but for 
all this1 how much is there to admire in
 the ,platonic writers of the fifteenth 
century1 among whom ,germany1 after     
,italy1 produced the most famous and the
 greatest number8 ,when we take up1 even
 now1 any one of their works1 and       
contemplate therein their comprehensive 
liberal pursuit of science1 their mild1 
antique spirit1 their noble form1 and   
their quick recognition of the          
beautiful1 we can not turn from them    
without regret to that new state of     
barbarism into which1 during the        
sixteenth and part also of the          
seventeenth century1 science was plunged
 by the rampant spirit of party and     
controversy4  ,at last1 however1 peace  
and quiet returned again to ,christian  
lands and states1 and slowly1 and by    

degrees1 to the minds also of men4 ,and 
now was it1 in the eighteenth century1  
and especially toward the middle of it1 
that out of this apparent and           
superficial peace1 a new science1 or a  
new light1 or at least a new diffusion  
of it1 seemed ready to arise4 ,simply   
regarded in a scientific point of view1 
this philosophical endeavor of the      
eighteenth century1 and the most        
memorable of the systems to which it    
gave rise1 occupied our attention in the
 very opening of these ,lectures4 ,here 
the immediate object of our             
consideration is not this new science   
itself1 whether true or false1 but      
rather the influence on the age1 and on 
life in general1 of this modern mode of 
thinking1 as generally diffused and     
prevalent4  ,much1 undoubtedly1 has been
 discovered or newly learned in the     
natural sciences and in the domain of   
history2 many too have been the bold    
ventures1 at least1 and novel essays in 
philosophy4 ,this new wisdom1 moreover1 

was taught and disseminated far more    
universally than ever before had been   
the case2 while even the agreeable      
feeling produced by the moderation of   
the intellectual spirit now prevalent1  
greatly promoted its wide and rapid     
diffusion4 ,but at a later period this  
enlightenment1 so rapidly and so widely 
diffused1 which1 moreover1 was taken    
only in a negative sense1 was soon      
recognized to be unsatisfactory and     
superficial1 while also the theory of   
popular liberty and independence which  
was grafted thereon1 and claimed1 or at 
least wished to be rational1 bore the   
bitterest and worst of fruits4  ,in     
short1 to speak most leniently of it1   
the whole was nothing less than the     
undigested scheme of an immature and    
imperfect knowledge1 brought into the   
world before its time4 ,accordingly1 its
 rash and precipitate course in the last
 age1 whose history is unparalleled in  
the annals of the whole world1 together 
with the fearful catastrophe which it   

has brought about1 opened the eyes of   
men to the fearful abyss to which such a
 precipitate abuse of science had       
hurried them4 ,and1 in consequence1     
thinking men of the highest endowments  
and the richest intellectual gifts among
 different nations1 have in many ways   
nobly devoted themselves to the work of 
restoration in sentiment1 in thought1   
and in science4  ,but on the one hand1  
the first elements of the former        
destructive principle appear to be still
 existing1 even though it be in less    
obvious and more pliable and disguised  
forms4 ,on the other hand again1 the    
corrected mode of thinking1 and the     
better tone of sentiment and science1 is
 for the most part confined merely to a 
more chastened outward form4 ,scarcely  
any where as yet is it carried far      
enough back1 up to the profoundest      
sources of spiritual life1 up to the    
primal origin and veritable foundation  
of the divine and of the eternally good4
  ,and yet this is exactly the problem  

of our age1 and herein alone shall we   
find the solution of the great enigma of
 the times4 ,for from this hasty review 
of the whole course of the intellectual 
development of humanity1 from its       
beginning to its close1 the result1 for 
the sake of and with a view to which    
alone ,i ventured so cursorily and in   
such faint outline to sketch all the    
leading epochs of the history of        
philosophy1 must at least be evident4   
,as in the beginning1 and in the center 
thereof1 science and life lovingly      
co-operated together and were fully in  
unison2 and as in the intermediate      
epochs and intervals among the ,greeks  
in civilized antiquity1 and in the      
middle ages among ourselves1 they became
 more and more estranged1 so at the end 
will they be at one again4 ,and already1
 even in our own days1 every thing is   
tending to bring about such a           
consummation4 ,but who shall say whether
 it shall be in a good or an evil sense8
 ,ere long1 life shall either1 under the

 influence of the true and good and     
divine knowledge1 be again restored1    
permanently regulated1 and receive a new
 shape and fresh vigor1 or1 by a false  
and delusive science1 be completely     
destroyed1 and involved in eternal ruin4
  ,having1 in this hasty review1        
considered1 under its historical aspect1
 the problem of the relation of         
science--the true and divine1 as well as
 the false and delusive--to both private
 and public life1 it now remains for us 
to examine and to answer this same      
question from the side of theory4       
,regarded from this point of view1 it   
would appear that whenever science fails
 to exercise an influence on life1 or   
when they withdraw and are estranged one
 from the other1 the fact may be always 
accounted for and explained by          
accidental causes and purely local      
influences1 such as have their origin in
 the several periods of the world's     
history1 or flow from certain           
imperfections on one side or the other4 

,for1 considered in itself1 science in  
general is nothing but this unity of    
thought and life1 and consequently its  
living operation and influence are      
involved in the very idea of a higher   
science1 provided only it be true and   
properly regulated4 ,either1 therefore1 
science is life elevated into a thought1
 and consequently transformed into a    
thinking1 or else it is a thought       
carried into reality1 that has passed   
and been transmuted into life1 and      
therein fully attested and certified by 
life itself--consequently a thinking    
become life4  ,now1 according to this   
view1 that science consists in the      
mutual approximation to1 and the final  
attainment of1 a perfect unity between  
thought and life1 there are three       
degrees of it1 according to that triple 
gradation and threefold principle which 
exists in the human consciousness4 ,the 
first of these1 then1 is reflection4    
,and this1 understood in a somewhat     
profounder acceptation than ordinarily1 

is an internal feeling1 hearing1 or     
seeing of one's own thinking4           
,consequently it is a perception similar
 to that of the senses1 by means of     
which the unseen thought is in some     
degree projected and introduced into    
external reality4 ,but this act of      
reflection is nothing more than a       
passive state of the soul in its        
internal observation of itself4 ,so long
 as it remains confined to this narrow  
sphere1 it perpetually revolves in the  
same orbit1 and1 properly speaking1     
produces no ulterior results of a       
knowledge fruitful and applicable to    
actual and outward life4  ,the second   
degree or moment of science is          
abstraction1 by virtue of which1 from   
the complete sum of all the criteria and
 characteristics of an object1 or1      
rather1 of a thought1 some one is       
prominently set forth as the most       
essential1 and for the sake of          
communication designated by a name4 ,for
 all communication and language is based

 on this faculty of abstraction1 which  
is itself an arbitrary act of the free  
will4 ,but although by this naming1     
generalization1 and communication1 the  
internal thought is advanced a step     
farther into the external world and the 
living reality among and with others1   
still the reality of the thought is by  
no means satisfactorily established     
thereby4 ,for this very liberty in the  
choice of name1 of combination1 and of  
general classification1 opens a wide    
field for caprice4 ,this is evident     
enough from the countless multitude of  
terminologies1 so needlessly invented   
and so rapidly thrown into oblivion1    
which form so many remote and mutually  
unintelligible philosophical dialects1  
in the ever-repeated attempt to build   
methodically the ,babel tower of        
philosophical system4 ,for these        
designations of abstract thoughts1 even 
when they are most felicitous1 fail to  
win the concurrence of others1 and do   
but open a door to endless dialectical  

disputation4  ,thus1 then1 neither      
reflection1 which is eternally revolving
 within the narrow orbit of our inward  
self1 nor empty abstraction1 though it  
strays at pleasure over the spacious    
realm of the possible1 can lead us to   
the desired end of perfect certainty or 
veritable science4 ,it is alone the     
practical carrying out into real life of
 a speculative thought1 that can bring  
it to the conclusion of perfection of   
certainty1 and to a complete and true   
science4 ,now ,i should prefer to       
designate this its highest grade by the 
notion and name of consequence4 ,but by 
this term1 ,i must be understood as     
meaning not merely a correct logical    
enchainment of ideas1 but pre-eminently 
a faithfully-worked-out consequence or  
consistency of sentiment and life1 i4e41
 a perseverance in good4 ,at the same   
time1 it must ever be remembered1 that  
the evil principle1 although it often   
makes a boast of possessing this        
quality1 does so only in appearance1 and

 never in this true sense4 ,on the      
contrary1 torn to pieces by conflicting 
passions in its inmost being1 it is     
really in the highest degree            
inconsequent1 as acting in direct       
opposition to its beginning and origin1 
which1 like all other created beings1 it
 took and received from ,god4  ,truly   
consequent or consistent a man can not  
be except in the truth1 i4e41 in ,him   
out of whom all truth1 and from whom all
 existence is derived and flows--in     
other words1 in ,god4 ,science1         
therefore1 is an applied thinking1 i4e41
 one that has passed into life1 and     
thereby become real and certain2 and it 
is only on the road of practice1 by its 
actual carrying out or real             
manifestation1 that it can attain to its
 highest degree1 and that the truth of  
an idea or speculative thought can be   
satisfactorily attested4  ,the ideas1   
according to the original sense of the  
term1 are even the self-existing        
thoughts of a higher life1 as distinct  

both from the simple facts of the       
consciousness in the domain of          
reflection1 and from the arbitrary forms
 of thought set up by empty abstraction4
 ,and though even here as elsewhere1 a  
false1 sickly1 or a null and illusory   
life1 may be substituted for that which 
is true1 still this applies only to the 
form of the living idea1 as contrasted  
with the sensuous semblance or the dead 
notion4 ,for1 that an idea is truly     
divine1 can only be proved by this      
quality of consequence--by its divine   
influence and effect on life4  ,on the  
other hand1 many philosophical thinkers 
have somewhat erroneously indicated the 
intrinsic certainty of philosophical    
thought by the name and under the form  
of an intellectual intuition1 and       
thereby given occasion to manifold      
misconceptions4 ,but if in all the      
fullness of the conception already      
advanced of the eternal truth1 and of   
,him who is its sum and source1 we were 
really able to be sentinent of and to   

feel the divine life--to hear and       
audibly to perceive the eternal ,word   
and actually to see the holy ,light1    
such a spiritual intuition of ,god's    
glory and majesty would be far more     
appropriate for the future than for the 
present world4 ,and even though we may  
and can admit it to be conceivable1 as  
given from above1 still a communication 
of it would be impossible1 and1         
consequently1 could not be available for
 the ordinary purpose of giving a       
philosophical foundation to any human   
system4 ,under this form1 then1 of a    
so-called intellectual intuition1 if it 
be really such1 and not rather a mere   
form of abstract thought under another  
and an assumed name1 speculative science
 would consequently assume the character
 of a questionable vision1 and a        
possible mental delusion4 ,for a full   
internal satisfaction and certainty--so 
far at least as these are attainable by 
man--even in the case that they are the 
sign and the proof that this intuition1 

or perception of the divine light       
actually took place1 can only be        
furnished by that quality of consequence
 already described as belonging to every
 thought and cognition which is founded 
in ,god4 ,and to this character of      
consequence or consistency1 the         
condition of agreement with every other 
idea or revelation already acknowledged 
to be divine1 belongs naturally as the  
irrefragable law of judgment and of     
life4  ,that full and correct conception
 of eternal truth which has been        
developed by us in the ninth ,lecture as
 the living idea of the ,supreme ,being 
is unquestionably the fundamental       
speculative notion and the internal     
spiritual basis on which every other    
higher science1 that has any pretensions
 to the qualities of permanence and     
consequence which belong to             
right-thinking and to immutable truth1  
is subsequently raised1 or1 in other    
words1 it is the source from which it   
abidingly flows4 ,in the three          

subsequent ,lectures1 however1 the      
subject has been mostly scientific1     
speculative1 and metaphysical1 though   
throughout accompanied with historical  
illustrations drawn from the development
 of the human mind4 ,and here1          
accordingly1 a reference to the science 
or discipline of logic is every where   
supposed4  ,now1 in the form in which   
this science or discipline has come down
 to us from the ,greeks1 there is much  
that is rather an accident than a part  
of its essence1 and whose presence must 
be accounted for by some special and    
local necessity4 ,with no people before 
or since has rhetoric enjoyed so        
commanding an influence as with the     
,greeks1 and with none also has the     
sophistic art produced such great and   
such pernicious effects4 ,accordingly1  
they found it necessary to devote to the
 analysis of all its arts1 delusions1   
and tortuous windings1 and also to the  
development of the dialectical means for
 their detection and refutation1 a      

disproportionate degree of attention1   
which is neither necessary for us nor   
practically useful4  ,the ,hindoos1     
likewise1 have from the most ancient    
times possessed a scientific system of  
logic4 ,indeed it has even been said1   
that ,aristotle1 having received from   
,alexander the ,great some of their     
logical treatises1 borrowed from them   
his own system1 or1 at least1 molded it 
after them4 ,but from the reasons just  
adduced1 ,i am disposed to think that1  
in all probability1 the ,hindoo logic   
was much simpler than the ,grecian1     
where the simple end of truth1 and the  
great desideratum of a correct standard 
thereof1 was lost sight of amid an      
overminute analysis1 and the mazes of an
 endless subdivision of notions4  ,in   
the routine of our school education     
logic might1 perhaps1 be made a highly  
profitable study if only it were        
combined with and made to bear upon the 
history of the gradual development of   
human thought1 and especially the theory

 of language4 ,and then1 since thought  
and speech are so intimately allied to  
and dependent on each other1 it would be
 advisable to go a step farther1 and    
extend our logical studies to the theory
 of imagination1 symbolical language and
 its fundamental rules4  ,in a          
scientific education1 too1 a logic of   
the memory 7if we may be allowed the    
expression7 would in all probability be 
highly useful4 ,for an established law  
and disposition of our thoughts would   
greatly facilitate the exercise of      
memory1 and as furnishing rules for the 
practice1 or generally as an exercise of
 that faculty1 would form an excellent  
basis for scientific education4 ,for the
 conduct of life1 indeed1 there is      
nothing so important or so desirable as 
a right logic of the conscience1 which  
should detect all the internal delusions
 of egoism and the still more subtile   
sophistry of selfishness in every point 
where the question lies between the     
righteous truth and a latent falsehood4 

,and this is intimately connected with1 
or at least leads directly to1 the      
notion of the sound reason which        
requires before all things a            
conscientious susceptibility of the     
truth4  ,but a logic applicable to this 
higher science must be understood in a  
far more comprehensive sense than is    
ordinarily done4 ,and this is even what 
we have here attempted to furnish4      
,logic in general is conversant about   
three objects3 the notion1 the judgment1
 and the conclusion4 ,but it ought also 
to possess a general fundamental rule   
and regulative standard of truth1 so far
 as this is attainable4 ,but inasmuch as
 in this domain the eternal is simply   
one1 so also for this higher science one
 notion properly is sufficient2 as also 
one judgment which comprises all others1
 and one conclusion which completes the 
whole1 is sufficient4 ,the act of       
understanding has been explained to be  
the completion of the notion2 and the   
full and complete apprehension of the   

eternal truth1 or of ,him who is the sum
 of all verities1 was the subject-matter
 of our ninth treatise4 ,the act of     
discerning was explained to be the      
completion of the judgment2 and this    
perfect judgment1 which decides and     
distinguishes between truth and error1  
was the theme of our tenth disquisition4
 ,science1 however1 is the perfection of
 all thinking1 and in its actual        
operation1 as applied to life1 and in   
itself carried to a conclusion1 is one  
with it4 ,now this was the end to which 
the present discussion and development  
was intended to lead2 while the further 
prosecution of it and its reference to  
the several spheres and domains of      
existence must be reserved to the       
following discourses4     ,,lecture     
,,xii4  ,,of ,,the ,,symbolical ,,nature
 ,,and ,,constitution ,,of ,,life ,,with
 ,,reference ,,to ,,art ,,and ,,the     
,,moral ,,relations ,,of ,,man4   ,how  
difficult it generally is for man to    
express his internal conceptions1 to    

bring out the indwelling idea and to    
realize its perfect external            
manifestation1 is shown1 for example1   
among other instances1 by the fine arts1
 or the art of the beautiful4 ,for this 
reason the theory of the latter1 the    
so-called sthetics 7which1 however1     
might far more correctly be termed      
symbolism71 forms the natural pendant   
and accompaniment to logic1 if the      
latter1 instead of being limited1 as is 
usual1 to the mere art of distinguishing
 the different kinds of notions1 is     
understood in a far higher sense1 and   
referred to eternal1 and1 consequently1 
divine truth1 and to its intrinsic and  
equally divine standard4 ,for when the  
question no longer involves a purely    
material or simply subjective verity1   
but that which is more exalted and      
heavenly1 then beauty 7that1 namely1    
about which art is conversant1 and      
which1 far surpassing all that is merely
 human1 pretends and really ought to be 
divine and supernatural7 forms the other

 and symbolical aspect of one and the   
same eternal truth4 ,and indeed it is   
neither separable from it nor opposed to
 it1 so long as art maintains its high  
standing and employs the sensual charm  
which it requires for the lively        
expression of vitality1 and its outward 
manifestation1 only as a symbol and for 
the sake of that higher significance    
which she herself lends to it1 and does 
not seek nor admire it for its own sake1
 nor sees therein the fulfillment of its
 own true end and aim4  ,but by far the 
greater number of the productions of art
 are only repetitions or copies of some 
previous realization4 ,and ,i use this  
term1 not in its usual depreciatory     
sense1 but rather in one that is        
applicable to what are truly artistic   
productions but still only successful   
formations at second-hand4 ,extremely   
rare1 indeed1 are the original          
expressions or impressions of an        
indwelling1 unborrowed idea ,and even   
among these very many are nothing more  

than the first faint outline and        
commencement1 which only at a subsequent
 epoch of art1 and after long and       
repeated essays1 attains to complete    
perfection and a really successful and  
veritable outward exhibition of the     
indwelling idea4 ,for we must ever      
consider as an idea that inward object  
which art in its external manifestations
 strives to realize1 and which in its   
creations ought to stand out1 as it     
were1 bodily before us4  ,even in music 
7as the expression of the emotions of   
the soul in their flow and change1 and  
in the struggle with inharmonious       
discords1 till at last they finally     
dissolve in harmony7 it is not so much  
the immediate feeling--for this would be
 no more artistic than the mere cry of  
passion--as rather the idea of it that  
the artist has in his mind1 and that    
forms the subject of his                
representations4 ,the musician strives  
to represent the whole idea--the        
beautiful and the marvelous in the whole

 progress of its development4 ,following
 the inmost life-pulse in its alternate 
rising and falling1 he labors to give   
its unexpected transitions up to their  
sudden harmony or its repetitions of    
still increasing pitch up to a full and 
soothing close1 or 7if this is          
designedly to be left unattained7 up to 
the abrupt and painful breaking off or  
gradual dying away and cessation of the 
plaintive note or the tone of ardent    
longing4  ,and the same is the case with
 sculpture4 ,but here we would premise  
the remark1 that the principle with     
which we set out1 of the triple nature  
and division of man's being1 is         
confirmed by the existence of a         
corresponding order and diversity in the
 fine arts4 ,among the arts1            
accordingly1 whose object is the        
manifestation of the beautiful1 music is
 pre-eminently the art for the soul1    
while sculpture is for the most part    
corporeal4  ,now1 in sculpture it is not
 any actual figure or the body itself   

that the artist has in view4 ,it is the 
general idea thereof that constitutes   
the subject-matter of his               
representations4 ,he seeks to portray   
its most perfect structure1 its full    
organic development1 its exquisite      
correctness of symmetry and sublime     
beauty of form4 ,and to all this even   
the expression of character and passion 
is in a certain degree subordinate4 ,and
 exactly because the external medium    
which it employs1 because the material  
mass on which its internal conceptions  
are to be stamped1 or1 rather1 out of   
which they are to be worked1 is the     
inanimate stone and cold marble1        
therefore does true sculpture aim at a  
higher excellence than the uniformity   
and death-like repose which characterize
 the ,egyptian statues of the gods4 ,it 
seeks rather to triumph by copying with 
the most marvelous truth and fidelity   
the living frame in its most rapid      
movements1 and life in its most violent 
struggles1 and by seizing its fleeting  

graces to fix them forever in its own   
imperishable creations4  ,in truth1 the 
imitation of actual reality1 however    
difficult and in itself worthy of       
admiration it may be1 does not          
constitute the aim or object1 or        
generally the principle of sculpture1   
any more than of any other art4 ,a      
remarkable proof of this is afforded by 
the fact that color1 with all its       
charms1 is excluded from the plastic art
 and its embodied manifestations as too 
meretricious and too closely allied to  
reality4 ,for by such an expedient1 not 
less than by the use of ingenious       
mechanism to give motion to the limbs1  
the artistic ideal1 or the images of the
 gods1 would have degenerated into the  
puppets of children4  ,reality1         
therefore1 with its actual shapes and   
the delusive imitation and servile      
copying of them1 is in nowise the proper
 or immediate object of the plastic art4
 ,even beauty of form is not always1 not
 at least solely and exclusively its    

aim2 it is only so accidentally and     
relatively1 as a condition of the       
expression of character1 of external    
states1 and of the total significance4  
,always and universally it is a thought1
 the idea of some subject or form as the
 inner sense and significance thereof1  
that constitutes the essence of a work  
of art1 and with which art in general is
 concerned4 ,in other words1 art is     
symbolical4 ,and this may be predicated 
with equal truth of every higher art1 as
 well as of sculpture1 whatever may be  
the medium of its manifestations1       
whether a statue1 or tone as in music1  
or words as in poetry4 ,it is exactly   
this that constitutes the difference    
between high art and every other which1 
however closely allied to it in         
appearance1 has some ulterior and       
practical object1 and which therefore   
can not be symbolical4  ,of this kind1  
for instance1 is the difference between 
rhetoric 7which most assuredly is an    
art1 or at least was exclusively treated

 as such by the ,greeks7 and poetry4    
,and it is of the utmost importance to  
keep this distinction constantly in     
view4 ,for exactly in the same degree   
that it is neglected is the proper      
character and true excellency of the    
higher art of the beautiful lost sight  
of4 ,and a right estimate of the other  
arts which have an ulterior and         
practical object would also be          
endangered4 ,an orator who with the     
greatest command of practical and       
imaginative language is nevertheless    
devoid of convincing logical power to   
sway the minds of men by his arguments1 
and to bend them irresistibly to his    
purpose1 would exercise but little      
influence2 while no heavier censure can 
be passed on one who sets up for a poet1
 than to affirm of him1 that he         
possesses and understands nothing but   
the rhetoric of passion1 without--though
 such further qualification is evidently
 superfluous--true poetry4  ,of the fine
 arts1 therefore1 which1 employing a    

material medium for their               
representations1 possess an ideal and   
symbolical significance1 music is the   
art of the soul1 and sculpture is that  
of corporeal form1 and of the           
manifestation of the true idea of       
organic beauty4 ,but among the three    
sister arts1 painting is the true       
spiritual one4 ,as the light1 with its  
ceaseless variety of tints and hues1 is 
the most spiritual element of nature1   
and as the eye is the most spiritual of 
man's senses1 so painting1 as concerned 
about these1 is the most spiritual of   
the arts1 and the one with which the    
symbolical spirit readily associates    
itself4 ,painting directs itself wholly 
to the eye1 whereas sculpture appeals   
indeed to the eye1 but only as the      
necessary medium for satisfying the     
corporeal sense and feeling4  ,but      
painting1 in its manifestations1 does   
not confine itself to abstract beauty   
7if we may so say7 or the perfect       
structure and symmetry of form4 ,it     

embraces all the eye can reach in the   
visible phenomena of the world1 with all
 its wonderful play of light and shade  
and magical splendor of coloring1 where 
not only the whole1 but the several     
parts--in a word1 all that in many and  
various ways is charming to the senses1 
attractive to the eye with ever new     
wonders1 and all that to the mind or    
spirit is full of deep spiritual and    
symbolical significance4 ,and for this  
reason the wonderful art of painting is 
even the most appropriate1 shall ,i say 
to exhibit1 or rather to suggest1 the   
high mysteries of divine love in        
religion and revelation4 ,no wonder1    
then1 if1 in modern ,christendom1 music 
and painting1 the art or symbolism of   
soul and spirit1 have been chiefly      
cultivated1 and attained their highest  
development and perfection1 whereas the 
art of the perfect development of       
organic form and corporeal and sensual  
beauty1 reached its height of excellence
 in the sculpture of classical          

antiquity1 which in the same way and    
degree will never again be paralleled1  
or at least will never be surpassed4    
,it appears sufficient if we assume that
 there are only three symbolical arts   
for the higher manifestation of the     
beautiful4 ,for architecture1 although  
in various ways bound and modified by   
the conditions of some ulterior design1 
is1 nevertheless1 in its principal      
features closely related to sculpture1  
and stands on the same line with it4    
,for beauty of structure1 correctness of
 proportion1 and grace of symmetry1     
which form the fundamental laws of the  
plastic art1 constitute also the ideal  
of architecture4 ,accordingly1 among the
 ,greeks and ,romans1 where the latter  
attained to its highest and richest     
cultivation1 its principles1 relations1 
and forms approximate to those of       
organic figure1 to which they are not   
indeed outwardly in their structure1 but
 in a certain degree and according to   
their internal constitution1 similar and

 correspondent1 or at least related4    
,egyptian architecture1 with its        
predominantly mathematical character1   
and the tree-like ,gothic aspiring to   
heaven1 with its slender shafts and     
floral decorations1 form the two        
extremes of this organic character which
 belongs to architecture1 and which     
constitutes it one and the same art with
 sculpture4 ,for the structures of the  
former environ and surround the         
creations of the latter4 ,and it is only
 consistent that that which supplies the
 legitimate sphere and the natural      
medium for the other properly exhibitive
 art of sculpture and its statues of the
 gods1 should even possess or acquire a 
similarity of character with it4 ,as to 
the ,egyptian and ,gothic architectures1
 the remark readily suggests itself that
 the symbolical character displays      
itself predominantly in them3 purity of 
form1 however1 is the prevalent feature 
of the antique 7or ,grecian71 but even  
here in its proportions the symbolical  

principle may be traced1 although it is 
more recondite1 not to say concealed4   
,even poetry is no fourth art alongside 
of the other three4 ,it does not stand  
on the same line with and form1 as it   
were1 the complement of their number4   
,it is rather the universal symbolical  
art which comprises and combines in     
different mediums all those other       
exhibitive arts of the beautiful4 ,in   
its rhythm and other metrical aids it   
possesses all the charms of a music in  
words2 in its figurative diction it     
maintains an endless succession of      
shifting pictures in the vivid coloring 
of diversified illustration2 while in   
its entire structure 7which must be     
neither purely historical1 nor logical1 
or even rhetorical7 it strives to       
attain1 by a beautiful organic          
development and disposition of its      
parts1 to an arrangement of the whole   
both architecturally great and correct4 
,poetry owes in every instance its first
 creative beginning to some great and   

singular ray of light from symbolical   
tradition1 which1 at the same time1     
illuminates the noble and memorable     
past1 and points forward to the dark and
 mystical future4 ,for it would be      
difficult to produce one among the great
 epic poems of antiquity that does not  
contain this poetico-prophetic element1 
and does not touch upon the profound    
mysteries of both worlds4 ,the next and 
middle step is occupied by the poetry of
 sentiment and feeling--that music of   
the soul or poesy of song in which the  
calm deep longings and the wild tearing 
passions of the moment1 once plunged and
 glorified in that immortal element1    
become eternal4 ,but the height of      
perfection in the organic development of
 poetry is marked by the drama4 ,this   
third and highest form of poetical art  
has for its subject-matter the whole    
struggle of human life1 which in its    
vivid representations it aims to        
realize1 and1 as it were1 to bring      
bodily before our eyes4  ,there exists  

an obvious analogy between the several  
constituents1 as well as the different  
species or kinds of poetry and the three
 material arts of the beautiful4 ,as the
 latter are symbolical throughout in the
 subject no less than in the manner and 
design of their manifestations1 so also1
 but in a far higher degree1 is poetry1 
as the art which embraces all the three 
in its own sphere4 ,and this was the end
 to which ,i wished to arrive1 inasmuch 
as the symbolical significance of the   
whole of life is the very point which at
 present claims our attention4 ,for it  
bears intimately on the conclusion which
 ,i attempted to establish in my last   
,lecture4 ,it was there my endeavor to  
prove that the supreme science1 which is
 essentially identical with a divine    
faith1 may be actually applied to life1 
be really brought in unison with it1 and
 become transformed into a living and   
real existence4 ,but this can only be   
accomplished by a symbolical process1 or
 in other words1 the symbolical         

signification of life is either itself  
the basis1 or else an indispensable     
condition of1 and inevitable            
transition-point toward1 such a union   
and its accomplishment4  ,but in the    
arts which portray the beautiful1 this  
symbolical significance and property is 
most distinctly prominent2 here it is   
most easily understood and most         
universally recognized4 ,on this account
 ,i have chosen this subject1 as forming
 the natural transition and connecting  
link between the previous and the       
following ,lectures4 ,no doubt the      
sthetical portion of man's constitution 
and life is in itself sufficiently      
remarkable and attractive1 and rich and 
important enough in its effects and     
consequences1 to vindicate for itself   
such an episode1 and to claim for it a  
place in philosophical speculation4 ,for
 it shows that that fundamental law of  
psychological science and triple        
principle of division of the human      
consciousness into spirit1 soul1 and    

sense1 admits also of application in    
this domain also1 and may serve to      
confirm the whole theory and way of     
thinking4 ,the further prosecution1     
however1 of this elementary view or     
sketch of art would carry me beyond my  
present limits4 ,for the aim of that    
philosophy of which ,i am attempting to 
give an exposition is directed to life  
itself--as well the inner life of the   
individual as the public life 7and in   
the present place1 also1 its symbolical 
relation or signification7--which is so 
inseparably and intimately connected    
with the investigation into the divine  
foundation of life and the divine       
direction which ought to be imparted to 
it4  ,it can easily be shown that       
education as well as art is essentially 
symbolical4 ,such1 indeed1 must be the  
character of the education1 whether     
public or private1 of the whole rising  
generation1 unless it is to degenerate  
into an ordinary mechanical system4 ,and
 it is even in this quality principally 

that we are disposed to place the       
distinction between an unspiritual      
education1 which1 even though in the    
sternness of its morality it may defy   
censure1 yet eventually proves barren   
and mortal1 and one more solid and more 
conformable to human nature1 which1 less
 pretending in the outset1 is even the  
more lasting in its effects4  ,the ready
 susceptibility of the youthful mind for
 every thing symbolical that lies within
 its reach1 and its vivid perception of 
its meaning1 might be clearly enough    
shown by instancing some of the ordinary
 amusements of boyhood and youth4 ,how  
commonly1 in these years1 are the       
various occupations1 pursuits1 and      
circumstances of real and1 to them1     
still future life1 childishly1 perhaps1 
but still ingeniously imitated1 or1     
rather1 anticipated6 ,and how lasting an
 influence does this frequently make on 
their little society6 ,what various but 
lasting traces does it often leave on   
their minds1 more perhaps than many     

hours of study1 especially if in the    
latter the usual system of overloading  
the young mind defeats its own end4     
,play1 indeed1 must not become the mere 
pastime of idleness1 for it is only by  
its alternation with labor and the      
sternness of discipline that it         
continues to be a recreation and a      
pleasure4  ,and1 indeed1 the            
earnestness1 the labor1 and the sterner 
part in this whole business and matter  
of education1 as mixed and composed of  
two opposite elements1 of the serious   
and the sportive1 is highly capable of  
receiving so spiritual a reference and  
vital a significance4 ,and if all       
education be nothing else than a        
preparation for the future1 and the     
state of this preparation1 then it must 
be self-evident that too many or enough 
of such vivid references and spiritual  
allusions to a future life1 either      
generally or to any particular phase of 
it that may chiefly be had in view1 can 
not be introduced into education and its

 serious and sportive elements and      
pursuits4 ,for it is only by this method
 that the susceptibilities of youth and 
the youthful fancy can be vividly       
excited and thoroughly impressed with   
the fundamental design and significance 
of the whole of life--a result which no 
mere dry definition of the future state1
 or generally of any 8destination of    
man0 on the dusty road of logic1 will   
ever attain to4  ,it is nowise singular 
if this symbolical property and         
disposition of human nature announces   
itself as distinctly in the earliest    
development and in the most perfect of  
the productions of artistic genius1     
whether we take into consideration the  
whole existing state of mankind1 or his 
original and essential constitution     
relatively to the world and to ,god4 ,we
 have already remarked1 on more than one
 occasion1 that man1 as soon as he was  
deprived of those higher faculties which
 he had abused to his ruin1 fell thereby
 more entirely than would seem          

originally to have been the case1 under 
the dominion of figurative fancy1 and   
that1 consequently1 his whole nature and
 consciousness became greatly changed   
from what it was at the beginning4 ,if  
man did at the very first possess the   
faculty and the power to communicate his
 thoughts to others inwardly by a mere  
operation of his will1 and without      
having recourse to the external medium  
of words1 he no longer enjoys this      
privilege2 and if any wonderful         
phenomena in any way resembling thereto 
be now found1 they only form so many    
remarkable exceptions1 instead of making
 the rule of human life and             
consciousness as they now are4 ,as at   
present constituted1 man feels that his 
state is pre-eminently symbolical3 he   
sees in symbolism a necessary           
requirement for his earthly pursuits--a 
substitute for those immediate powers of
 cogitation which he has lost4 ,and all 
this is true1 independently of any use  
he may freely choose to make of symbols 

for the higher purposes of spiritual    
life4  ,man1 at the beginning1 was      
placed on this earth as its first-born  
son1 in the midst of the telluric       
universe1 or1 in other words1 in the    
center of a planetary world akin to and 
similar to his own4 ,now1 whatever may  
be the case1 or whatever it may be      
allowable to think of any other of the  
starry spheres--though in the invisible 
world of spirits all perhaps is more    
immediately full of and instinct with   
essence1 and is not veiled in material  
emblems1 this is not the case with this 
earth4 ,terrestial nature1 in all its   
organic productions and warring elements
 of life1 is throughout symbolical4     
,man1 therefore1 viewed from this       
position of his earthly habitation1 is  
surrounded by a symbolical world of     
sensuous emblems4 ,and if we can1 or1   
rather1 if we will1 believe the grand   
intimation with which revelation opens1 
the first and highest destination of man
 is even symbolical--to be the ,divine  

image4  ,if1 now1 all the natural wants 
and properties of man are symbolical--if
 such be his present state in the midst 
of creation--his whole position in the  
mundane system1 and his high and        
heavenly destination1 can we1 or1       
rather1 ought we1 to wonder if even     
religion presents itself for the most   
part clothed in a symbolical garb8 ,for 
this is the case1 not merely with that  
which was the wild upgrowth of a        
poetical and purely imaginative         
heathenism1 but also the old1 original1 
and pure religion of nature--as the     
first love devoting itself for          
sacrifice--the second revelation of     
,god4 ,and so we find it to have been in
 the old world1 or1 as it is otherwise  
called1 the old covenant4 ,here the     
first twilight of faith was yet studded 
with all the starry splendor of the     
whole symbolical creation1 as it were   
with the brilliant diadem of nature's   
most glorious images4 ,and even the new 
era of the ascending and brightening    

dawn still bears on its front the       
glittering morning-star of art4  ,but   
now1 if still retaining the same figure1
 or1 rather1 borrowing from it a        
contrast1 we proceed to designate art in
 and by itself1 we may justly compare it
 to the moon1 which illumines with its  
vague but marvelous half-light the      
domain of night and the dark realms of  
creative fancy4 ,even here it is but a  
borrowed splendor from the true sun1 a  
reflection from another and a higher    
luminary1 that lights up the darkness4  
,and while all the wonderful starry     
types of the spiritual world1 which     
retire in the full day1 come out in this
 magical twilight1 so also deceptive    
phantoms1 airy forms of gigantic        
magnitude1 may mingle with the hovering 
and misty troop of shadows to which the 
earth-born vapors alone give birth and  
shape4 ,and yet1 notwithstanding this   
earthly intermixture1 the art of the    
beautiful1 whenever it retains its true 
nature1 is in its essence directed to   

the divine4 ,consequently it not only   
lends an external charm to religion1 but
 in its origin1 in all times and        
peoples1 it was intimately related to   
it1 and bound to it by the strictest    
ties of affinity and association4 ,and  
this is not the less true1 even though  
to the eye of a severe criticism most of
 its productions1 in the ages of its    
decline1 may appear utterly remote from 
its first source and aim1 and perfectly 
vain1 worthless1 and sensual4  ,the     
divine origin of art is easily proved by
 its history every where1 and indeed is 
so manifest that it can not well be     
doubted4 ,high art1 indeed1 can not and 
never will surrender its claim to a     
divine power and sanctity3 it must      
insist upon the recognition of this its 
high sanction4 ,if we could conceive an 
age or country where religion should    
entirely cease and be forgotten--where  
not only all positive faith and         
revelation1 but even the universal      
belief in a ,divinity above them1 should

 die away and perish among men--the     
light of all higher and heaven-directed 
thoughts and aims should become         
extinct--that echo of eternity and of   
eternal love which the inmost feelings  
of the human soul spontaneously gives   
back1 should be hushed forever--then and
 there at the self-same moment would all
 high art be withdrawn and disappear4   
,in our own age the state of things is  
the direct contrary to that which we    
have been supposing4 ,while from the    
universal prevalence of freethinking in 
politics--a natural consequence of the  
reign of religious skepticism--the whole
 of life1 and especially public life1   
has ceased to be regarded and understood
 in its symbolical character and        
dignity2 while the little of religious  
sentiment that still survives is more or
 less distracted and secularized by     
sectarian controversy1 and scarcely one 
inviolable sanctuary is left for a      
simple and undoubting faith to shelter  
in--art and the beautiful are for a     

certain portion of the educated classes 
the only fresh oasis of divinity amid   
the surrounding desert of worldliness4  
,it is the last treasure left to them1  
and1 indeed1 prized by them as such1 and
 regarded as the true palladium of a    
higher intrinsic life2 but this1 in its 
isolated state and by itself1 it never  
can be4  ,in this respect the present   
age may be likened to a noble house1    
fallen from its primitive wealth and    
magnificence into decay and ruin4 ,its  
revenues dissipated by misfortunes1     
mismanagement and extravagance2 its     
mansion and domains mortgaged or        
encumbered with debt1 nothing remains to
 it but the family jewels4 ,these       
time-honored heirlooms of better days   
are all that it still retains of its    
former opulence4 ,and even in these many
 a false stone has been introduced among
 the old genuine diamonds2 much spurious
 metal has been substituted for the     
sterling gold of antiquity4 ,apparently1
 however1 the whole are still preserved 

as the last relic of a former splendor1 
and of a wealth which once seemed       
inexhaustible4 ,in the same way the     
present generation supports its inner   
and higher life on the mere external    
treasures of art1 while the great       
capital of ancient faith1 to which among
 other excellent fruits that ornament of
 beauty owed its existence1 has by the  
great majority been long squandered on  
the 8spirit of the age40  ,but the      
symbolical dress that religion every    
where assumes constitutes but one half  
of its external form4 ,the other        
consists in the vital and intrinsic     
union of all the members and professors 
of the common faith4 ,religion can not  
by any means be isolated and solitary4  
,it is impossible to think of it as     
existing only for the individual4 ,in a 
word1 there is no such thing as religion
 in a proper sense without a community4 
,two or three must at least be united in
 a common faith1 that its power and     
efficacy may be visible among them4 ,and

 this association is one vital          
throughout--an inmost bond binding souls
 together by a spiritual attraction1    
and1 as it were1 enchainment of the     
several members4  ,as the electrical    
shock traverses instantaneously the     
entire chain of the connected links1 and
 the spark which enters at one extremity
 flashes the next moment at the         
other--as a single loadstone will by    
contact convert any number of needles   
into magnets1 and elevate them into a   
new and higher relation to the whole    
globe--so is it also in religion4 ,a    
living communication from the first     
origin runs through the whole community4
 ,as in the voltaic pile1 composed of   
alternate layers of two different       
metals1 one chemical element of the     
telluric energy or of the vital         
principle of the air or atmosphere is   
emitted or set free on one side and the 
other on the opposite2 so is it here    
also in the spiritual chain of faith and
 in its living reciprocal action of the 

different members of this               
soul-chain--between those who are active
 ministers and conductors1 or           
instruments by which it works1 and the  
others1 who in a somewhat passive       
relation only imbibe the invisible life4
 ,by the one the divine blessing of     
sanctification and holiness is set in   
action and brought to light--developed  
and confirmed2 while by the others grace
 is received as the effectual power and 
gift of salvation4  ,one remark1        
however1 seems particularly called for  
in this place4 ,it appears1 from what   
has been already said1 that even        
revelation and the true religion itself 
invariably puts on and is invested with 
that symbolical garb which is so        
consonant and agreeable to the state and
 nature of humanity4 ,this being the    
case1 it becomes extremely difficult to 
form a general standard by which we may 
unfalteringly determine what symbols are
 not essential1 as only serving for the 
external garb of religion and an        

intelligible vehicle of its             
communications4 ,for this1 it is        
evident1 must be governed by the        
diversity of individual wants and       
peculiarities1 and must consequently    
assume a variable and personal          
character4 ,if1 however1 a symbol       
proceeds immediately from ,god1 then it 
must necessarily be essential4 ,it is   
not only a type1 but an actual          
substance4 ,to suppose otherwise would  
be even almost parallel to presuming to 
regard the eternal ,logos1 who is the   
source of light and life1 of all        
knowledge and of all being1 as a word   
merely1 without innate energy and       
substance4  ,most natural1 therefore1 is
 it 7that is to say1 most consistent    
with the nature of the thing1 which     
however in itself is supernatural1      
incomprehensible1 and surpasses all     
conception71 that the highest symbol of 
the faith1 that which forms the         
principle of communion and the living   
center of unity of all ,christendom1    

should have such a character as to be at
 once a symbol and also the veritable   
reality of the thing itself4 ,for       
inasmuch as on the altar of this        
religion of divine love1 since the one  
oblation has long ago been perfected1 no
 other fire shall again be kindled but  
the flame of prayer and of a will       
directed to and in unison with ,god2    
therefore1 the act by means of which    
that communion of souls which           
constitutes the essence of all religion1
 is maintained and carried on1 consists 
simply in this1 that the essential      
substance of the divine power and of    
,god's love to man is given and received
 as the wonderful seal of union with    
,him4#eb  ,as to the altar itself1 how  
rich or how simple its ornaments ought  
to be1 is a question which ,i have      
already remarked1 does not easily admit 
of any general solution4 ,if1 however1  
we should attempt to think of           
,christianity without an altar1 or      
desire and attempt to establish such a  

scheme--what indeed among the vast      
variety of human conceits and religious 
theories has only occurred to a very    
limited number1 and never has and never 
will exercise any lasting and decided   
influence--a ,christianity thus divested
 of symbols and mysteries would be      
degraded into a mere philosophical view 
and opinion--or at the very best1 a     
school of the kind--any thing1 in short1
 rather than religion4 ,even the study  
of the ,bible1 if in spite of so sad a  
state of things it should still survive1
 would sink into a mere matter of       
erudition1 on a level with any other    
favorite pursuit of antiquarian lore and
 research4 ,and if1 on the other hand1  
rising perhaps somewhat higher than a   
mere philosophical opinion or the       
favorite pursuits of erudition1 a       
religious community1 having no altar at 
all1 should pretend to rest entirely on 
prayer and spiritual teaching or        
preaching1 such a scheme must presuppose
 an immediate inspiration1 communicable 

to all and continuous throughout time4  
,but such an hypothesis invariably      
proves the easy and natural transition  
to the most frightful fanaticism1 of    
whose pernicious and evil effects those 
only who are acquainted with the        
domestic history of ,mohammedism1 among 
whose modern and ancient sects this idea
 is rampant1 can form a clear and       
adequate conception4  ,in religion1     
therefore1 and that entire union of the 
inner man and soul with ,god which it   
demands1 or at least hopes and desires  
to bring about as essential and         
necessary1 and which the higher         
philosophy of antiquity1 no less than   
revealed religion1 strove and longed to 
attain1 there lies a something          
inconceivably sublime and beautiful4    
,nay1 we might almost call it an        
impossible result1 similar in some      
degree to that which is involved in the 
higher and more intricate of algebraic  
equations for which there is no         
solution1 or which1 at least1 appear to 

have none till it is actually           
discovered4 ,now this finite1           
changeable1 and in all respects         
incomplete and in no one point          
satisfactorily1 or at least not         
perfectly defined 7a7 of our own        
individual self1 with which we are wont 
to commence the whole of our thought and
 life1 is to be brought into communion  
with1 or1 in other words1 to be equaled 
to the wholly incomprehensible 7x7 of   
the incommunicable ,godhead4 ,how is    
this possible8 ,by what means is it to  
be accomplished8  ,properly1 indeed1 our
 ,ego is no such 7a71 and can not be    
defined as such in the wonderful        
algebraic equation of our inmost life   
and highest pursuit4 ,for nowhere does  
man feel himself to be a first2 all     
things prove him to be secondary and    
derivative1 wherever it may be that he  
is to take or seek his beginning4 ,and  
not only does the alphabet of our life  
carry us beyond itself and toward its   
end in this incomprehensible 7x71 but it

 is also defective at its commencement1 
and wants a beginning and the first 7a71
 which ought to form its very opening4  
,and even the 7b7 7could this satisfy   
us7 is nowhere distinctly and clearly to
 be found such as it is in and by       
itself1 or such even as it was          
originally4 ,it is invariably mixed and 
involved with something else equally    
unknown4 ,we have1 therefore1 in this   
equation of our life1 to do with two    
wholly unknown magnitudes--with the     
incomprehensible 7x71 and with the 7y74 
,for by the latter sign we will at      
present designate that which every where
 meets and opposes us4 ,for the fact of 
such an inborn and connatural obstacle  
every one will admit1 even though he may
 refuse to explain it by the evil       
principle and may be unwilling to       
receive the explanation which revelation
 gives of it4  ,how1 now1 is this our   
7b7 to be carried back to its original  
7a78 ,how is it to be set free from this
 evil 7y71 and brought into union with  

the highest 7x78 ,the answer and        
solution to this apparently insoluble   
equation can only be obtained by one    
method4 ,in attempting it1 we must keep 
steadily in view the principle so       
recently advanced1 that the essence of  
religion consists in the effectual      
communication of a higher and living    
power1 which1 emanating from the first  
and original point1 traverses the whole 
spiritual chain to its farthest link4   
,but1 in order to illustrate completely 
this principle1 and the idea which      
arises from it1 of a satisfactory       
solution of this problem1 ,i will       
indulge myself in a brief but episodical
 explanation of the ,egyptian           
hieroglyphics1 as furnishing the most   
suitable example for my purpose4 ,for1  
inasmuch as the symbolical nature and   
constitution of the human1 and1 indeed1 
of all mortal existence1 was the main   
subject which opened1 and has occupied  
our present consideration1 it may be    
regarded as the natural complement and  

keystone to the whole discussion1 if1 in
 addition to what has preceded1 we go on
 briefly to examine how and in what     
sense the oldest writing and earliest   
method employed by men for the          
communication of their ideas was        
symbolical4  ,of the languages of       
,western ,asia1 at least1 and of the    
alphabets derived therefrom1 the        
,hebrew1 viz41 the ,phnician and the    
,greek1 it may without hesitation be    
asserted1 that they were derived from   
hieroglyphics1 and are1 without         
exception1 of hieroglyphic origin4 ,this
 can not be asserted as decidedly of the
 ,indian alphabet1 which differs so     
totally from all those previously       
mentioned4 ,still ,i shall not allow    
myself1 simply on this account1 to come 
over hastily to any conclusion as to the
 comparative antiquity of the ,hindoo   
and the ,egyptian modes of writing4     
,now1 according to all that we know of  
the hieroglyphical mode of indicating   
objects1 it rests on a very simple      

principle4 ,the discovery which was in  
so remarkable a manner reserved to our  
own age1 is not indeed complete1 and    
leaves much still to be explained4 ,the 
fundamental principle1 nevertheless1 is 
well established4 ,from this it appears 
that the hieroglyphic system of ,egypt1 
although entirely symbolical1 contains1 
notwithstanding1 the germ of            
alphabetical writing4 ,as the principle 
of hieroglyphical writing is equally    
applicable to modern languages as to the
 ,egyptian1 a ,german word will serve us
 as well for an example1 and for the    
purposes of our illustration1 as any    
other4 ,preliminary1 however1 it is     
necessary to observe1 that in this mode 
of notation the leading characters and  
essential elements of the radical sound 
are alone indicated2 such vowels and    
consonants as are quiescent1 or servile1
 are omitted1 and being without any     
special signs are left to be mentally   
supplied4  ,to take1 then1 a ,german    
word for our example4 ,the word ,leben  

7life7 would be signified by its three  
principal characters4 ,now1 the first   
letter would be indicated by ,licht 7a  
flaming light71 because this word also  
begins with ,l1 ,baum 7a tree7 would    
stand for ,b1 while ,n would be         
represented by any kind of ,nass        
7fluid71 by a rapid waterfall1 for      
instance1 or by a waving line1 as a type
 of its moving and undulating surface4  
,a light1 then1 a tree1 and an          
undulating surface1 will1 by means of   
the initial letters of our ,german terms
 for them 7,licht1 ,baum1 ,nass71 stand 
for the word ,leben1 i4e41 life4  ,now1 
from this example1 which ,i have        
purposely chosen1 it will appear that   
this hieroglyphical mode of notation and
 writing1 while it was fundamentally    
alphabetical1 had1 nevertheless1 at the 
same time1 a symbolical significance4   
,for a light1 or light-giving flame1 the
 tree with its growth1 as well as the   
flowing stream with its waves or        
ripples1 aptly express and typify the   

intrinsic character of life1 with its   
several characteristics and elements4   
,and it is even this addition of        
symbolical coloring and signification   
which in the otherwise equivocal1 and1  
consequently1 inconvenient1             
representation of objects by an         
hieroglyphical alphabet1 constitutes the
 peculiar difficulty1 but1 at the same  
time the mental attraction of this kind 
of writing4  ,this mode of              
hieroglyphical representation is not1   
however1 the most difficult to be       
understood4 ,another1 so far as it has  
as yet been found out1 and as progress  
has been made toward deciphering it1    
appears to be far more abstruse and     
enigmatical4 ,for to understand or to   
interpret the latter in any degree1 it  
is almost indispensable to know         
beforehand what is the object indicated 
or intended4 ,in this mode of           
hieroglyphical notation the image of an 
object is made to stand for any other   
whose name begins with the same letter1 

as the word does that designates the    
former4 ,thus1 to employ the same       
instance as before1 the picture of a    
flaming light would by itself stand for 
the word and idea of life4 ,this is1 if 
we may so say1 a bold play with         
algebraic equations1 between enigmatical
 emblems1 which are at most but         
imperfectly indicated1 and which nothing
 but the intelligence of one well versed
 in the system can ever hope to         
comprehend4 ,any other1 even with the   
greatest pains1 will scarcely be able to
 decipher it with any degree of         
certainty4 ,and this leads me back again
 to our former and still unsolved       
equation1 involving the riddle of human 
life1 and which this simile of the      
hieroglyphics was intended to help us to
 solve4  ,the hieroglyphical mode of    
writing is1 according to the explanation
 we have given of it1 a symbolical      
representation by means of the initial  
letters of words4 ,in it and through it 
even that which is the most ordinary and

 common assumes a mystical character1   
and passes into this wonderful1         
imaginative1 and emblematical sphere4   
,now the solution of this general       
problem lies even in this3 that this    
7x7--this incomprehensible 7x7--as the  
eternal ,logos of the incommensurable   
,godhead1 became also 7a7 7that is to   
say1 took on ,him a human life and      
nature71 and is even now fully and      
really such4 ,for thus the beginning and
 the initial letter of the whole        
alphabet of human existence1 which was  
so long wanting1 although from the very 
first it was implied in and was the     
foundation of the 7b71 was given anew to
 it by ,god4 ,and now this 7b71 and     
every other of the following letters1   
can attach themselves in due order and  
connection1 be united with it and even  
be equated to it1 and being thus        
equalized1 inasmuch as xa1 it also      
becomes capable of apprehending the     
otherwise unattainable 7x74 ,and at the 
same time it can be entirely set free1  

at once and forever1 from the restlessly
 opposing and destructive 7-y72 since   
this 7y71 as opposed to the 7x71 is     
merely a negative quantity1 and as such 
vanishes4  ,but however we may attempt  
by means of this or any other scientific
 or figurative illustrations to         
apprehend or to express the ineffable1  
the fact1 and above all1 a living faith 
in that great verity1 that the divine   
7x7 has become a human 7a7--that the    
eternal ,logos actually and really took 
upon ,him the nature of man1 and still  
retains it1 is the point from which a   
new and higher life commences4 ,it is   
the ring which holds together the whole 
human family--the first link in the     
chain of spiritual life1 to which all   
must be referred and from which all is  
to proceed4  ,thus1 then1 beginning with
 the emblematical representations of the
 fine arts1 and developing the idea     
through several other spheres of its    
manifestation1 ,i have carried the      
symbolical significance of human life up

 to the highest hieroglyphic of all     
existence4 ,and as in the three previous
 ,lectures ,i have considered the       
eternal ,word1 simply and principally in
 a scientific point of view1 as the     
fundamental law of truth1 it now remains
 for me to exhibit it as the word which 
shall solve all difficulties in the     
problem of human existence1 and shall   
prove an unerring guide in the conflict 
of life and in all its most important   
relations and perplexities4 ,and to this
 subject the three last and concluding  
,lectures will be devoted4 ,and in these
 we shall consider all this in its      
reference to the external and public    
life of man in society and the state4   
,for not only does it hold true of the  
higher pursuits and inmost being of     
individuals1 but it has also a universal
 application2 for this highest of all   
hieroglyphics1 which is the beginning of
 a new life1 forms also the foundation  
of the state in its sacred character4   
,and because the application of         

,christian truth and of the fundamental 
idea of ,christianity is in general so  
greatly mistaken1 ,i have thought it    
necessary to remount somewhat higher in 
my investigations1 to draw from a deeper
 source1 and to connect them with a     
higher principle1 in order to arrive    
more steadily and more certainly at the 
result which ,i had in view4 ,and this  
result may be thus summed up3 ,the      
,christian state is nothing less than   
symbolical1 and even thereby            
historically sanctified--whereas the    
mere polity of nature or that of reason1
 which1 however artistical and          
consummate in its constitution1 remains 
all the while false and unsanctified1 is
 either purely dynamical or else        
absolute4  ,in human life and society   
there are three species of power1 which 
possess a symbolical significance and a 
sacred character as resting on a divine 
foundation4 ,and these are parental     
authority1 the spiritual or priestly    
power1 and the kingly or whatever may be

 the supreme authority in the state4    
,the affectionate care and anxiety of an
 earthly parent possesses but a faint   
analogy to the goodness and providence  
of the omniscient and eternal ,father of
 all1 and is scarcely more than a type  
of it4 ,moreover1 the parental authority
 and a father's rights over his         
children1 founded on his relation as the
 loving and affectionate author of their
 being1 admits not of being set forth   
and comprised in any exact and positive 
formularies4 ,and even if the social    
community occasionally steps in to      
determine by legislation the limits1 and
 in certain points gives its sanction to
 the domestic rights and authority of a 
father1 as founded on love and feeling1 
this is only done1 nevertheless1 with a 
view to guard against and to remedy the 
possible abuse of so natural a right and
 relation4 ,when1 however1 as was the   
principle of the old ,roman law1 power  
over the life and death of his offspring
 is conceded to the father1 we feel at  

once that this is an undue extension of 
the paternal authority1 and that the    
provinces of the three different powers 
are not kept duly distinct and separate4
 ,a parent who should avail himself of  
such a privilege would but prove himself
 devoid of the ordinary feelings of     
nature4 ,on the other hand1 by a natural
 sentiment1 common to the savage and    
barbarian1 as well as to the most       
refined and civilized nations1 respect  
for and reverence of parents is held to 
be something more than an ordinary and  
conventional duty and obligation4 ,it is
 universally regarded in the light of a 
duty in every sense sacred and holy4    
,and the divine moral law of the ,old   
,testament completely agrees with the   
universal feeling of man's nature in    
this ascription to it of holiness4 ,but1
 on the other hand1 the rights of the   
,christian limit the parent's authority 
on the side of the spiritual domain1    
wherever it would trench upon the       
freedom of belief and liberty of        

conscience4 ,special circumstances1     
again1 such as the dotage of old age1   
mental weakness1 faults of character1 or
 offenses against society1 may1 in      
certain cases1 tend greatly to limit and
 control1 or otherwise modify1 the      
parental dignity and authority4 ,but    
still1 in the very worst case1 the most 
respectful behavior and the tenderest   
delicacy1 on all points connected with  
this relationship1 remains forever an   
immutable law of duty to the child1     
which1 as it is deeply founded in the   
moral sense of man1 makes itself heard  
throughout the whole habitable world4   
,the mutual tie of parental love and    
filial duty has1 it is plain1 its       
foundations deep in nature itself1 and  
out of it proceeds the sanctity of the  
very notion of domestic life1 and of all
 its relations1 as well as of the       
peculiar authority of a father and a    
parent4  ,as for the spiritual and      
priestly power3 wherever religion       
recognizes the priest in his true       

character--i4e41 not simply as the      
preacher and promulgator1 but also as   
the living channel for dispensing and   
communicating the divine grace1 he is1  
in so far as his office is concerned1   
and in the discharge of his sacerdotal  
functions1 a vicegerent of ,god--not so 
much1 perhaps1 of the everlasting       
,father1 the ,creator and ,lawgiver of  
nature1 as of the ,son who came down    
into the world to ransom and redeem the 
human race4 ,the priestly or spiritual  
power1 therefore1 has a divine          
foundation on which it ultimately rests4
 ,but inasmuch as that bond of communion
 which unites our souls with ,god must  
be sought and attained by faith and in  
the spirit of faith1 so this authority1 
however holy in itself1 is1             
nevertheless1 by its very nature1       
confined to the province of spirituals4 
,the judicial function1 also1 where it  
is recognized as dogmatic1 is at least  
subordinate to that other character     
whose office it is to carry out the work

 of redemption1 to dispense the divine  
grace1 and to bless4 ,for an arbitrary  
judicial power1 where internal caprice  
is the rule of judgment1 and where the  
execution of its decrees depends on the 
individual1 does not in strict truth    
deserve this appellation4 ,with as much 
reason might the anointed head of the   
state claim1 by virtue of this          
consecrating and anointing1 to exercise 
the functions of the spiritual office4  
,further1 we may observe1 all these     
sacred offices possess a certain analogy
 and affinity one with the other4 ,this 
fact1 however1 does not in any way      
militate against the essential and      
necessary duty of preserving a precise  
and accurate separation of their several
 functions4 ,the privacy of home1 the   
family circle1 and the relations of     
domestic life1 are by the laws of most  
nations regarded as a sanctuary which   
the external power of the state ought   
not lightly and without grave necessity 
to violate or profane4 ,on the other    

hand1 in ordinary language paternal     
titles are ascribed to the other two    
powers4 ,but as regards spiritual       
personages1 this is a mere mark of      
respect1 while1 as applied to the head  
of the state1 it serves to indicate a   
special character of goodness and       
clemency in the government4 ,it is not  
by any means applicable generally to the
 functions of government as marking its 
specific nature and essence4 ,for it may
 not be1 nay1 perhaps1 we should rather 
say it can not in all cases be simply   
and purely paternal4  ,strict           
impartiality1 for instance1 is a primary
 requisition in the judge1 but is it    
possible1 nay1 would it properly be     
just1 to require this in every case of a
 father8 ,the judicial character1       
however1 is the predominant element of  
political government1 and the supreme   
judicial function is its essential      
aspect1 with which all the other        
distinctive characteristics or exclusive
 prerogatives of sovereign power are    

most intimately connected4 ,and on this 
account1 while the paternal authority   
rests primarily on that tie of souls    
which consists in the reciprocal        
affection of parents and children1 and  
while the priestly power is limited to  
the sacerdotal and spiritual domain1 the
 supreme judicial and sovereign power in
 the state1 which is responsible to ,god
 alone1 as the highest and paramount of 
these three sacred and venerated powers1
 embraces the complete whole1 if ,i may 
so say1 the bodily reality of man's     
public life4 ,and in this sphere of     
historical reality it will be my        
endeavor to trace the further           
development of these three ideas as they
 manifest themselves in the busy        
conflict of life and the age4 ,and to   
this subject ,i propose to devote the   
three following ,lectures4  ,in         
concluding our present disquisition ,i  
will only add one remark4 ,all these    
three powers1 as founded on nature1 on  
divine revelation1 and on historical    

rights1 are alike holy and sacred4 ,the 
good1 that is to say1 the prudent and   
affectionate father1 the pious priest1  
and the righteous king1 are each and    
all1 though in different ways and       
degrees1 and with different powers and  
rights1 visible and acting vicegerents  
on earth of the invisible ,god4 ,the    
last1 in truth1 is not merely the       
representative but the unlimited        
dispenser of divine justice4 ,and this  
divine foundation of these powers1 which
 claim and present an inviolable        
character of sanctity1 forms the        
practical part of that symbolical       
signification of life which in its      
highest phase has formed the theme of   
the present ,lecture4     ,,lecture     
,,xiii4  ,,of ,,the ,,spirit ,,of       
,,truth ,,and ,,life ,,in ,,its         
,,application ,,to ,,politics1 ,,or ,,of
 ,,the ,,christian ,,constitution ,,of  
,,the ,,state ,,and ,,the ,,christian   
,,idea ,,of ,,jurisprudence4   ,the     
,asiatic custom of deifying their       

earthly rulers by addressing them as    
,king of ,kings1 ,lord or ,spanner      
,umspanner of ,creation1 the ,effulgence
 of the ,deity1 and the like1 have ever 
been and very naturally most repugnant  
to the moral sense of ,christian        
,europe4 ,the ,christian notion and     
axiom1 that all power is of ,god1 is    
founded on a very definite idea and     
well-considered principle4 ,and this    
principle is nothing less than this1    
that the supreme head of the state has  
to dispense the divine justice4 ,and    
while this constitutes the peculiar     
dignity of his office1 he is1 in the    
exercise of this his highest function   
and authority1 responsible to ,god      
alone4 ,if1 however1 we should any where
 meet1 either in the present times or   
the history of the past1 with a state in
 which1 by the principle of its         
constitutions1 the nominal possessor of 
supreme authority and the executive is  
responsible to another body1 then is the
 latter in fact the sovereign power1 and

 not the former1 which really is        
subordinate to the other4 ,the ,spartan 
constitution will serve to illustrate my
 meaning4 ,here1 to judge by that strict
 definition of the sovereign authority  
and its peculiar character and          
distinctive criteria1 it evidently lay  
in the ,ephori rather than in the       
possessors of supreme executive power1  
who were called kings1 and whose office 
was hereditary4 ,the very fact that two 
kings reigned conjointly is of itself   
subversive of the very notion of        
sovereign power4 ,but still more fatally
 was this undermined by their           
responsibility in certain cases to the  
censorship of the other ,spartan        
magistracy4 ,to the other ancient       
republics1 whose constitution was based 
naturally enough on a very artificial   
division of powers1 and the maintenance 
of a certain antagonism and accurate    
balance between them1 our notion of a   
supreme and sovereign political         
authority is scarcely applicable4 ,it is

 found far more fully expressed in a    
special character of inviolable sanctity
 and dignity attaching to certain       
judicial functions and magistracies1    
such as that of the ,areopagus in       
,athens and of the censorship at ,rome  
in the days of the ,republic1 than to   
the transitory tenure of the executive  
power1 over which those judicial        
authorities possessed and exercised in  
certain cases a control4  ,the proper   
and de facto1 or personal division of   
power1 is essentially a republican      
principle4 ,in notion1 however1 or in   
idea1 it is perfectly legitimate to make
 a distinction between the several      
functions and elements of the whole     
sovereign authority4 ,now1 in such a    
case1 the judicial power--the supreme   
judicial power we would emphatically    
say--is pre-eminently the characteristic
 sign and specific distinction of       
sovereignty1 from which all its other   
prerogatives and properties are         
originally derived or flow from it as   

its necessary and natural consequences4 
,the noble prerogative of pardon and    
mercy1 for instance1 is1 as it were1 the
 natural attribute of the supreme       
judicial power4  ,with respect to       
legislation1 however1 and the           
legislative authority1 an important     
co-ordinate power may1 according to the 
existing constitution of a particular   
state1 be vested in the other           
correlative members of the body politic4
 ,the preliminary deliberation1 the     
first sketch or the initiation of a law1
 may not1 perhaps1 proceed in every case
 from the supreme head of the community4
 ,in other states1 again1 the law must  
emanate from the free choice and        
individual will of the monarch1 or at   
least the introduction of it1 since he  
can not of himself alone make and carry 
out the whole4 ,this is a point1        
consequently1 on which it is extremely  
difficult to draw the boundary line1    
which must in no case be transgressed or
 deviated from--in so far1 that is1 and 

so long as there is no question about   
any thing more than a simple            
co-operation or co-ordinate deliberation
 upon the proposed laws4 ,but still in  
every case the final sanction1 by which 
a law becomes properly the law1 or by   
which it is annulled or repealed1 must  
be reserved to the royal prerogative1   
otherwise the monarch ceases at once to 
be supreme4  ,even the prerogative of   
proclaiming war and of concluding peace 
is1 if perhaps we may be allowed so to  
say1 a judicial function on a large     
scale1 and applied to the external      
relations of states4 ,it is1 in short1  
nothing less than a judicial act4 ,and  
in this light it will appear to every   
one who does not regard it as a mere act
 of arbitrary caprice4 ,this1 however1  
it never ought to be4 ,for it is1 as it 
were1 a verdict on the existing         
relations of right and wrong between two
 neighboring states4 ,but in as much as 
both parties1 in point of right and law1
 are in so far equal1 that they refuse  

to recognize in common any higher judge1
 an absolute state of violence          
necessarily ensues1 a struggle of power 
follows1 until at last1 in the change of
 circumstances1 the relations of justice
 are restored by mutual consent4 ,the   
party that first proclaims war becomes1 
in this process of trial by battle1 the 
judge of its own cause4 ,and if by the  
fearful issue of the combat it is taught
 to see its own injustice1 then must it 
either make due concessions1 or1 at very
 best1 by calling in the mediation of a 
third and neutral state1 it must        
constitute it the judge by whose        
decision it is ready and willing to     
abide4  ,the usual insignia of the      
kingly dignity1 the scepter and the     
throne1 are only the signs of judicial  
power1 as it were1 promoted one degree  
higher1 and can be historically traced  
up to the judge's bench and staff4 ,the 
crown alone remains as the peculiar and 
exclusive symbol of the highest earthly 
dignity4 ,and rightly is it called a    

splendid burden4 ,for while it exalts   
him who is called to wear it above all  
earthly dependence and responsibility1  
and exempts him from all the ordinary   
relations of human life1 the heavy      
weight of this splendid ornament reminds
 the wearer of the grave reckoning and  
the strict account he will have to      
render to ,god1 as the ,supreme ,judge  
of all--who is the source and sum of all
 justice and righteousness4 ,for this   
serious and solemn responsibility is    
received from ,god1 together and at the 
very same time with the crown4  ,quite  
different in signification was the      
symbolical ensign of the old emperors in
 the middle ages--a sword pointing to   
the four winds or cardinal points of    
heaven4 ,it alluded to the peculiar idea
 and the peculiar constitution of that  
dignity4 ,for in this respect it was not
 simply a distinction of power1 of rank1
 or of title1 between the imperial and  
the kingly dignities4 ,it involved a    
total and essential difference between  

the ideas and objects of these sacred   
and anointed potentates--between the    
elective emperor and the hereditary     
king1 duke1 or prince1 although it was  
from these alone that the former could  
be duly and regularly elected4 ,for the 
emperor was looked upon as armed with   
the sword of all ,christendom to be the 
defender of the whole system of         
,european states4 ,accordingly1 as the  
representative of the union of several  
states1 he bore this ensign of his      
imperial office4  ,to this ancient idea 
of a ,christian empire we shall again   
have occasion to revert in the further  
examination of the idea of a political  
state and its ,christian community4 ,we 
shall meet with it once more in that    
section of our inquiry which will be    
occupied with the ruling principle of   
right and polity in a system of states  
as a body1 and also in the mutual       
relations of its several members4 ,in   
this section we shall also show that    
this principle must be either absolute1 

that is1 one where one or more of the   
several members of the union exercises a
 superior and preponderating influence1 
or one artificially constituted and     
dynamical1 i4e41 a system of the        
so-called balance of power4 ,and here   
will naturally arise the question       
whether1 for such a confederacy of moral
 and civilized societies and nations1 a 
less imperfect and higher1 but common   
principle of ,christian justice might   
not be found and established8 ,for any  
system of mutual confederation1 whether 
absolute or founded on the artificial   
relations of the strength of its        
respective members1 is in any case      
defective and imperfect1 whatever may be
 the ground of union1 whether founded on
 the internal constitution of the       
states1 or derived from the physical    
consideration of their geographical     
position and neighborhood4  ,according1 
then1 to that divine principle and      
,christian foundation of the state which
 ,i have attempted to derive from the   

symbolical signification of life and the
 symbolical destiny of man in his       
relation to ,god1 the highest authority 
of the state--the king1 or generally the
 monarch1 as well as the spiritual      
functionary1 or the priest--are the     
vicegerents of a highest and divine     
power1 whom they represent on earth4    
,the only difference between them is1   
that the latter has chiefly to represent
 and to set forth ,god as teaching men1 
but at the same time as warning and     
commanding them in this revelation of   
,his will1 and as promising and as      
livingly dispensing to them ,his grace1 
while the former is the representative  
of the ,omnipotent ,lawgiver and ,judge1
 who governs the world with justice1 and
 will by no means clear the guilty4     
,according1 therefore1 to the true      
,christian notion of these two powers1  
both of them--the civil no less than the
 spiritual--possess a representative    
character1 which1 however1 deviates very
 widely from the ordinary notion of the 

representation and a representative     
constitution1 or1 rather1 forms a       
decided contrast to them4  ,and what    
contrast can1 in fact1 be more decided  
than that which such a representative   
power and dignity as belongs to the     
ministering of the divine grace to the  
soul and spirit1 or the dispensing of   
divine justice to the whole earthly     
life1 forms with that thing of horrible 
memory1#ec which has been called a      
representation of the people1 or the    
systems which have been similarly       
designated8 ,but even if it could be    
satisfactorily proved that a people1    
like the invisible essence of the       
,deity1 could be represented1 it is open
 to very grave doubt whether this is    
really possible in the method usually   
adopted4 ,according to the principle of 
this kind of popular representation1    
where the whole adult population are    
entitled individually to vote1 the      
election becomes1 as it were1 a lottery1
 and even the political winners thus    

determined1 or the ballotted members1   
become so many influential units in one 
branch of the legislative body and for a
 limited period4 ,in respect1 however1  
to the principles and sentiments1 the   
predominant character and spirit of a   
people1 those who are thus chosen are   
the representatives not so much of the  
whole nation as of the reigning passion 
of the moment1 or the spirit of the     
times in its restless agitation4 ,for   
when thus resolved into its constituent 
atoms and numbered off in succession1 a 
nation is reduced to an elementary mass4
 ,but like all that is thus elementary1 
when thus decomposed1 and fermenting in 
its process of dissolution1 it assumes a
 destructive tendency and turn4 ,at     
least it ceases to form an organic      
whole1 an individual4 ,it is only when a
 state or a nation historically lives   
on1 further develops and vitally        
maintains itself in its organic members1
 i4e41 in its several estates or        
essential corporations1 that it can be  

said to form a living whole1 and to be1 
as it were1 one great individual4  ,it  
is only in this sense that there can be 
true representatives of a people1 who1  
if the expression is allowable1 are its 
true historical men4 ,it is in them that
 the spirit and character1 the general  
leaning tendency1 the peculiar style of 
feeling1 sentiment1 and thought of a    
nation1 in any definite period or       
periods1 finds its most decided and     
loudest expression4 ,rarely1 however1 is
 this attained in a system of elective  
deputies or representatives1 which is   
liable to many passing and accidental   
influences1 and1 indeed1 in and by      
itself has no connection with it4       
,scipio and ,cato would be              
representatives of the ,roman character 
and spirit1 even if they had never been 
invested with public authority and had  
lived their whole lives in exile4 ,and  
in the same manner purely intellectual  
natures may often stand for such        
historical characters and               

representatives4 ,horace and ,tacitus   
most assuredly occupy the same relation 
to their respective ages as the two     
former did to theirs1 and this1 in      
truth1 quite independently of any       
subordinate rank or political dignity   
and influence which either the one or   
the other possessed in peace or war4    
,cicero1 indeed1 would have been all    
this in an equal degree1 and1 perhaps1  
still more so1 if1 keeping entirely     
aloof from the civil contentions of his 
day1 for which he was little suited1 he 
had devoted himself to the acquisition  
of a purely intellectual and literary   
influence4  ,however1 it is not every   
famous author or every brilliant        
political speaker that can in this sense
 be justly regarded as historical       
characters4 ,besides that energy of     
talent which creates an epoch1 and which
 is1 indeed1 the primary and essential  
condition1 certain other properties of  
character are required1 certain         
sentiments and principles vividly       

carried out and realized in life and    
action4 ,but this is a combination which
 is rarely found4 ,a peculiar sphere of 
practical influence does not form an    
immediate1 nor1 indeed1 a necessary     
qualification of such a character4      
,still it is evident that a writer who  
truly merits such an appellation must be
 something more than a mere man of      
letters or an artist4 ,the effects he   
produces on the minds of men must be    
both truly national and historical4     
,such alone are truly and properly the  
historical representatives of a         
people--the men of their nation4  ,as   
for those other elective representatives
 already mentioned1 it is only when they
 belong to a particular estate and      
corporation1 and represent it1 that they
 can promote the permanent interests of 
this organically constituted whole4 ,for
 it is out of such organic members that 
the national existence gains its true1  
i4e41 its historical development4 ,but  
this is impossible whenever they are    

chosen by the individual votes of the   
entire population4 ,such a splitting of 
the whole political body1 as it were1   
into its constituent atoms1 is either in
 itself an elementary decomposition or  
must eventually lead to it4 ,even a     
republican constitution1 if it be well  
and wisely ordered1 will be based       
principally on corporations or organic  
division of estates1 rather than on any 
principle of numerical majority and     
equality1 which1 taken as a general     
element1 invariably proves1 as history  
testifies1 sooner or later1 a positive  
source of anarchy4  ,not only would it  
be an exaggeration1 but even a gross    
error1 were we to regard the republican 
polity as excluded from the ,christian  
principle1 that all sovereignty is of   
,god1 or as irreconcilable with it and  
even as directly contradicting its      
spirit4 ,on the contrary1 the duty of   
obedience and the actual dependence on  
the existing and de facto head of the   
state1 is not less binding on all who1  

through the accident of birth or their  
own free choice and voluntary           
obligation1 belong to such a community1 
than on the subjects of an hereditary   
monarchy4 ,the utmost that can be safely
 asserted is1 that the ,christian state 
principally inclines to the latter form 
of polity1 without1 however1 formally   
rejecting1 or unconditionally excluding 
the former4 ,historical experience has  
shown this1 and the whole of modern     
history will furnish abundant testimony 
to its truth4 ,when the responsibility  
of the supreme political authority is in
 an endless circle shifted from point to
 point of a mere human sphere1 then the 
sacred character of the divine          
foundation of the state exhibits itself 
with least distinctness4 ,it is more    
immediately manifest in an hereditary   
monarchy1 where1 by a single point1 as  
the first link which holds together the 
whole community1 this responsibility is 
attached immediately to ,god and the    
divine justice1 before whose tribunal it

 has alone to answer4 ,and this more    
immediate manifestation forms the ground
 of that preponderating tendency and    
preference of the monarchical           
constitution by the ,christian          
principle4  ,but in another respect1    
also1 is it easier to give a religious  
meaning to political life in an         
hereditary monarchy1 and to discharge   
its duties and to maintain it in a      
religious spirit1 than in a republic4   
,since all that is human is subject to  
change1 fluctuation1 and imperfection1  
it would be something wonderful if the  
case were different with political      
matters1 and if the state were to form a
 singular exception from the general    
rule4 ,such an expectation would1       
indeed1 be strange1 and contrary to the 
nature of things1 as well as to reason  
and common sense4 ,for1 to take an      
instance from that people whom ,god so  
specially and immediately led and       
directed2 after a wise ,solomon has long
 and peacefully occupied the throne1    

with prosperity at home and splendor and
 renown abroad1 the reins of government 
may fall into the weak hands of a minor1
 when1 even without any personal        
culpability1 all hostile elements come  
to an outbreak1 and lead to the most    
fearful political consequences4 ,and    
even ,solomon1 with a wisdom which1 in  
many respects1 was more than human1 was 
not secure from all mistakes and errors4
 ,for inasmuch as1 after receiving this 
illumination from above1 this wisdom    
lent to him from ,god1 he still remained
 a free agent1 he might1 as he actually 
did1 pervert it to an evil use4 ,like   
every thing else that is good1 it was   
liable to abuse by man4 ,generally it   
does not lie in the nature of things    
that in long succession and change of   
times one reign should be equally mild  
and paternal as another--equally        
prosperous and splendid--and equally    
wise and successful4  ,this1 indeed1 is 
a matter which does not depend          
invariably and exclusively on the       

personal qualities of the sovereign4 ,it
 is governed much more by the peculiar  
circumstances of the age1 and the       
general relations of the political      
world4 ,we should err greatly if we were
 to suppose1 or feel inclined to assert1
 that this change1 from happy and       
prosperous to adverse or less fortunate 
times1 is less frequent in republican   
states1 or that the latter are entirely 
exempted from such fluctuations4        
,history furnishes numerous instances to
 refute so absurd an idea4 ,on the      
contrary1 such changes are far more     
generally the rule in republican states1
 and their ruin advances with a more    
rapid and certain progress4 ,for the    
growth of a republic in external power  
and influence1 and the consequent       
multiplication of its relations with    
foreign powers1 is invariably           
accompanied with great internal         
agitation1 leading to sudden and violent
 changes4 ,the greatest and most        
important difference1 however1 lies in  

this1 that in an hereditary monarchy the
 change from a distinguished to an      
unfortunate and less prosperous reign is
 distinct1 and has an assignable cause1 
which1 by a natural and just sentiment1 
is received as a divine visitation1 and 
wherever any sense of religion still    
survives and prevails in men's views of 
life1 will be patiently endured as such4
 ,accordingly1 besides its mere legal   
sense1 the maxim that all authority is  
of ,god now assumes the further         
significance of a divine dispensation4  
,and it is clearly manifest that this   
,christian maxim and principle was      
intended to convey this second meaning1 
and that it embraces such a religious   
view and estimate of political matters  
and events4  ,now1 it is true that the  
providence of ,god extends to all events
 and circumstances of the world4 ,every 
permission1 therefore1 of evil1 whether 
in a greater or less degree1 every      
misfortune and calamity that happens to 
us1 must1 from this point of view1 be   

regarded either as a well-merited       
punishment or as a severe trial1 as a   
wholesome pang and conflict or as a     
painful transition to a higher degree of
 perfection4 ,this1 at least1 will be   
our feeling1 in proportion as we        
entertain and faithfully follow a       
religious view and estimate of our own  
life and fortunes1 as well as of all    
mundane events1 in a firm and unshaken  
faith in the ,divine ,omnipotence and   
,wisdom4 ,even for the preservation and 
health of his physical life1 man stands 
in need of pain and privation1 but still
 more so for his moral improvement4     
,now1 notwithstanding that this         
principle of a divine providence is     
equally applicable in every case1 still1
 even the religious estimate1 not to say
 a simply human mode of judging of      
political events and relations1 is in   
republics subject to the following      
important and essential modification4   
,in such a constitution1 all hangs1 or  
is made dependent1 on the choice or the 

caprice of men1 or1 if such terms be    
preferred1 their merit and intelligence4
 ,consequently1 the entire blame of     
every error or miscarriage in           
government1 whether real or imaginary1  
and however great or little1 is         
forthwith ascribed to its human         
administrators4 ,but an injury at the   
hands of man invariably provokes        
bitterness1 revenge1 and opposition4 ,on
 the contrary1 a misfortune which       
overtakes us from ,god1 and which1 as   
being unable to impute the blame of it  
to any human individual1 we feel and    
recognize to be a divine visitation1    
awakens in us wholesome and salutary    
reflection4 ,thus it is founded on the  
very nature of things1 and on a right   
and sound state of human feeling1 that a
 change from a year of plenty to one of 
want and barrenness should be borne with
 patience and resignation4 ,but if1 on  
the other hand1 a general scarcity and  
dearth1 or any similar affliction and   
disproportion between the supply and    

demand of the necessaries of life1      
should occur among a trading or         
manufacturing population1 of which the  
source should really or apparently lie  
in some erroneous measure or selfish    
policy of those on whom the             
administration of the state devolved1   
all minds would immediately be in a     
state of excitement and uproar4 ,and1 in
 fact1 the words of the pious king in   
,holy ,writ3 8,let us fall now into the 
hands of the ,lord1 for ,his mercies are
 great3 and let me not fall into the    
hand of man10#ed are quite in unison    
with the general feelings of human      
nature4  ,accordingly1 throughout the   
sacred history of the old world1 and in 
all times where religious sentiment is  
not quite dead1 such calamities1 and    
even an unfortunate1 not to say a wicked
 reign1 are looked upon as the deserved 
visitation of ,god's wrath1 and as a    
time of heavy trial4 ,and the           
chastisement of ,heaven will be borne1  
by all right-thinking persons1 not out  

of fear of man1 but as is fitting1 in   
reverent submission to the divine will1 
with manly patience and resignation4 ,on
 the other hand1 innumerable instances  
of a contrary course might be produced  
from republican times and histories4    
,how often1 in such states1 has a false 
step in government1 trifling1 indeed1 in
 itself1 but still in fact and in truth1
 a blunder in one party1 been the       
occasion of an opposition and resistance
 of another1 and of a general feeling of
 discontent and a violent reaction1     
which have proved a hundred times more  
fatal and pernicious than the first     
occasion of popular murmurs4 ,how often 
has a merely human oversight1 trivial   
enough in itself1 and running counter to
 public opinion in some little trifle1  
led to the most fearful catastrophes1   
amid which the first exciting cause is  
lost sight of and entirely forgotten1   
and finally all is involved in one      
general ruin4  ,in this respect1 and in 
this degree1 it may safely be affirmed  

that the ,christian principle of the    
state is more favorable to an hereditary
 monarchy than to a republican          
constitution4 ,but at this point the    
proposition must be left purposely      
indeterminate4 ,for a rigorous exclusion
 of all republican states1 as if1       
properly1 they could never be right and 
legitimate1 would most assuredly not be 
accordant with the ,christian principle 
of a state and the fundamental religious
 conception of all political relations  
and events4 ,on the contrary1 it would1 
undoubtedly1 go directly counter to all 
proper feelings and ideas on the        
subject4 ,for the ,christian principle  
of justice respects all that has an     
historical existence1 and leaves even   
the imperfect in the undisturbed        
possession of its rights4 ,in this      
respect it is entirely opposed to the   
revolutionary spirit4 ,for the latter1  
in its inmost essence1 is               
anti-historical2 its first step being   
the refusal to recognize the value and  

the claims of all that comes down from1 
and has been established by1 the past4  
,and1 moreover1 the ,christian idea of  
justice1 with all its strict rigor1     
involves a principle of equity4 ,for1 in
 truth1 every ,christian sentiment      
embraces the whole of life1 and its     
several relations1 with a loving        
mildness1 and pays a due regard to all  
really existent though subordinate      
circumstances4 ,and it is this exactly  
that constitutes the very notion of     
equity4 ,lastly1 the doctrine of        
,christianity1 and the idea of human    
life which it gives rise to1 is highly  
favorable to true liberty4 ,but1 then1  
it is liberty1 in a large and exalted   
sense of the term1 in which1 first and  
before all1 a spiritual and moral       
freedom is meant as necessary to be     
firmly established within men before the
 external liberty in social and         
political life can be hoped for4 ,for   
most true is the sublime declaration1   
8,if the ,son shall make you free1 ye   

shall be free indeed40#ee ,to every one 
for whom this sentiment possesses a     
meaning and significance it would be    
superfluous to add1 what1 indeed1 is so 
palpably evident1 that the ,son makes no
 one free except in the way that ,he    
,himself was1 viz41 by obedience--a     
perfect obedience which brings the whole
 man1 with all its passions and         
affections1 as a free-will offering to  
the ,father4  ,the predominant tendency 
of modern ,christendom to a monarchical 
constitution1 as most accordant with the
 ,christian principle of the state1 is  
abundantly evinced in history4 ,the fact
 is so generally admitted1 that it is   
almost a work of supererogation to      
adduce instances of it4 ,not only within
 the memory of living men1 but also two 
centuries ago1 a great ,christian       
monarchy1 fanatically possessed and     
inflamed with the idea of absolute      
liberty and equality1 lapsed for a while
 into a republic4 ,but in both cases    
this passing fever of fanaticism soon   

worked itself out by its very violence1 
and the foreign and diseased matter was 
thrown off by the political body4 ,it   
was out of this crisis1 however1 that   
the much-lauded constitution of ,england
 arose1 with its dynamical theory of the
 division and nicely-adjusted balance of
 power1 which has reached at present so 
great a height of practical excellence4 
,moreover1 it is almost superfluous to  
notice the fact how a second-rate       
maritime power1 which in its very origin
 was entirely republican1 gradually     
approximated to1 and has at last        
entirely adopted1 a monarchical         
polity4#ef ,another state1 monarchical  
indeed1 but which1 from the fact that   
its sovereigns were elective1 deserves  
rather to be called a republic1 and in  
some respects was really so1 amid the   
anarchy of party and the feuds which    
arose out of the elections1 soon lost   
its ancient greatness and splendor1 and 
even its existence as an independent    
nation4 ,in short1 in the whole of      

,christian ,europe1 but a few small and 
uninfluential communities have retained 
a republican form4 ,as for the republics
 which have sprung up out of the        
colonial states in the ,new ,world1 the 
very oldest of them are of too recent an
 origin to allow us to pass upon them   
any judgment which could be justly and  
truly called historical4 ,on the other  
hand1 however1 the modern ,christian era
 furnishes one remarkable phenomenon of 
a republican state on a large scale1 and
 of a wholly peculiar kind4 ,and we may 
adduce this instance as a proof that    
such a constitution is by no means      
excluded from the spirit of a ,christian
 polity or its legitimate and historical
 principle4  ,i am alluding to the      
ancient ,german1 or the ,christian      
,roman ,empire of the middle ages1      
during a period of many centuries1 and  
in the time of its vigor and splendor1  
when it led1 not to say1 formed1 the    
great political world4#eg ,as an        
elective empire1 but still monarchical  

in the unity of the whole1 it possessed 
so far a republican tendency and shape4 
,and this it preserved even long        
afterward1 when1 by a long succession of
 emperors of the same house1 the        
imperial crown had in fact become almost
 the hereditary right of a single       
family2 for the solemn sanction of an   
election was still indispensable1 and   
this gave rise to more than one         
exception or interruption to the        
otherwise historically confirmed law of 
succession4 ,moreover1 this great system
 or confederation of states embraced    
many smaller and principally republican 
states2 at least in its members were    
comprised every possible form of        
political constitution4 ,the four great 
dukedoms1 who in the imperial diet were 
the original representatives1 together  
with the other hereditary powers which  
subsequently attained to the electoral  
dignity1 formed1 as it were1 the        
monarchical element in the whole body1  
retaining1 however1 at the same time1   

its national and popular character4     
,alongside of these the spiritual       
princes1 as entirely dependent on choice
 and election for their dignities1      
formed an aristocracy1 not only of      
birth1 but of science and the           
intellectual culture of the age--in     
short1 an aristocracy of merit4 ,lastly1
 the trading and manufacturing free     
towns1 with their imperial privileges   
and charters1 formed1 among the other   
members of the ,empire1 a true          
democratical element1 in the highest and
 noblest sense of the term4 ,for we must
 not understand thereby any mere        
universal equality1 leading to the usual
 popular anarchy1 but corporations1 with
 well-defined rights1 of the burgher    
classes1 as they attained to historical 
importance and influence4 ,the very name
 of the ,hanse ,towns is sufficient to  
remind us of the vast and important part
 which the latter played1 even in the   
declining times of the ,empire4  ,thus  
free and republican in its spirit was   

the old ,christian monarchy of the      
,german ,kaisers4 ,it had no doubt to   
undergo many convulsions from domestic  
faction1 and1 finally sunk beneath them4
 ,still this political constitution of  
the middle ages1 in their best days1    
must forever remain a remarkable and    
singular phenomenon4 ,its full and deep 
significance and grandeur are little    
recognized1 and still less perfectly    
understood1 by the modern science of    
politics4 ,peculiarly ,christian in     
principle1 in its kingly administration 
as vigorous and successful as any other 
state in the most brilliant eras of the 
history of the world1 while in the      
internal development of its republican  
members and constituents it was more    
rich and varied1 and1 in truth1 much    
freer than even the most lauded among   
the mixed constitutions of modern times4
 ,for historical experience1 that great 
teacher of political science1 distinctly
 proves that in those dynamical states1 
which are based on the principle of the 

division and nicely-adjusted balance of 
power1 the ministry and the opposition  
usurp between them all the functions of 
authority1 while the sacred cipher of an
 hereditary monarch is nothing more than
 a mere shadow1 beneath which they can  
sit at ease to carry on their endless   
disputes4  ,the ,christian view1 then1  
of the world1 and of the state1 as we   
have already remarked1 does not exclude 
or reject any form of political         
existence4 ,on the contrary1 it         
recognizes whatever possesses an        
historical cause and foundation1 and    
allows it to stand in its proper place1 
and in its true and original            
significance and rights4 ,accordingly1  
it admits the validity as such even of  
the dynamical form of polity1 even      
though it feels it impossible to agree  
with partial and enthusiastic admirers  
in considering it as perfect4 ,nay1 it  
does not reject even an absolute        
despotism1 notwithstanding that it sees 
clearly enough all its imperfections and

 great inferiority4 ,it is only by a    
complete view of history that their     
existence can be explained and          
understood4 ,and in this they will      
appear either as a necessary evil in its
 mildest form1 i4e41 as the less        
pernicious and dangerous1 under existing
 circumstances1 or as a remedy for some 
more fearful disorder1 by which alone   
the social frame can be restored to a   
more healthy condition4  ,the usual     
transition and natural issue of popular 
anarchy1 when it has lasted long enough 
to exhaust its own fearful violence1 is 
a perpetual dictatorship or despotism in
 some shape or other1 but devoid of a   
higher and diviner sanction4 ,this form 
of government1 or 7since1 strictly      
speaking1 it is not a form7 this        
political condition1 must be carefully  
distinguished from a long-established1  
legitimate1 and hereditary monarchy1    
with which its whole character has      
nothing in common4 ,no doubt when the   
revolutionary evil has reached its      

greatest height1 and when a successful  
and prudent usurper1 like the           
much-lauded ,augustus in ancient ,rome1 
without being personally answerable for 
the overthrow of the previous           
constitution1 appears pre-eminently in  
the character of mediator between       
parties and a general pacificator1 the  
world is ready to accord to him its     
applause4 ,gradually his authority is   
more and more widely acknowledged4      
,although at first he is recognized     
conditionally only and relatively1      
nevertheless1 if he remains faithful to 
his better tendencies1 and continues to 
the last to confer important benefits on
 his people1 he may often give a        
permanent and historical foundation to  
his dynasty4 ,but if1 on the contrary1  
under his usurped power1 revolution1    
phenix-like1 only renews itself out of  
its own ashes1 and the old anarchy from 
below revives in another form from      
above1 as a merely military despotism1  
which1 in its resistless and            

annihilating lust of conquest1 honors   
nothing1 but throws the whole world into
 confusion1 then is the second evil     
worse than the first1 which it promised 
to remedy4 ,by such a course it loses   
its only moral foundation1 inasmuch as  
it was to the better promise it held out
 that it owed its temporary and         
conditional recognition4 ,such an       
instance has been brought closely enough
 before our eyes in the history of very 
recent times1 to enable us at once      
intuitively to understand its whole     
character4 ,more slowly1 and in a more  
organized method1 and1 consequently1    
with more lasting and historical        
results1 did such transitions shape     
themselves in the ancient world1 and    
especially in the ,roman constitution4  
,the ancient development1 therefore1 of 
this phenomenon1 and its special form1  
is highly instructive and pre-eminently 
calculated to throw a clear light on our
 whole theory4  ,modern history at no   
period presents to us such a vast system

 of republican states as we meet with in
 the annals of antiquity1 which exhibit 
this under the most various forms1 as   
the predominant constitution of the     
whole civilized world1 not only in its  
infant1 but in its maturest and most    
flourishing development4 ,not only the  
,grecian communities1 ,carthage1 ,rome1 
and the ,italian municipalities1 but    
also all the independent nations of     
central and northern ,europe1 possessed 
a more or less perfect form of          
republican polity4 ,this portion1       
therefore1 of ancient history furnishes 
to political science a phenomenon which 
in the highest degree demands its       
attention4 ,however greatly its freedom 
of inquiry and high intellectual        
culture1 its splendid examples of       
patriotism and its noble characters and 
heroic deeds1 may prepossess us in its  
favor1 on the whole we are forced to    
confess that experience has decided     
against such a system4 ,this great      
teacher shows it to us as utterly       

impracticable1 and ill adapted to       
promote the real progress of human      
development1 inasmuch as with whatever  
of brightest promise it may begin1 it   
invariably terminates in barbarism and  
disorder4 ,in all of these states we    
trace early enough the same evil        
tendency to political license and       
anarchy1 which1 developing itself with  
ceaseless rapidity1 soon paves the way  
to the indeterminate condition of       
absolute power4 ,almost all the great   
thinkers and political writers of       
antiquity1 without exception1 set       
themselves to oppose the democratic     
element of their national constitutions1
 and foresaw and predicted the ruin of  
their country from this source1 without 
being able in any way to prevent it4 ,it
 will be enough to mention ,plato in    
,athens1 and in a different manner and  
degree1 ,cicero in ,rome1 who was       
himself drawn into the vortex of        
political strife4 ,the remedy and       
counterpoise for the evils of this      

democratical spirit was sought by the   
political thinkers and philosophers of  
those times1 in a doubtlessly noble but 
still very imperfect form of an         
aristocracy--a remedy which is as little
 consonant to our feelings as it is     
unlikely to satisfy our scientific      
convictions4 ,a just and clear idea of  
an hereditary and well-regulated        
monarchy was at that date almost        
entirely unknown1 since in its essential
 features1 in its true and perfect      
character1 it is entirely of a          
,christian origin4 ,in the ancient      
world1 at most1 a few and faint outlines
 of it are occasionally to be           
discovered4  ,the internal and external 
dissensions of the republics of ,greece1
 and the consequent loss of their       
independence and subjugation by the     
,macedonian monarchy1 or the            
half-,asiatic half-,grecian powers which
 sprung out of it1 affords a sufficient 
confirmation of the law that the        
republican constitution1 in the times of

 moral degeneracy1 invariably terminates
 in popular anarchy and ruin4 ,the same 
transition in the ,roman polity presents
 us with interesting considerations of a
 higher but different kind4 ,for in this
 instance the change was effected with  
clear ideas1 definite views1 and        
well-digested principles4 ,after a long 
and unparalleled succession of bloody   
civil wars1 and an equally fearful      
series of foreign conquest and          
aggression1 which were almost           
indispensable as an outlet for the wild 
and ambitions passions of men1 the      
catastrophe which forecasting minds had 
long foreseen at last came about4 ,and  
instead of continuing a hopeless        
resistance1 it was now the first object 
of the wise and prudent to convert the  
new military power into an instrument of
 peace1 and by investing the modern but 
absolute authority with all the old and 
hallowed forms of dignity1 to bring it  
as near as possible to the character of 
an hereditary monarchy4 ,it is to the   

tendency to improvement which forms the 
germ of these ideas that we must look   
for the apology1 while in the course of 
history at this period there lies       
whatever there can be of reason and     
justification for such absolute         
despotism as prevailed at this era in   
the political world4 ,in itself1        
however1 it can not be too often        
repeated1 it is altogether formless and 
full of imperfection4 ,a true family    
succession and hereditary dynasty1      
however1 was scarcely possible1 so long 
as there existed no limit to caprice in 
adoption or divorce1 and when all the   
relations of marriage and the family    
were undermined by the universal        
corruption in morals1 which the better  
emperors sought in vain to check and    
restrain4  ,by the ascription to the    
imperial dignity of priestly offices and
 titles belonging to the popular        
religion1 it was indeed attempted to    
give it a more sacred character and     
sanction4 ,this1 however1 secured to the

 emperor no real accession of power4    
,such was the state of decay and        
weakness in which religion1 no less than
 morals1 was sunk4 ,the heathenism of   
those days consisted in nothing but some
 poetical legends1 external rites1 and  
ceremonial pomp1 which occasionally     
found a philosophical interpretation1   
but without a proper intrinsic substance
 and coherence1 and an organized        
priesthood--all which are to be still   
found in the ancient religion of the    
,hindoos4 ,and it was only a natural    
addition to the other numerous          
inconsistencies--it only rendered the   
whole drama the more revolting1 if1     
after an inhuman reign1 and after being 
at last put out of the way in a very    
human1 and1 at the same time1 very      
unhuman way1 the hated tyrant was in    
conclusion placed among the national    
gods4 ,and if under ,aurelius and the   
,antonines better days appeared1 still  
they were but brief and transitory1     
since they did not1 and in truth could  

not1 possess any historical confirmation
 and moral basis like that of the       
hereditary monarchy of ,christian times 
and states4  ,in jurisprudence1 not only
 as a science1 but in its practical     
administration1 the ,romans have in all 
ages1 and even modern times1 been justly
 famous4 ,one reason1 perhaps1 of this  
was the fact1 that all who still        
retained the least sense of right and   
justice1 withdrawing from the dangers of
 political life and honors1 retired to  
the still inviolate domain of law1 and  
devoted themselves to the development of
 the old juristic principles4 ,but when 
the whole social frame1 and the very    
principle of civil existence has become 
in its inmost essence unrighteous1 and  
based on injustice1 a few just laws     
about property1 and robbery1 and fraud1 
and murder1 and the like 7offenses      
which1 generally speaking1 are1 for the 
most part1 essentially the same in all  
times and places71 can profit little4   
,equally unavailing1 too1 are the       

shrewdest and most sagacious of         
juridical treatises on such topics4 ,to 
extol the ,roman ,empire on this ground 
would be tantamount to praising one of  
the worst and most pernicious systems of
 philosophical error1 or excusing it    
because it does not violate1 or1 rather1
 because it necessarily observes1 the   
ordinary rules of logic1 which1 however1
 does not by any means lessen or remove 
the error1 but1 on the contrary1        
aggravates it2 since by rendering it so 
much the more specious1 it does but gain
 for it a more ready acceptance among   
men4  ,in the later epoch of the        
,christian renovation of the ,roman     
,empire in the ,german1 the better      
elements of the old ,roman jurisprudence
 were rich in valuable and beneficial   
results4 ,still the ,christian principle
 of the state accords better with the   
old ,teutonic laws than with the civil  
code1 inasmuch as by the old ,german    
usages a greater regard is paid1 and a  
higher influence allowed1 to the rights 

of equity4 ,no doubt but the ,roman     
jurisprudence has most acutely defined  
and developed this beautiful notion2 but
 it is chiefly as an exception from     
strict right that it recognizes it at   
all4 ,for such was the ,roman law from  
its commencement2 and it was regarded   
and established as the proper province  
of equity to moderate and to soften its 
original sternness and severity4 ,but1  
according to ,christian law1 equity and 
strict right ought to be in every       
instance intimately associated and      
blended together1 as is1 indeed1 implied
 in the very idea of ,christian         
sentiment and feeling4  ,herein lies1   
consequently1 the great and essential   
distinction between ,roman and          
,christian law4 ,and this is the        
principle on which a thorough and       
systematic development of ,christian    
jurisprudence must proceed1 and in such 
a spirit alone can it be consistently   
carried out4 ,a second distinctive mark 
of ,christian law and of its very       

conception consists in this1 that beyond
 all others1 it is founded on historical
 rights4 ,no doubt in its simple and    
natural character the ,germanic custom  
invariably tends toward an historical   
legislation1 both for the burgher and   
for the private individual1 and is so   
far perfectly reconcilable with the     
,christian principle of right and       
justice4 ,but in the full and extensive 
signification of the term1 as it        
embraces the state1 and all such powers 
of the civilized world as are brought by
 geographical contact into political    
relations with each other1 it is only   
the ,christian principle of right that  
can be truly said to be historical2 for 
none but the ,christian view of the     
world really embraces in its plans and  
consideration the whole of mankind4     
,had man not fallen from the very first 
into dissension and discontent with     
himself and his fellows1 with nature and
 with ,god1 society would have stood in 
no need of a constraining force1 or of  

the state to constrain it4 ,for what    
else is the state but an armed          
neutrality for the preservation of      
peace--a sword of justice against wrong1
 whether from individuals or            
communities1 a fortress and a bulwark   
against unjust attacks and the violence 
of war8 ,and whence but from that only  
perfect system--the system of ,christian
 truth and the first opening of         
revelation--can we derive the           
explanation of that which is but the    
propagation of the old evil and the     
primal curse8 ,does it not furnish1 in  
the first wrong and the first           
fratricide1 the historical derivation   
and origin of the state1 accounting for 
it as the divinely-appointed protection 
against man's inborn tendency to        
injustice8 ,and if in any other history 
or tradition a tolerably clear and      
definite allusion to such ideas exist1  
it was1 without doubt1 originally       
derived from the same source4  ,it is1  
however1 as in my last ,lecture ,i have 

already endeavored to show1 in the      
second and new divine commencement of   
the human race that we are to look for  
the true sanction and foundation of the 
state2 for it is in this renovation of  
mankind that their true intrinsic and   
higher peace was first proclaimed and   
offered to him4 ,not1 however1 perfect  
peace1 for that is to be the fruit and  
reward of having 8fought a good         
fight40#eh ,still it is1 in the mean    
time1 a sure and everlasting basis of   
future peace1 and an ever-growing germ  
of tranquillity even in the present4    
,viewed in this light1 then1 every human
 peace which is not merely specious and 
pretended1 but honestly intended1 and in
 so far ,christian1 however imperfect   
and partial1 forms1 nevertheless1 a step
 in the great scale of progression--an  
approximation and a preparation to that 
universal and all-embracing peace of    
,god which is higher than all reason1   
and all the disputes which arise out of 
or about it4  ,if injustice and wrong   

should ever disappear totally from the  
earth--if the peace of ,god were        
actually established thereon1 then would
 the end of law be attained1 and all    
institutions for its accomplishment     
would become superfluous4 ,law          
presupposes a condition of struggle1 and
 is intended to endure as long as it    
lasts4 ,it is itself nothing less than a
 struggle against wrong4 ,the ,christian
 view1 accordingly1 and theory of law1  
is far higher4 ,in a scientific point of
 view1 too1 it alone is satisfactory on 
this account1 that it recognizes a      
higher principle as the source of right1
 or as right itself1 and that it alone  
contains in itself the historical key   
for the whole1 and embraces at once the 
beginning and the end4 ,but now the     
,christian idea of right is thus        
historical1 not merely because it       
furnishes a complete explanation of the 
first beginning of wrong1 and gives an  
historical derivation of the divine     
sanction of the state2 but also in this 

sense1 that in obedience to the         
principle of equity1 as extended to the 
wider relations of political life1 and  
to the law of toleration founded on this
 feeling1 it respects even the imperfect
 and inferior degrees of right1         
whenever1 at least1 they are the        
unavoidable results of a previous course
 of things1 and possess an historical   
foundation1 and are established as less 
evil1 and at least as comparatively     
good4 ,and this explains1 what is       
otherwise incomprehensible1 how the     
,christian sense of right could         
reconcile itself to the absolute form1  
or1 rather1 formlessness of the later   
,roman world1 and being gradually       
associated and fused therewith1 led to  
its complete renovation in the exalted  
phenomenon of a ,christian empire4      
,this peace-loving and tolerant         
recognition of imperfect political      
constitutions and forms of state is only
 applicable1 however1 where the absolute
 and the pernicious had its foundation  

in some historical occasion1 and where1 
by a natural course of development1 the 
evil has followed as the result of some 
previous defective condition of the     
political body4 ,it has no place where  
the evil is radical and of spontaneous  
growth1 as in the empire of ,mohammed1  
and of his immediate successors2 for a  
fanatical lust of conquest was          
introduced in the first germ of this    
dynasty1 and indeed formed its          
foundation and its animating and vital  
principle4 ,the brilliant success and   
personal talents of the first caliphs   
may indeed win our admiration and chain 
our imagination1 but still in the very  
worst times of the old ,roman world     
absolute power never presented itself in
 so unmitigated a form as it does in    
this empire of deadly fanaticism4 ,this 
is the calm judgment of history4 ,in the
 former case the evil sprung chiefly    
from the personal caprice of individual 
tyrants2 in the latter1 the pervading   
principle was despotism1 which1 on the  

whole1 remained unchanged in the most   
famous and greatest characters4 ,for    
such immutability is an essential       
principle of despotism whenever the     
spiritual and the temporal power are    
held by the same hand1 and are united in
 one common center and sovereign4  ,in  
another point of view also1 that1 viz41 
of the moral estimate1 the historical   
comparison between the old ,roman and   
the ,mohammedan empires turns out to the
 disadvantage of the latter4 ,in the    
latter times of the ,roman ,empire1 the 
family relations1 and the sacred ties of
 married life1 were no doubt greatly    
disturbed and perverted by the          
prevailing tone of immorality4 ,but     
among the ,mohammedans they were        
entirely overthrown by a false religion4
 ,even in this respect1 therefore1 it is
 evident that there could be no place in
 the latter for that moral foundation of
 a long-established family unity1 such  
as a civilized state like the ,christian
 monarchy requires4 ,it is nothing      

strange1 consequently1 if in the times  
of the ,arabian dynasty1 the ,mohammedan
 state stood in more decided opposition1
 and proved less reconcilable to the    
,christian polity than ever heathenism  
did in the days of ancient ,rome4 ,but1 
notwithstanding this1 we find1 on the   
other side1 the ,christian principle of 
peace extending itself even to the      
historical phenomena and political      
relations of the ,mohammedan world4 ,for
 the most part 7and in a greater degree 
with the advance of time7 these events  
have been judged in that mild spirit of 
historical justice which1 in its        
complete and comprehensive estimate1    
allows a due consideration to every     
motive and circumstance4  ,moreover1 a  
high principle of toleration has        
extended to them the benefit of the     
international laws of ,christian        
states--a policy which only requires to 
be rightly understood to be pronounced  
in no ways deserving of blame or        
reprobation2 for the evil can only be   

radically extirpated by the complete    
triumph of ,christian truth over the    
false foundation and leading idea of    
this fanatical delusion4  ,but1 however 
improbable it may seem1 regarded merely 
in an historical light1 that the        
,mohammedan races will ever adopt       
,christian sentiments1 morals1 and      
principles1 still in the great course of
 mundane things1 or1 in other words1 in 
the counsels of ,providence1 nothing1   
however it may contradict human         
expectations1 can rightly be held to be 
impossible4 ,and1 indeed1 recent times  
furnish many speaking indications of a  
growing tendency to such an             
approximation4 ,many signs might be     
pointed out1 which1 while they bear     
witness to a widening and deepening     
feeling of its desirableness1 encourage 
us to entertain higher and better hopes4
 ,to promote1 and indeed to co-operate  
in bringing about so great and divine a 
consummation1 so long as it can be done 
without violating higher duties and     

principles1 does not appear to go in any
 degree beyond the sphere of a truly    
,christian and pacific policy1 or to    
interfere with the relations which it is
 right to observe in regard to          
non-,christian states4 ,on the contrary1
 the worst violation thereof1 and one   
that most surely menaces danger and     
mischief1 is for a ,christian state1 in 
direct opposition to its natural        
principle and vocation1 to be seized and
 actuated by a fanatical lust of        
conquest similar to that which animated 
the ,saracens4 ,such a subversion and   
confusion of all moral ideas1 and of    
political life1 was publicly manifested1
 for the first time in the ,christian   
world1 during the ,french ,revolution4  
,breaking out with furious violence1 in 
the brief period of its duration it     
developed itself with fearful rapidity4 
,how many1 or1 rather1 how few steps it 
would have required1 had its reign been 
longer1 to convert it into a military   
despotism1 thoroughly heathenish1 such  

as the ,revolution indeed was from      
beginning to end2 into a despotism      
which1 like that of the caliphate       
already mentioned1 should unite in the  
same person all spiritual1 as well as   
temporal authority1 we need not here    
further investigate4 ,the dreadful      
possibility of such a contingency has   
been brought only too closely home to   
our fears4  ,the essence of despotism1  
as ,i said before1 lies in the union in 
one person of the civil and spiritual   
powers--or in a most anomalous state1   
which is1 by a rare and faulty          
combination1 at once spiritual and      
temporal4 ,and since the distinction    
between the two powers is involved in   
the very notion of a ,christian state1  
it is of the highest importance that the
 state should carefully observe and     
respect the boundaries between the two  
domains4 ,it is extremely difficult to  
establish any general standard for all  
the cases of collision between the two  
that either have actually occurred or   

are conceivably possible4 ,for it is    
evident that this contingency must be   
modified in an infinite number of ways1 
by existing treaties1 the local         
circumstances and political constitution
 of the different states4 ,the chief    
point is the general spirit and feeling4
 ,the question turns principally on good
 will and honest intentions2 but        
pre-eminently on a right conception of  
both powers1 as alike possessing in     
their respective spheres a higher       
sanction1 a divine foundation1 and a    
sacred character4 ,this must be         
recognized in every case and time1 and  
all circumstances belonging to either   
sphere must be treated accordingly4     
,many and serious cases of such         
collision between the church and the    
state have occurred and are perpetually 
recurring4 ,many and grave errors have  
been committed on both sides4 ,but for  
the most part they have been unfairly   
judged1 or1 rather1 misjudged1 through  
ignorance both of the times1 and of the 

actual circumstances of the case4 ,the  
day is not long gone by when in this    
respect it was the habitual rule to     
subject certain of the early popes      
especially to an unqualified            
vituperation and censure4 ,and it must  
be told1 to the praise of ,german       
impartiality1 that ,protestant writers  
were the first1 by their historical     
researches1 to do justice to and to form
 a fair estimate of these1 in their day1
 truly great and eminent characters4    
,still we do not by any means pretend to
 deny that both in these and later times
 grave blame rests with many of the     
popes individually4 ,on neither side1   
however1 and at no time1 were the limits
 which divide the two powers overstepped
 so far as they were by ,henry ,,viii4  
of ,england1 that absolute monarch in   
temporals1 and who wished also to be    
equally supreme in spirituals4 ,the most
 despotic sovereign that ever sat on the
 throne of ,england1 by founding the    
independence of the ,anglican           

,church1#ei became undesignedly and     
unconsciously the true author of that   
much-lauded constitution of ,england1   
which1 essentially resting on this      
foundation1 furnishes the only instance 
of a dynamical polity1 as the only      
remedy of an otherwise incurable        
tendency to division and anarchy1       
attaining to a highly perfect shape and 
development4 ,as for the schism in the  
faith1 which in these latter times has  
in so many ,christian countries made the
 problem of religion only the more      
difficult1 and its relation to the state
 more delicate and liable to aggression1
 it has in ,england1 through this royal 
reformer1 assumed so complicated a shape
 that1 unsolved as yet1 it appears to   
many1 judging of it in a merely human   
light1 totally and forever incapable of 
solution4  ,we must reserve to the      
succeeding ,lecture the enumeration of  
all the results which flow from these   
premises1 and this first outline of a   
truly ,christian justice1 which as such 

involves the principle of equity1 and is
 even truly historical4     ,,lecture   
,,xiv4  ,,of ,,the ,,division ,,of      
,,ranks1 ,,and ,,of ,,the ,,reciprocal  
,,relations ,,of ,,states ,,according   
,,to ,,the ,,christian ,,idea4--,,of    
,,science ,,as ,a ,,power2 ,,of ,,its   
,,constitution1 ,,and ,,of ,,the ,,right
 ,,regulation ,,of ,,it4   ,whenever    
philosophy1 setting up any conceit of   
its own as a principle1 intrudes either 
into the domain of religion or of       
politics1 such an intrusion is1 in every
 case1 an aggression4 ,and if the       
aggressive idea1 once formed and        
entertained1 is1 nevertheless1          
externally and in appearance held in    
check and restrained--if1 from ulterior 
considerations and for the sake of some 
remote object1 science accommodates     
itself to the established system of law 
or religion--then is the case only so   
much the worse4 ,the deep and pervading 
hostility of sentiment is but concealed 
beneath the external servility of       

language1 and the rankling wound has but
 skinned over the surface4 ,the         
influence of evil is far from being     
checked and destroyed2 or1 to say the   
least1 that of good is nipped in the    
bud1 not being allowed fully to expand  
itself4 ,and at the same time the       
dignity of science1 which can only be   
maintained by its independence1 is      
fatally and irretrievably endangered4   
,under this conviction1 ,i strongly     
protested1 at the very opening of these 
,lectures1 against all such             
intermeddling of philosophy with matters
 foreign to it2 and ,i trust that1 for  
my part1 ,i have hitherto duly observed 
the spirit of that protest4 ,but now1   
the end which philosophy strives to     
attain to is a right estimate and full  
understanding of its own nature1 and    
that of man1 both in the internal       
properties of his mind and in his       
external existence relatively to ,god   
and nature1 and also to the world and   
society4 ,in pursuit of this object1    

having once found and acknowledged the  
center of the inner life1 such as it is 
given to us1 and setting out therefrom1 
philosophy can and may1 with perfect    
propriety1 submit to investigation the  
highest ideas of life1 and judge them   
after its own method1 and from its own  
peculiar position4 ,but still it will do
 this in the hope rather of explaining  
what actually exists1 than of           
establishing any self-devised ideal of  
its own1 or of setting up impracticable 
laws for a merely conceivable state of  
things under the most arbitrary         
assumptions--for a wholly visionary     
world4  ,consistently1 then1 with this  
notion of philosophy1 and under this    
limitation1 ,i have not1 ,i think1      
deviated in the latter ,lectures from   
the law ,i originally laid down4        
,inasmuch1 however1 as the exposition of
 a philosophy of life must necessarily  
be vivid1 and consequently requires to  
be interspersed with historical views   
and examples1 ,i must request you1      

looking principally to the ideas which  
form the essential foundation of these  
discourses1 to judge the latter by the  
pervading tenor and connection of the   
thoughts rather than by the several     
allusions and instances which ,i have   
introduced for the mere purpose of      
illustration4 ,all that is merely       
personal in the interpretation passed   
upon those events will1 ,i trust1 be    
looked upon as the private opinions1    
indeed1 but still the unprejudiced      
conclusions1 of an individual4  ,in the 
course of these ,lectures ,i attempted1 
first of all1 to establish a firm       
foundation for the human soul1          
considered both in its own proper nature
 and with regard to its most essential  
relations in life to nature and to ,god4
 ,in the next place1 by investigating   
the order of the divine dispensations in
 nature1 and in the realms of truth and 
history1 it was my endeavor to obtain   
for it a wider and more solid basis4    
,lastly1 ,i occupied myself with tracing

 the course which the ,spirit of        
,eternal ,truth pursues in science and  
in life1 and the shapes which in its    
progress toward perfection it           
successively assumes4 ,accordingly1 ,i  
have pointed out to you1 first of all1  
how this ,spirit of ,eternal ,truth is  
ever one and the same in the highest    
science and in divine faith2 then1 how  
victoriously it comes forth out of the  
conflict between faith and infidelity2  
and1 in conclusion1 ,i showed you that1 
far from being confined to the narrow   
region of science1 it may and rightly   
ought to enter with an earnest influence
 into life itself4 ,how the latter duty 
is actually fulfilled we endeavored to  
show1 by considering the symbolical     
signification of life1 and1 as derived  
therefrom1 its higher sanction and      
divine foundation1 especially in public 
life and the state4 ,and herein the idea
 of a universal ,christian and truly    
historical justice found a closer       
application and wider development4 ,and 

this formed the subject of our last     
disquisition4  ,i there sought to       
elucidate this idea solely and entirely 
from history4 ,for this purpose ,i      
endeavored1 by means of historical      
instances1 to set in a clear1           
discriminating light the opposite and   
divergent notions of an absolute and of 
a dynamical or limited monarchy1 so far 
at least as regards the essential       
features and characteristic constitution
 of each4 ,as instances of the former1  
,i pointed to the old ,roman world and  
the empire of the caliphs1 while the    
latter was elucidated by the ,english   
constitution1 in which1 as yet1 it has  
attained to its highest and most perfect
 development4 ,this is1 no doubt1 a     
master-piece of political wisdom1       
wherein an intractable spirit of        
opposition being adopted1 as it were1   
into the very constitution1 is thereby  
rendered legitimate and its evil        
tendency is held in check4 ,still the   
principle of it can not rightly be      

viewed in any other light than the wise 
procedure of the physician who1 in the  
case of an inevitable epidemic1 resolves
 to inoculate the disease in order to be
 able to control it the better1 and by  
watching more closely its crisis1 to    
regulate its course and issue4  ,in its 
true historical place1 therefore1 this  
constitution finds its satisfactory     
explanation and justification2 or1      
rather1 deserves our highest praise1 the
 fullest acknowledgment of its merits1  
and even our admiration4 ,but inasmuch  
as every feature of it is thoroughly    
historical and national1 and since the  
slightest local diversity in the        
character of a people or nation might   
with different relations and            
circumstances give rise to wants and    
difficulties little expected or dreamed 
of1 we must be cautious how we seek to  
introduce it elsewhere4 ,in the arts it 
is ever a sorry business to imitate     
great works of original genius4 ,by such
 a course little but manner is          

multiplied4 ,so it is rarely a          
felicitous idea to suppose that a       
constitution1 though copied from ever so
 lauded a model1 must be suited to all  
nations alike1 and must prove a         
universal and unfailing source of       
political felicity--a tree of liberty1  
which we may transplant at pleasure1 or1
 as it were1 a constitutional bill of   
exchange1 which1 once endorsed we may   
put in circulation4  ,but if the true   
,gordian knot in that master-piece of   
polity1 the ,english constitution1      
remains still an unsolved problem1 since
 that war of religious opinion1 which   
seems at every moment to be threatening 
an outbreak1 is as yet1 with consummate 
skill and prudence1 kept under and      
restrained within its recognized limits1
 we may see in this fact a further      
confirmation and justification of the   
encomiums we recently passed upon the   
religious peace which has become for us 
in ,germany as it were a second nature1 
and which1 in the place of such a       

constitution1 is to us the guaranty of  
mental freedom and the pledge of a      
higher unity than one simply political4 
,it is not a mere dead letter1 but it is
 a living power enshrined in the minds  
of men4 ,and if occasionally some rash  
expression in a great and influential   
writer1 or any grievous act on the part 
of a powerful and leading political     
character1 may seem to menace violence  
to this religious peace1 the general    
feeling soon pronounces itself against  
such indiscretion1 and the single note  
of discord is quickly brought in unison 
with the general harmony1 or else dies  
away without producing any deep or      
widely-prejudicial consequences4 ,not1  
indeed1 that the existing differences in
 religious opinion are a thing          
desirable--we mean any thing but that by
 our encomiums on the religious peace4  
,what we really mean is1 that in the    
present state of things such a peace is 
of the very highest value1 and one whose
 great blessing can only be appreciated 

fully by those who enjoy it4 ,and       
nothing but a comparison with other     
civilized nations in this respect can   
enable us to understand and to form a   
full estimate of its value4 ,and if     
every ordinary treaty of peace between  
states1 whenever it is settled on true  
and lasting foundations and sincerity of
 purpose1 has an influence on the inward
 development of mind or spirit in the   
course of history1 and affords1 as it   
were1 a calm presage of a higher and a  
more universal peace of ,god1 how can we
 look upon this peculiar and internal   
peace between men's minds in any other  
light than as a token of a richer and   
fuller future1 and as a symbol of       
ultimate perfection and unity8  ,in our 
notice of the schism in the faith we    
made allusion to the possibility of a   
collision between the two highest and   
most sacred powers1 the civil and the   
spiritual1 according to the distinction 
involved in the very idea of the        
,christian life4 ,in order1 therefore1  

to avoid every possible misconception1  
it seems to be necessary1 or1 at least1 
not a superfluous task1 to add one brief
 remark on the extreme case when1 in    
such an unfortunate collision1 right and
 justice are openly violated and set at 
defiance4 ,if the civil power be the    
party attacked and unduly interfered    
with in its legitimate province1 it has 
a perfect right to defend itself1 as1   
indeed1 in our days1 it is quite able   
and knows well how to do4 ,the only     
thing that apparently remains to be     
desired is1 that in the exercise of this
 right it should observe1 as indeed     
becomes the stronger side1 the greatest 
moderation4 ,but if1 on the contrary1   
the aggression proceeds from this side1 
and the spiritual power is attacked1    
then it ought to bear in mind that its  
legitimate opposition to the civil power
 ought to assume a material character4  
,its resistance must never be public and
 open violence1 nor1 either directly or 
indirectly1 by means of what we may call

 machinations1 for such a proceeding    
would undermine the sacred foundations  
of public confidence1 and shake the     
whole edifice of moral order and        
society4 ,in the case of such an        
aggression1 religion would deprive      
herself of her duly-acquired position in
 the state4 ,but this1 so long as the   
latter remains ,christian1 religion     
itself never can and never will do1 as  
neither will those whose duty it is to  
guide and to minister it in a truly     
reverent and pious spirit4  ,the only   
opposition1 therefore1 that the         
spiritual power can rightly and justly  
make to the aggression of the state must
 be of a passive nature4 ,it is not     
necessary to lay down any elaborate and 
rigorous distinctions for such an       
emergency2 for such definitions rarely  
meet the complicated variety and special
 character of every possible or even    
every actual case4 ,a few historical    
examples1 which readily present         
themselves1 will serve briefly and      

perspicuously to illustrate the view of 
duty which we wish to enforce4 ,in the  
unfortunate case of a great and public  
collision between the ,church and the   
,state1 the model of a just and         
legitimate resistance on the part of the
 spiritual power has been furnished by  
the conduct of that venerable old       
man1#fj whom half of ,europe regarded as
 invested with the highest priestly and 
apostolical dignity4 ,with calm         
fortitude1 even in bonds1 he refused to 
yield to the military despot1 and won   
the personal esteem and admiration      
likewise of that other half of ,europe  
which denied his spiritual authority4   
,or1 to take an example from a more     
limited sphere1 and of a more personal  
nature1 we may appeal to the history of 
the patron saint of ,bohemia1 which1 at 
least1 can not be classed among the     
legends1 and which1 in any case1 will   
afford a beautiful and simple example of
 a noble1 perfectly-allowable resistance
 of a spiritual party against the       

injustice of the political head of the  
nation4 ,by such passive resistance1 and
 by such alone1 did ,christianity1 in   
the earliest centuries1 though so       
unattractive and so lowly at its first  
commencement1 gradually attain a secure 
external foundation1 and become the     
religion of the whole civilized world4  
,a public outbreak1 and even a secret   
feeling of discontent between the       
spiritual and the temporal power1       
between ,church and ,state1 is1 at all  
times1 and in every case1 a great evil1 
threatening and bringing danger and ruin
 on both4 ,for the state1 as being      
ultimately founded on a religious basis1
 undermines its own foundation by       
assuming a hostile attitude toward      
religion4 ,no financial difficulties1 or
 any such partial calamities1 will ever 
ruin a people so long as any moral      
energy still exists in the whole body1  
and it is consequently sound at the     
core4 ,political skepticism1 which is   
the immediate and necessary consequence 

of infidelity in religion1 is the true  
cause and origin of the decay of        
nations4 ,these two vital principles of 
human society1 therefore--these two     
powers1 however essentially and         
necessarily distinct--must work together
 in perfect peace and unity4 ,for the   
one can only flourish where the soil has
 been rendered morally fertile by the   
other1 while the latter can not exercise
 its full influence except under the    
sanction of the political power4 ,if    
religion were at unity in itself1 and   
totally free from party and controversy1
 and the state1 as the public life1 were
 in perfect harmony with it1 and        
thoroughly pervaded by its life-giving  
spirit1 humanity would1 by such a       
consummation1 have made a great step in 
advance toward that divine peace for    
which every human pacification1 however 
imperfect1 is the expression of a       
profound and imperishable longing--of a 
pursuit which1 though ever attaining1 is
 still never wholly abandoned4          

,however1 the alienation and separation 
of the civil and spiritual powers seems 
to belong peculiarly and essentially to1
 or1 rather1 to be a necessary law of1  
the present condition of humanity1 still
 involved in struggle with evil1 and not
 yet having attained to the end of its  
endeavors4 ,it is much older than men   
think4 ,it must have existed in the     
first ages of the world1 and in the     
earliest stage of the ,gentile religion4
 ,for among the ,hindoos1 who1 as they  
are the most ancient people that we are 
acquainted with1 are also the most      
authentic monument that remains of the  
primeval condition of the human race1 we
 find this separation formally and      
definitely established4 ,it there forms 
an insurmountable barrier between the   
regal and the sacerdotal dignity4 ,on   
this point it would not be advisable to 
direct our attention exclusively or even
 principally to the condition of the    
priestly class among the ,greeks and    
,romans1 since1 in the later epochs of  

these nations1 ,gentilism had greatly   
degenerated1 and in the more civilized  
days of these people had lost all its   
essential forms1 and its true spirit had
 disappeared4 ,but1 with that still more
 ancient people of the ,hindoos1 the    
same unchanged law still exists in these
 days as in the very earliest times4 ,a 
,brahmin who should attempt to ascend   
the throne or usurp its powers1 or a    
rajah who should wish to be as a        
,brahmin1 or to suppress and annihilate 
the ,brahminical caste1 would be        
universally regarded as an abomination4 
,the attempt1 on either side1 would     
appear an offense against human nature  
and divine laws4 ,for a mixture or      
confusion of castes signifies to the    
,hindoos the very abomination of        
anarchy2 and by this term1 in one       
characteristic word of their language1  
they designate all revolutionary times1 
even though1 we must observe1 such      
periods among the ,hindoos were never   
more than brief and transitory1 the     

waves of anarchy breaking harmlessly    
against the everlasting rocks of this   
ancient and solidly-compact system4     
,besides the many other traces of family
 affinity between the ,indian and       
,teutonic races1 another is furnished by
 the ,germanic constitution1 which forms
 the political basis of most ,european  
kingdoms4 ,in ,india the noble class who
 most especially are bound to military  
service forms also the caste of the     
lords of the soil2 and from their latter
 character they also derive their name  
as a class4#fa ,some of the most general
 and most ancient features of the feudal
 system have likewise been discovered   
among them1 though not1 indeed1 its more
 artificial and complicated system1 to  
which feudalism was in later times      
developed among ,european nations4 ,to  
this landed nobility belong the nabobs  
and even the rajahs4 ,for it was left   
open to the fluctuating fortunes of     
different families to rise or to fall   
from the summit of political dignity4   

,between the several grades of honor    
accessible to a particular caste no     
insurmountable barrier was raised2 all  
were open to all the members of the same
 rank or caste4  ,the democratical      
writers of a recent era1 in obedience to
 a sentiment natural enough to their    
false system1 have expressed a deep     
horror and strong aversion to this      
institution of castes among the         
,hindoos1 stamping it on every occasion 
with the strongest marks of reprobation4
 ,viewing it1 however1 in an historical 
light1 ,i for my part am disposed to    
think that it is to this ancient and    
hereditary institution1 however much of 
imperfection it undoubtedly involves1   
that this great and populous country    
owes that firm stability of its laws and
 customs1 and that indestructible       
prosperity which the various conquests  
it has undergone both in ancient and    
modern times have been unable to shake  
or to undermine4 ,no doubt the ,indian  
gradation of ranks wants the stamp of   

perfection and mildness which belongs to
 ,christian politics4 ,and in this      
respect the comparison is especially    
instructive4 ,it serves to draw         
attention to1 and strongly illustrates  
the fact1 that a ,christian division of 
ranks is1 in some points1 different in  
its principle1 and the very opposite to 
the correspondent state of things in the
 old world1 as yet unrefined and        
purified by this divine element4 ,for1  
first of all1 according to the          
,christian idea1 the spiritual class can
 not depend upon birth2 it must possess 
a higher and peculiar vocation4 ,this   
order1 consequently1 can not recruit    
itself merely by birth1 but must derive 
its members from the other classes which
 are hereditary4 ,but in consequence of 
this principle1 the partition-wall1     
otherwise impassable and absolute1      
between the other ranks1 which1 taken on
 the whole1 are hereditary1 is so far   
removed1 that exceptional cases occur   
when these barriers are opened to merit 

or other important considerations4 ,it  
is a self-evident fact1 requiring no    
elaborate argument for its proof1 that  
the ,christian sentiment1 or1 as we have
 here expressed it1 that principle of   
equity so universally and essentially   
interwoven with the ,christian idea of  
justice1 demands that every alleviation 
of their toilsome and oppressive lot    
should be afforded to the industrious   
classes4 ,to those on whom the accident 
of birth1 as the world speaks1 or1 as we
 should prefer to say1 a higher and a   
divine ,providence1 has laid all the    
hardships of life1 it is but just that  
every privilege should be conceded that 
does not militate against the general   
welfare1 or the private rights of       
individuals4 ,and in the same spirit1   
every political constitution that is    
organically arranged and founded on a   
,christian1 and1 consequently1 modified 
separation of ranks1 will attentively   
observe and engraft into its old        
constitutional stock every new          

historical shoot4 ,a great and          
instructive example of the kind is at   
hand4 ,in the ,teutonic constitutions of
 the middle ages1 and especially in the 
,germanic ,empire1 cities and trades1   
which at an earlier period had formed a 
very immaterial and comparatively       
insignificant element in the whole--in  
short1 the growing burgher classes were1
 at their very first appearance1        
understood humanly and                  
politically--received a great organic   
development1 and taken into a living    
combination with the old4  ,in all      
probability our own deeply-agitated     
times1 which assuredly deserve not to be
 called unfruitful1 even though1        
together with the good fruit1 they may  
also produce many a false blossom1 give 
birth to much that is new indeed1 but   
which is1 nevertheless1 or at least may 
eventually become1 historical4 ,the     
phenomena of the present1 therefore1    
demand our most careful consideration1  
lest any negligence in this case should 

inevitably involve us in disaster1 and  
bring on us a natural historical        
retribution4 ,an exclusive and narrow   
aristocracy1 or1 if we must say so1 one 
senselessly insisting on its privileges1
 such as in the earlier part of the last
 century was probably to be met with in 
a few countries1 is1 to the true friend 
of the ancient order of things1 the most
 painful phenomenon4 ,it is its own     
greatest enemy--since1 by an historical 
law of antagonism and reaction1 one     
extreme inevitably calls forth the other
 sooner or later4 ,hereditary monarchy1 
as it is the oldest form of polity in   
history1 so1 if it is maintained in the 
mild and moderate spirit of the         
,christian state1 is likely to survive  
all others1 and to be the last in force 
among the human race2 for a state which 
is founded and established on the       
,christian principle of an equitable    
distinction and division of ranks1 must1
 in every calm and unprejudiced         
judgment1 deserve the preference over   

the artificial constitution of a        
dynamical balance of powers2 for the    
necessary equipoise is liable to be     
disturbed by the restless agitation to  
which the latter form of polity is      
exposed4 ,and it is only1 therefore1 in 
comparison with an absolute despotism   
that the dynamical theory can appear    
desirable and win so many adherents1    
while the former1 on the other hand1 as 
the only remedy for popular anarchy1 if 
administered with talent and energy1    
becomes not only tolerable1 but acquires
 even an historical justification4      
,each of these two extremes1 the        
absolute and the dynamical1 admit1      
however1 of a wider application than    
merely to single states and their       
different forms1 according to the       
fluctuation of the times between        
prosperity and adversity4 ,for the      
entire system of ,christian states      
throughout the civilized world may in   
their mutual relations and              
confederations depend principally on the

 absolute preponderance of some leading 
power which holds the others in         
subjection or rules them4 ,but this is  
an authority which all are ready to     
throw off1 and is never willingly       
acknowledged or submitted to4 ,or1      
perhaps1 the whole political world may1 
on the dynamical theory1 be based on the
 balance of power1 each state being held
 in check by the rest4 ,this was the    
reigning system of the eighteenth       
century1 and at its first foundation was
 admired as the perfection of a wise    
policy4 ,in experience1 however1 it has 
proved inadequate and practically       
untenable4 ,the only case where it seems
 to admit of application is that of a   
division embracing the whole globe1 but 
based on geographical relations2 but    
even in such a case it could only serve 
to check mutual injury1 and not to      
promote any salutary end4  ,in the      
middle ages1 as soon as the ,german     
,empire1 having fallen from its original
 purity1 had become totally false to its

 ,christian principle1 it found1        
according to the spirit of the times1 a 
salutary check and counterpoise in the  
,church4 ,and that iron character of the
 ,ghibellines1 which was exhibited no   
less strikingly in individuals and      
morals than in politics and counsels of 
state1 affords the best justification   
for this antagonism1 as well as for the 
opposite great party of the ,guelphs1   
with their milder bearing and           
sentiments4  ,but now that this ancient 
division and conflict of the spiritual  
and the temporal powers is in these     
enlightened times a bygone thing1 and in
 the older sense is extinct             
forever--since it seems mankind can not 
do without antagonism of some kind1 we  
have1 instead of it1 an elementary one  
between land and water4 ,a political    
schism variously manifests itself       
between the ocean and the continent4 ,in
 fact1 that great ,island ,kingdom which
 traverses and rules the ocean1 and by  
founding colonies and settlements       

wherever it listeth or thinketh         
profitable1 puts forth1 as it were1 the 
feelers of universal dominion1 is       
properly an empire of the sea4 ,for in  
contradistinction from a kingdom we may 
call every monarchy an empire which     
comprises in itself several other       
peoples and nations of divers races and 
political constitutions4 ,in such a     
sense we have contrasted this maritime  
empire with the ,continent4 ,but        
although experience has shown the       
possibility of such a division of the   
whole world and political alienation of 
the two elements of land and water      
throughout the globe1 it has also       
established a conviction that though    
these two divisions might do            
incalculable injury and mischief to each
 other1 no permanent or decided         
supremacy of either would follow1       
inasmuch as a medium for maintaining the
 dependence of either is wanting4 ,and  
as it is only in some urgent need of the
 times to find some counterpoise to     

absolute power1 or an apprehension of   
it1 that a dynamical state or the       
tendency to it finds its justification1 
so it was only during the transient     
reign of a despotic lust of conquest1   
and as a check to it1 that this maritime
 power could have risen so high as it   
has in the opinion of the ,continental  
states4  ,since then1 however1 the great
 powers of ,europe have had a different 
interest to pursue1 and their political 
counsels have been directed to the      
preservation of peace rather than to    
selfish aggrandizement4 ,for they have  
all had to contend with a common enemy  
in the restless spirit of the age1 which
 is yet very far from being conquered   
and subdued4 ,if1 then1 an absolute     
preponderance of a single state is      
hateful to all1 and a dynamical balance 
of power in the general state-system is 
either inadequate for such an end1 or   
else does not admit of application1 is  
it not at least conceivable that a      
higher principle of ,christian justice  

might be substituted for these which are
 equally defective8 ,might not a common 
point of moral unity be found and       
established for the ,european states8   
,must this sublime idea ever be nothing 
more than the noble enthusiasm of a     
magnanimous character8 ,and is it to be 
regarded as impossible merely because it
 is imbedded in difficulties8 ,but is   
not all that is great also difficult8   
,still1 inasmuch as this exalted        
political unity must have a purely      
spiritual basis in the sentiments of    
men1 a precipitate or violent attempt to
 bring it about must inevitably         
miscarry4 ,it would not only militate   
against1 but also corrupt the original  
purity of the very idea4 ,it must be    
universally recognized before it can1 in
 the contest with the evil principle of 
the day1 become a salutary power of     
good1 or furnish for the political      
relations a general basis of ,christian 
justice4 ,the one extreme of political  
,europe1 with its absolute polity1 which

 moreover has fallen very low from its  
former preponderance1 seems excluded by 
the very nature of things from the idea 
of such a unity4 ,but if it be true that
 it is gradually becoming more and more 
,european1 a character in which1 until  
very lately1 it has rarely been         
regarded1 then a modified kind of       
subordinate connection with such a      
general principle of association among  
,european states1 does not seem         
necessarily inadmissible or             
inconsistent4 ,the other extreme of     
,europe1 with its dynamical             
constitution1 had1 in an opposition1    
moderate indeed in form and             
conditionally1 more than half renounced 
this idea4 ,in the opinion1 however1 of 
many competent judges1 this renunciation
 is much more decided1 and must exercise
 a great and unfavorable effect on the  
harmony of the whole4 ,the moral want of
 our age1 judged by this or some similar
 idea1 is the necessity which was so    
keenly felt upon its deliverance from   

the general yoke of a military          
aggression1 of a moral and intrinsic    
regeneration of ,europe4 ,and this unity
 is not to be derived from and set up   
merely in science1 but must be felt as a
 living energy in life itself4 ,but how 
is such an inner restoration to be      
brought about and effected in ,christian
 states1 but by a complete renewal and  
invigoration of their religious         
foundation8 ,and inasmuch as this want  
actually exists and is felt1 the problem
 which is to supply it must be regarded 
as an historical one2 and consequently  
the historical development of the       
times--abstracted from the accidental   
form of the first essays at its         
solution--will sooner or later carry us 
to all that is most essential in the    
idea4  ,formerly1 in the medieval times1
 the ,german ,empire claimed to be this 
,christian center of unity for the      
states of ,europe--although1 in truth1  
it was far from embracing the whole     
system of ,european states4 ,latterly1  

in the new political theory1 the mutual 
relation of nations has become gradually
 republican4 ,and this new form has     
consequently been accompanied with      
imperfections and difficulties and      
almost inextricable perplexities4 ,is   
it1 then1 probable that in the          
commencing or recently-commenced era of 
history1 a firm1 compact1 but vast      
corporation of states1 founded on a     
principle of ,christian justice1 can be 
substituted for and gradually evolved   
out of the two previous ones1 which are 
now found wholly inadequate for the ends
 they were designed to meet8 ,as a mere 
historical probability we may well allow
 this idea to stand4  ,totally different
 from those idle speculations of an     
endless peace1 which1 for the sake of   
mere intellectual amusement and         
discussion1 philosophy was used to      
advance in the schools1 is this         
thoroughly-practical thought of a       
confederation of states based on the    
principle of ,christian justice and     

vitally connected with religion as the  
most general center of humanity4 ,and   
the latter must be regarded as the      
essential condition of its internal     
consistency and permanence4 ,at least we
 may safely advance the following as the
 result of a philosophical consideration
 of history4 ,an exalted and universal  
religious peace of this kind1 and       
proceeding from such a principle1 in    
which1 by a peaceful approximation1 not 
only the two parties in the faith should
 be reconciled and finally united1 but  
also the spiritual and the secular      
powers1 the ,church and the ,state1     
should be allied together in the        
profoundest harmony1 is1 properly       
speaking1 the very thing which mankind  
most stands in need of4 ,but this       
desirable result never can and never    
will be attained until all shall be     
united in pervading harmony with        
religion and with life1 especially with 
public life or the state1 so that all   
these three principles or fundamental   

elements of human existence may work    
together with one aim and purpose4 ,such
 a state of profound internal peace     
would be something more than a simple   
political peace1 with its transient     
blessings4 ,it would be a sacred peace  
of ,god and the higher spirits1 or at   
least the precursor and the best        
initiation thereto4 ,this1 however1 is  
not to be effected by diplomatic skill  
no more than by scientific hypotheses4  
,it can only be brought about by the    
immediate operation of ,god1 and by that
 divine energy which from the beginning 
has sustained and still sustains the    
system of the universe4 ,philosophy1    
accordingly1 must content itself with   
pointing to this end and this sustaining
 power1 and also with calling attention 
to all the traces historically furnished
 which tend in the same direction4 ,and 
since the great conflict of the age     
draws all powers into its vortex more   
violently than ever1 it may be allowed  
to be sufficient for us to have hazarded

 a glance toward this glorious          
consummation2 and we now will turn our  
attention to the development of         
intellect and intellectual powers as at 
present involved in the as yet undecided
 conflict4 ,thus much at least must be  
clear1 that if science1 religion1 and   
the state1 and the several powers1      
parties1 and influences belonging to    
each of these domains1 is1 as hitherto1 
to pursue each its own way in opposition
 to the rest1 then will all hasten again
 with rapid strides into a state of     
chaotic confusion4 ,it may1 therefore1  
well be permitted us to endeavor to hold
 up before men1 in as strong a light as 
possible1 this better hope1 and to      
furnish them with every possible        
confirmation of it both from science and
 history4  ,if our age be as yet far    
from healthy--if it be still in a sickly
 state1 if the first fearful crisis has 
not totally expelled the diseased       
matter--if1 on the contrary1 the general
 ,european body in many of its members  

is still infected with the virus which  
has penetrated into the inmost and      
secret marrow of life--if the source of 
the malady lie in false ideas1 or the   
total absence of right ones1 or1 in     
other words1 in philosophical error1    
which has spread in indefinite vagueness
 and endless hair-splitting over the    
whole of public and private life1 and in
 a skepticism no less political than    
religious--then1 since the external     
refutation rarely avails any thing1 our 
first object must be intrinsically to   
conquer and to banish this error by     
truth1 and the spirit of truth in that  
higher science which is genuine and     
lawful and directs itself to divine     
things4  ,the restless anarchical spirit
 of the times1 or the perverted absolute
 spirit--for they are essentially one   
and the same1 is yet a spirit--it may be
 a superficial1 shallow1 sensual1 and   
negative one1 but still a spirit1 and   
therefore can not be overcome by any    
mere negation1 but on the contrary only 

struggles against it with renewed       
bitterness and consequently more        
vigorous resistance4 ,as opposed to the 
divine spirit of truth1 however1 it     
appears an unsubstantial nullity1 and   
soon vanishes into its own vanity4  ,a  
direct controversy with error entails   
one disadvantage4 ,by such a course the 
latter is unduly acknowledged for a     
positive power of evil4 ,but in reality 
it only becomes so conditionally1       
through the atomistic splitting and     
diffusion of false ideas1 and by the    
mass of its followers1 when once every  
thing is resolved into elementary       
decomposition4 ,moreover1 one extreme of
 exaggeration1 whenever in controversy  
we enter into it and get involved in it1
 easily introduces its opposite1 which  
then again is on its side carried too   
far--or which even1 though strictly and 
literally it be right enough1 is yet    
asserted with too little of limitation1 
and applied with unsalutary rigor4 ,it  
is1 therefore1 a lamentable mistake if  

men of great and deserving talents1 who 
from a scientific point of view have    
devoted themselves to the great task of 
morally regenerating the age1 have      
adopted a too decidedly polemical       
tendency4 ,for it is partly through     
exclusively following such a course that
 their influence for good has been so   
narrow and limited1 and has not met with
 a more general and more unqualified    
success4  ,if men would only1 first and 
before all things1 endeavor to set forth
 with all possible vividness the        
intrinsic unity which subsists between  
higher science with a divine faith1 and 
develop it for its own sake1 without    
passion or interest1 the further results
 on life of applied truth would follow  
spontaneously4 ,from this simple and    
pure source they would continue to flow 
in ample and widening streams over the  
whole domain and all its relations4 ,god
 is truth1 and simply on this account   
the spirit of truth in a good and true  
science must even be divine4 ,its proper

 aim is1 accordingly1 directed to the   
divine2 and on this account there can   
not be such a thing as an indifferent   
science4 ,for every science which is not
 directed to the divine is shallow1     
superficial1 sensuously negative1 and   
idly rationalizing4 ,on this account it 
is false1 and must consequently prove1  
in its external effects1 nothing less   
than evil1 injurious1 and destructive4  
,it is in regard to all this that ,i    
have classed science1 together with     
religion and a ,christianly-regulated   
state1 as the third power of good4      
,although merely intellectual geistige1 
it is of great moment in the conflict   
which all have to wage against the      
destructive principles which so         
fearfully menace our age4 ,the power of 
science1 it is true1 can only produce an
 effect in an intellectual sphere1 but  
this intellectual sphere is of itself of
 great influence on every other circle  
of human operation4 ,religion has for   
its immediate object the soul and its   

salvation1 or its union with ,god2 and  
this is its peculiar region2 but still  
it comes in various ways in contact with
 the higher science1 and penetrates     
deeply into actual and also into public 
life4 ,but it is the state1 as the      
organic form of the latter1 by which the
 divine as law1 and as a higher idea of 
justice1 modified and completed with    
that of clemency and equity1 is first   
introduced into reality of actual and   
corporeal existence1 and this historical
 and sensible world4 ,but the state     
itself has no other than a religious    
foundation4 ,it is built upon religion1 
but also requires the support of        
science4  ,by the visible relation1 and 
that parallel similitude which          
spontaneously suggests itself between   
these three great moral powers in public
 life--philosophy1 religion1 and        
government--and that original triple    
principle of the human consciousness1 as
 consisting of body1 soul1 and spirit1  
as the simple but fundamental idea of   

,christian philosophy 7however the      
latter may insist on this basis in      
confirmation of its utility in living   
application71 we do not for one moment  
mean to maintain1 or propose1 a total   
separation or estrangement of these     
three spheres4 ,this would be quite     
unnatural4 ,for in a political1 as well 
as in a psychological sense1 these three
 primary principles must co-operate and 
be intimately blended together to       
produce a complete and perfect result in
 the sphere of any one individually4    
,if1 as we are perfectly justified1 we  
have been considering science1 at least 
that which is true and divine1 as a     
power of a higher kind1 we must still   
remember that it is not so in the same  
way as religion or government4 ,the     
latter rests on a divine foundation of  
eternal justice2 and therein lies the   
source of its vital efficacy4 ,religion 
is the legitimate form of a living      
dispensation of the divine strength and 
grace4 ,true science is the mind's lofty

 pursuit1 in a ,godward direction1 of   
perfect knowledge2 and this direction   
forms the characteristic distinction    
between it and false science4 ,in the   
state1 in like manner1 its loftiest     
character lies in the sacred foundation 
of justice4 ,it is1 therefore1 a very   
wrongful and a most pernicious error to 
look for the inmost essence of the      
state1 or the true source of political  
prosperity1 in any external form or     
formula4 ,for this external form is in  
many cases nothing but the shape in     
which the national mind displays        
itself--the theater which it erects for 
its political manifestations4 ,but1 in  
another point of view1 also1 the form of
 the state is subordinate to the essence
 and its foundation of right4 ,in the   
legitimate state1 an hereditary         
monarchy1 i4e41 the act of crowning1 is1
 no doubt1 a very beautiful1 highly     
significant1 and1 indeed1 an essential  
sacred right4 ,but1 with the exception  
of certain special cases and positive   

institutions in some existing           
constitutions1 the monarch's right is   
not dependent thereon1 but even before  
the anointing he is truly and fully a   
sovereign4 ,far different is the case1  
however1 where the political authority  
is only delegated and vicarious1 as with
 an ambassador or a plenipotentiary     
deputed to negotiate a peace1 or other  
treaty4 ,for in such cases there is no  
authority but what is derived solely and
 entirely from the delegating source1   
and on the legal act by which the right 
or power was delegated4 ,without this1  
it is absolutely null and void4 ,this   
remark extends to every case and every  
sphere of legitimate transference of a  
higher authority1 even though the latter
 be of a divine origin4 ,and it is      
simply on this account that in religion1
 as the proper sphere for the dispensing
 of divine strength and grace1 the form 
is so highly important and so thoroughly
 essential--even as much so as the      
matter itself--or the imparted light of 

the spirit1 and properly is inseparable 
from it4  ,the position of science is   
quite different4 ,for this rests on what
 is thoroughly human and inborn in      
man--the passion of longing2 which1     
however1 if it be maintained in its     
purity and perseveringly carried out1   
may1 without doubt1 pass over into a    
divine pursuit4 ,even the form of       
communication in science is human       
throughout1 since it employs language as
 the intellectual medium for setting    
forth the truth4 ,if1 then1 in this     
higher tendency1 the full center of     
living and divine truth be attained1    
according to man's utmost powers and    
ability1 then1 even here1 a higher and  
divine power may1 undoubtedly1 intervene
 and co-operate therewith4 ,but still1  
for such a case1 no strictly-defined    
form1 or external sanction and          
consecration1 exists1 and from the very 
essence of the thing1 it is not to be   
looked for4 ,that which is divine in    
science must1 from its nature1 move     

freely1 and be devoid of all such forms4
 ,as a higher power1 it must operate    
immediately1 and must seek to establish 
its own law for itself1 intermediate    
between religion and the state1 or even 
in each of them alike1 though still in a
 peculiar way of its own4 ,wherever it  
is genuine and unadulterated1 then it   
will in no case come into collision with
 the actual laws either of one or of the
 other1 even because truth is one and   
every where the same4 ,but if science1  
in its external form1 and in its social 
and political existence1 should become  
entirely blended with religion and the  
spiritual class1 being confined and     
restricted thereto1 as was the case with
 the institution of castes among the    
,hindoos1 which we have already noticed1
 and with the ,egyptian priesthood1 then
 we must fain admit that freedom1 which 
the scientific spirit requires for its  
growth and development in the sphere    
assigned to it1 would be too closely    
limited and checked by narrow and       

partial considerations4 ,but if1 on the 
other hand1 it be possible for a false  
science to arrogate that spiritual and  
divine right of free action1 which1     
unquestionably1 is in a certain sense   
the prerogative of heavenly truth in its
 invisible kingdom1 which the latter can
 neither misemploy1 nor ever impede in  
its course1 then such a supposition     
would account for the prevalence of     
error4 ,it would also1 at the same time1
 serve to illustrate the mode by which  
such a prejudice as the arrogated right 
of an unrestricted freedom of thought1  
or1 rather1 of the free and unchecked   
communication thereof1 could ever have  
struck so deep a root in the human mind4
 ,but this is a claim which we can in no
 way recognize1 or allow1 as really     
founded in right and justice4 ,since1   
wherever1 as is the case in this sphere 
of purely intellectual operation1 all is
 immediate and without a definite form  
of external sanction1 there any thing   
like right must at most be indefinite   

and individual4  ,it forms1 perhaps1 one
 of the most important problems or      
questions of our day1 whether the entire
 sphere of science1 the whole republic  
of letters--not only the mere elementary
 instruction of the schools1 but the    
whole domain of education in general1   
embracing under the latter description  
literature and the fine arts--might not1
 in obedience to the requisitions of the
 age1 be brought into a more organized  
and well-regulated form4 ,for if this   
were possible1 it might be made to      
approximate more closely to the other   
great spheres of public life in religion
 and the state1 and confined within its 
proper limits1 according to some greater
 and more comprehensive ideas than those
 current among us1 or than those which  
have come down to us from antiquity1    
which are either defective in           
themselves1 or else are no longer       
adapted to existing circumstances4      
,those which the present age has        
advanced1 are1 for the most part1 crude 

and ill-digested1 and scarcely ever     
consistently carried out4 ,but1 after   
having reflected for many a long year on
 this question1 so deeply interesting to
 myself1 ,i have arrived at the         
conviction that1 for the present at     
least1 a radical change in this         
department would be premature and       
scarcely desirable1 as promising to     
afford no very advantageous results4    
,every thing in this sphere is too      
isolated2 whatever is good1 and         
especially what is best1 is too         
individual and too formless to allow of 
its being as yet1 without great         
difficulty1 reduced in all parts and in 
every point to a firm rule and definite 
shape4 ,in all probability1 by          
attempting unseasonably to introduce    
organic order and law1 we should cramp  
rather than assist and develop the good4
 ,in the present chaotic state of       
science1 it is only the vicious and     
profane that possesses a systematic     
coherence4 ,all detrimental and         

dangerous1 as well as futile and        
indifferent ideas1 mixed with a few good
 and useful ones1 are atomistically     
diffused and spread in every possible   
shape and quarter4 ,and if against this 
boundless dissemination of evil         
thoughts--this elementary decomposition 
and chemical analysis of the human mind1
 and the whole body of human thoughts1 a
 negative barrier be set up as a        
preventive measure of defense1 and as a 
temporary substitute for a better and   
higher state of things1 murmurs and     
reproaches immediately rise from all    
sides4 ,but1 taken on the whole1 and in 
so far as principle is involved1 these  
remonstrances are neither just nor well 
founded4 ,for in almost every state     
where1 owing to peculiar circumstances1 
such precautionary measures have not    
been taken1 the most dangerous disorders
 and jarring discords have affected the 
whole of public life1 as the inevitable 
consequences of its absence4  ,but let  
us turn our eyes from the insignificant 

controversies1 with its host of         
ephemeral publications1 the interest of 
which seems little likely to outlive    
even that of a daily journal1 and let us
 look to the greater and more historical
 phenomena amid them1 which1 in all     
probability1 will mark an epoch in the  
development of mind4 ,from these it is  
distinctly apparent that science is a   
real and actual power4 ,in proof of this
 fact1 we need only appeal to the great 
talents and abilities which1 not only in
 recent years1 but also throughout the  
last century1 have exercised in the     
domain of science what1 without         
exaggeration1 we may well term a        
world-embracing influence4 ,only we must
 admit that in this period they have    
taken more or less a destructive        
tendency1 and one that threatened in    
this scientific burrowing to undermine  
the foundations of everlasting truth4   
,but if we will take a still wider      
survey1 so as to embrace all the several
 periods of the world's history1 and the

 course of the human mind therein1 then1
 undoubtedly1 we may discern the higher 
might of divine truth1 manifesting      
itself as an influence for good1 as a   
pure and genuine spiritual theocracy of 
science1 to whose domain above all      
others the idea of an immediate and     
higher supremacy of mind and divine     
power is peculiarly applicable4         
,,lecture ,,xv4  ,,of ,,the ,,true      
,,idea ,,of ,a ,,theocracy2 ,,of ,,the  
,,might ,,of ,,science1 ,,and ,,of ,,the
 ,,final ,,restoration ,,and            
,,perfection ,,of ,,the ,,human         
,,consciousness4   ,the idea which the  
adverse party1 or opposition1 in the    
political domain1 and in the scientific 
theory of politics1 usually form of a   
theocracy1 is for the most part         
incorrect4 ,by the adverse party ,i mean
 all those who either openly assail1 or 
privately call in question1 the         
religious foundation1 the higher        
sanction1 and the divine authority of   
the state2 in short1 those in general   

who are hostile to the religious        
sentiment4 ,the latter apply the idea of
 theocracy and employ the term to       
signify the rule of the spiritual power1
 such as the ,egyptian priesthood may1  
perhaps1 or1 at least1 such as they     
suppose them to have possessed--or a    
polity where the supreme temporal       
authority works in unison with the      
sacerdotal class4  ,and even by the     
defenders of the good cause--by men of  
higher and better principles1 the idea  
is frequently taken in too inaccurate   
and indefinite1 not to say incorrect1 a 
sense4 ,they seem to understand by it   
nothing more than the divine authority  
of the state and of the ,church1 and    
their mutual support and dependence1 and
 their co-operation4 ,but nothing can be
 more erroneous than such a notion4 ,for
 the kingly dignity1 no less than the   
priestly1 as respects the divine        
authority1 which is inherent in both1 is
 not immediate1 but vicarious and       
representative4  ,when1 however1 we turn

 to its original source--to the         
historical basis1 i4e41 to ,christian   
revelation1 and derive therefrom the    
true idea of a theocracy1 we shall find 
it to be very different from the        
assumption which each of these parties  
tacitly advances as self-evident4 ,the  
idea of a theocracy can only be properly
 determined from the instance of the    
,jews4 ,the history of that nation will 
not only enable us fully to develop it  
as an actual form of polity1 having an  
historical origin and existence1 but    
also in the clearest and readiest way to
 illustrate it4 ,now the passage from   
revolution1 civil war1 and anarchy1 to  
absolute despotism1 in its genetic      
progress1 can be most clearly and most  
profitably traced in ,roman history4    
,the true nature1 moreover1 of the      
dynamical polity can be learned from the
 historically originated and            
historically preserved exemplification  
of it in ,england1 far better than from 
any theory1 or from any scheme of a     

constitution propounded for the occasion
 of some state experiment1 for all such 
experiments require the lasting test of 
a few generations1 or at least of half a
 century before any decided opinion can 
be passed on their success and          
historical permanency4 ,and just in the 
same way the peculiar character and     
essence of a theocracy can be deduced   
from no source so clearly or so fully as
 from the ,jewish history4 ,or1 rather1 
the true idea of it can be acquired from
 no other channel1 since among this     
people only has a theocracy ever existed
 as a real form of national polity4 ,and
 here it continued in force for nearly  
four hundred years4  ,however poor may  
be the part which the people of ,israel 
played in the great drama of the world's
 history1 in comparison with that of the
 great conquering nations1 the          
,persians1 ,greeks1 and ,romans1 still  
the prophetic people 7whose importance  
must be sought only in this designation1
 or1 in other words1 their continual    

relation to the future71 possesses1 even
 in their peculiar code of laws and form
 of government1 a remarkable interest   
for the historian4 ,for in the true     
historical estimate of things mere      
extent of power can not pass for the    
exclusive standard of greatness and     
importance4 ,and this has been already  
the judgment of many writers of history1
 who1 as far as regards this particular 
subject1 and the general question of    
religion1 must undoubtedly be pronounced
 free from either prepossession or      
prejudice4 ,the way1 too1 in which this 
ancient people have survived the        
destruction of their national           
government1 and for nearly two thousand 
years since have uniformly remained     
separate from all other nations1 has    
been more than once confessed to be a   
very striking phenomenon1 unparalleled  
in the history of the world4  ,moses1   
from whom that theocracy first emanated1
 or1 rather1 with whom it commenced1 was
 not himself the ,high ,priest4 ,his    

brother ,aaron enjoyed that dignity4 ,he
 neither wished nor had a title to hold 
it4 ,he had no hereditary claim to it1  
neither was he elected to it by the     
people4 ,and yet he stood in no man's   
place1 nor did he forcibly dispossess   
any one of his right4 ,and so even1 if  
for a while we dismiss the theological  
view entirely from our regard1 and1     
forgetting it for a moment1 judge of the
 matter by the strictest juristic       
notions1 we can not call him a usurper1 
even in that sense of the term which    
comprises the demagogue's character4 ,at
 an earlier period of his life1 he      
appeared likely to become a mere        
liberator in the usual sense of the     
word4 ,in this character1 however1 he   
does not appear unjust1 even though he  
allowed himself to be hurried into an   
act of violence against a petty tyrant  
among the oppressors of his countrymen4 
,and at a later period1 when he had     
received his call1 we can not in his    
conduct toward the ,egyptians discover  

any trace of injustice1 even judging him
 by the strictest legal notions4 ,now1  
the authority which ,moses exercised    
over his own people1 while he led them  
through the wilderness1 rested on the   
immediate exercise of the divine powers 
which were lent to him from above1 and  
which were immediately acknowledged as  
such1 and nowhere met with any          
considerable resistance4 ,and1          
accordingly1 properly speaking1 no      
question was ever raised against a right
 which was based entirely on those      
imparted powers1 although they were     
totally devoid of any formal or distinct
 act of legal sanction4 ,the office he  
held was prophetical4 ,but by this term 
,i do not mean merely according to its  
later and more obvious meaning1 the     
function of warning or promising1 of    
teaching or predicting1 but all this1   
and something more--a higher and divine 
power1 which vividly and persuadingly   
displayed itself in life and deeds4     
,looking at it in a general light1 and  

as applied to a case which1 at least1 we
 can think of as not impossible1 of the 
,almighty having sent1 or purposing to  
send1 a second ,moses to some other     
people1 then the circumstance we lately 
mentioned1 that this ,moses forcibly    
dispossessed no one of his rights1 and  
had made no unrighteous revolution1 must
 be taken into consideration1 even if it
 might not simply by itself serve as the
 characteristic or distinctive test of  
the genuineness of the vocation in      
question4  ,for a power emanating from  
,god1 and truly divine1 would never     
violate or forcibly subvert any         
established right1 whether essentially  
sacred or hallowed only by prescription4
 ,it will respect the least privilege of
 equals and inferiors no less than the  
greatest prerogative of superiors4 ,i   
have introduced these remarks in order  
to determine more precisely the right   
point of view for an historical         
comparison of ,moses with every other   
character that sets himself before the  

world in the same light1 whether the    
parallel be made with ,mohammed1 or that
 still earlier ,indian ,mohammed who is 
usually called ,buddha1 although this is
 only an honorary epithet1 and not the  
name of any historical person in        
particular4 ,and the same standard will 
hold good for our judging of any other  
reformer of the world who makes religion
 the instrument of his ambition1 to     
whatever age he may belong1 or any      
modern ,mohammed1 in whatever part of   
the world he may arise4  ,as regards the
 religion itself1 or the matter of the  
pretended revelation1 there is another  
characteristic mark by which we may     
distinguish a genuine from a spurious   
mission from ,god4 ,although it is both 
external and negative1 still1 as being  
historical1 it deserves to be here      
adduced4 ,it is this3 a genuine         
revelation is1 in the doctrine which it 
promulgates1 at the same time both old  
and new4 ,it is new in regard to its    
novel application to life and in its    

fulfillments1 and also to its animating 
force and spiritual awakening2 but old  
in so far as invariably referring to an 
earlier revelation and to a still older 
source of light1 it remounts up to the  
pure fountain of eternal truth4 ,and    
such is1 throughout1 the case even with 
the ,mosaic revelation4 ,it continually 
leads the inquirer back to some higher  
and remoter source--some deeper spring  
of everlasting light4 ,and on the same  
principle it also has been acknowledged 
as such by the ,christian or divine     
philosophy of the ,spirit1 and ,moses   
has been recognized and honored from all
 time as its founder4 ,in the domain of 
religion1 to be absolutely new is       
equivalent with being false or          
groundless1 namely1 totally detached    
from the old and everlasting            
foundations1 without connection         
therewith1 and1 consequently1 isolated  
and arbitrary4  ,in reference to1 and as
 contrasted with1 the above             
characteristics of genuine revelation1  

there is for the most part in systems of
 imposture as little really new as      
actually old4 ,this is especially the   
case with the doctrine and ,koran of    
,mohammed1 however much it may have been
 lauded for its poetry1 or on account of
 the rhetorical art and vigor which it  
displays4 ,its subject-matter and       
doctrines are not really new1 since they
 are but recasts of ,jewish and         
,christian ideas1 which it has freely   
borrowed1 mixing them together and      
adapting them to an obvious end and     
design2 and yet not old1 since it does  
not go back far enough or deep enough1  
and never remounts to the first         
beginning of nature and of man1 far less
 to the threefold fountain of divine    
life4  ,now1 with respect to ,moses3 an 
historical judge of the ordinary kind1  
who could not enter into the religious  
view of his character and office1 might 
say1 8,this is quite a strange world to 
us1 a very remote period2 much is there 
in this history difficult to explain and

 extremely obscure4 ,this much1 however1
 seems to follow from the whole history3
 the man possessed extraordinary mental 
powers for his times1 and an equally    
uncommon strength of character2 no      
wonder1 then1 if he bore down all       
obstacles1 and by the force of genius   
carried every thing before him40 ,such  
an estimate1 however1 reduces every     
thing to the force of genius in an      
heroic character1 instead of a higher   
and immediate operation of divine power 
and the prophetic office founded        
thereon4 ,superficially judging this    
false view1 eluding1 or1 rather1        
perverting1 the divine illumination1    
admits of an application1 though        
delusive and specious enough1 to ,moses1
 on account of those ample powers of    
genius which1 no doubt1 he possessed1 or
 even on account of the sublimity of his
 style1 which the very heathens could   
appreciate and admire4 ,still1 it is in 
no way applicable to that line of men1  
for the most part of the very simplest  

character1 who succeeded him1 and during
 the period of the theocracy down to the
 time of the kings1 held what was       
immediately a divine or prophetic rule4 
,it was not by any hereditary title or  
formal choice that they ruled2 neither  
were they priests any more than ,moses4 
,called immediately by ,god to the      
dignity of judge1 they suddenly stood   
before the people1 to be instantly and  
without opposition acknowledged1 and    
thereupon their mission and authority   
were at once established1 without any   
external sanction or solemnities1 or any
 form of legal recognition4  ,the       
general condition of the ,jewish people 
under the ,judges was that of a noble   
and not uncivilized nomadic race4 ,we   
must not confound this description1     
however1 with the so-called natural     
state of a wild and barbarous people1   
but rather think of it as resembling    
that of the ,arabians generally before  
the time of ,mohammed1 or of a few      
tribes still subsisting in the most     

retired parts of ,arabia1 where1 under  
their most distinguished leaders1 as    
shepherd princes they lead a roving life
 of hereditary freedom4 ,similar1 or at 
least not very different1 was the mode  
of life and state of society that       
prevailed among the ,hebrews in the     
interregnums which occur in this long   
period of the ,judges4 ,toward the close
 of this period1 judges first arise who 
are invested with the priestly as well  
as the judicial dignity4 ,these form1   
accordingly1 the transition to the regal
 government and the epoch of the kings4 
,for when the people at last demanded a 
king to rule over them1 like the        
neighboring ,gentiles1 every sanction   
that could exalt1 and every sacerdotal  
inauguration that could be thought of1  
was conferred upon the appointed tribe  
and the kingly house4 ,but at the same  
time the priestly dignity was guarded   
strictly and jealously from             
encroachment1 and the temporal power was
 rigorously kept free from all union and

 confusion with the sacerdotal          
authority4 ,but that wild and tumultuous
 demand of the people1 or1 ,i should    
say1 of public opinion1 which at that   
time was in favor of a monarch with the 
same pomp and splendor as the ,gentile  
sovereigns displayed1 as in more modern 
times it directs itself to the no less  
heathenish attraction of liberty1 was   
imputed to them and depicted as a       
grievous fall and religious infidelity4 
,for in the previous times of the direct
 theocracy1 ,jehovah ,himself had been  
their true but invisible king1 while1 as
 is expressly asserted1 the judges and  
leaders were only ,his embassadors or   
plenipotentiaries4 ,under the first     
kings we may discern1 in the historical 
description of the sacred books1 many   
traces of that higher power1 and its    
immediate exercise and effects4         
,subsequently1 however1 it totally      
disappears2 and after the division of   
the two kingdoms1 the contrast in the   
personal powers and character of the    

later sovereigns1 and the consequent    
fortunes of the people1 so accordant    
with the political history of other     
,asiatic countries1 becomes most        
decided4  ,the preceding remarks will1  
,i hope1 be sufficient to throw out1 in 
perfect distinctness1 the true idea of a
 theocracy1 such as it has been         
historically developed4 ,for inasmuch as
 in the present age1 and amid the party 
disputes which mark it1 this idea has   
been employed in so many various        
acceptations1 and mostly in a false or  
partial sense1 ,i thought it expedient1 
in the present place1 not to omit to    
sift the question to the utmost4 ,now1  
in a very remarkable manner1 a single   
element1 from the earlier and original  
theocracy of the olden time1 still      
survived among the ,jews in the period  
of the monarchy4 ,it formed no longer   
indeed the supreme power of the state1  
for this was held by the kings1 but     
constituted formally and avowedly an    
antagonism to them1 as a well-defined   

opposition1 which1 so long as it        
confined itself within its due limits1  
was altogether righteous and            
justifiable1 and which we may justly    
designate as legitimate and divine4 ,in 
this light we must view the position of 
the later prophets1 who1 without1       
however1 being invested with any special
 political dignity or power1 dared to   
raise1 before a vicious government--or1 
since in those simple days of old every 
thing was more or less personal--before 
a wicked king who had forgotten his high
 vocation1 the voice of warning or      
denunciation4 ,this peculiar form of a  
political opposition1 and1 as such1     
recognized to be legitimate and         
allowable1 this remnant of the once     
exclusive theocracy and a complete      
supremacy of the prophets1 which still  
survived in the time of the kings1 forms
 a phenomenon as highly remarkable as it
 is singular in its kind4 ,and those who
 have no admiration but for opposition1 
might1 perhaps1 if they could           

disentangle themselves from the forms of
 their own days1 or the notions imbibed 
at school1 find here an object          
altogether worthy of their praise4 ,they
 might probably find the duties of an   
uncompromising and yet justifiable and  
lawful opposition to the state          
discharged by an ,elijah with equal1 if 
not greater intelligence1 strength of   
mind1 and energy of character1 as well  
as sense of justice1 as by the ,ephori  
in ,sparta1 or a ,demosthenes in ,athens
 during the ,macedonian ascendency1 or  
by the most virtuous of the censors1 and
 the most upright of the tribunes of the
 people in old ,rome2 or even by the    
parliament of ,england4 ,it was only in 
the last period of the total decline of 
the ,israelitish nation1 and shortly    
before and during the first days of the 
,roman dominion1 that the regal dignity 
and the office of ,high ,priest were    
united in one family 7for even here they
 were not invariably associated in the  
same person71 in such a manner as to    

correspond with the notion that is at   
present usually understood by the term  
theocracy4  ,far otherwise1 however1 was
 it1 in this respect1 with the          
,christian world4 ,the first apostolical
 preachers of the new doctrine of grace 
and founders of an era which was truly1 
and in a divine sense1 new1 undoubtedly 
did not possess less of that immediate  
miraculous power than even a ,moses or  
an ,elijah4 ,but the only use they made 
of it was to promote the diffusion and  
to set forth the glory of religion4     
,once only did the first of the         
,apostles1 for the sake of preserving   
the hierarchical authority1 and the     
purity of the community which professed 
to give up itself and all that it had to
 ,god1 make a retributive use of the    
divine authority committed to him4 ,he  
who for the love of money was false to  
the cause of ,god and of truth1 was     
struck dead by the avenging glance of   
him who in will was united with ,god as 
the everlasting ,judge4 ,never did the  

,apostles employ their power against the
 state1 or avail themselves of it in    
opposition to its decrees4 ,and yet the 
despotic measures of the ,roman         
,government toward the degraded nation  
it had brought1 by force of arms1 under 
its oppressive yoke1 might seem1 at     
least1 to justify such an interference  
with its unlawful usurpation4 ,not even 
in self-defense1 or to escape from      
afflictions or bonds1 did they once     
employ the theocratic powers committed  
to them4  ,the idea of a theocracy which
 is entertained in the present day is so
 loose and shifting1 and its application
 generally so erroneous1 that it is     
necessary to show1 at length1 how little
 the common views of it are founded on  
truth4 ,there exists no foundation for  
them in the view or theory of a         
,christian state in its first and simple
 origin4 ,and as little is it the case  
with the succeeding epochs of           
,christianity4 ,such extraordinary      
powers1 as were manifested from time to 

time and intrusted to particular        
individuals1 have ever been employed for
 the diffusion of the faith1 its        
internal development1 or to glorify it  
before unbelievers1 or for a new        
confirmation of old truths1 but never   
for the purpose of founding a temporal  
power or political influence4  ,the true
 theocracy1 however1 such as it has     
actually manifested itself1 does not    
depend on any particular theory1 but1 as
 an immediate power and authority from  
,god1 is regulated by the divine will   
alone4 ,it would1 therefore1 be         
precipitate1 if judging of it1  priori1 
by any arbitrary principle1 we should   
unconditionally pronounce its recurrence
 to be impossible4 ,generally1 the      
wonder of a theocracy must be judged of 
historically in the light in which its  
own history exhibits it4 ,a mere theory 
can lead us to no stable determination  
regarding it4 ,the following seems its  
relation to the natural history of man1 
or1 even1 we may say1 to the usual      

course of external nature4 ,viewed      
generally1 and in its principle1        
whatever is1 comes from ,god1 as its    
first cause4 ,the permission of evil1   
however1 whether in the realm of nature 
or of humanity1 when1 after their first 
divine impulse1 they are left for a time
 to pursue their own course of internal 
development1 is clearly something of    
another and peculiar kind4 ,peculiar1   
too1 are the higher authorities which   
exist in the latter1 and which are      
ultimately founded on a divine law and  
right1 and somewhat different is the    
case with their immediate divine        
operation and miraculous agency4 ,as1   
therefore1 the course of the world1 on  
the whole1 is natural1 and whatever     
transcends it as a singular or rare     
exception1 does but interrupt the       
regularity of the ordinary laws of      
nature2 so1 too1 the course of universal
 history1 in ordinary times1 is         
agreeable to man's nature1 as regulated 
and modified simply by historical       

circumstances4 ,at most a few           
theocratical junctures1 a few eminent   
moments of a more divine working and    
development of power1 may be noticed at 
distant intervals4 ,and these grand and 
pregnant epochs1 in which all the       
existing relations of the world assume a
 new and unexpected form1 are generally1
 in the first moment of its triumphant  
result1 or scarcely-hoped-for           
emancipation1 rightly and thankfully    
regarded and acknowledged as            
interventions of a higher and a divine  
agency2 though1 alas1 the enthusiasm of 
man's gratitude to ,god1 even when it   
does take a passing hold on man's heart1
 is wont to evaporate1 even more rapidly
 than any other of his ardent feelings4 
,our own age has afforded a very        
remarkable instance of this kind4 ,to   
this it is sufficient to allude1 without
 entering into any further disquisition 
concerning it4 ,but it is not only in   
such wonderful changes for good or happy
 deliverances from the power of evil    

that these remarkable divine moments or 
theocratic junctures announce themselves
 in the history of the world4 ,we may   
even recognize them in every            
commencement of a truly new era in      
history1 which1 in the favorable crisis1
 is suddenly and triumphantly effected  
by a some higher impulse and            
divinely-imparted power4 ,many instances
 of the kind might easily be adduced if 
this were the proper place for it1 or   
time allowed4 ,the first triumph of the 
,cross and ,christianity that was public
 and extended to the whole world1 under 
,constantine the ,great1 belongs to this
 class4 ,as a second instance1 ,i would 
mention that beginning of the ,christian
 ,empire in the ,west under             
,charlemagne1 which was afterward to    
receive so happy a development4         
,superficial inquirers1 who judge by the
 mental external coloring1 are in danger
 of confounding these creative          
beginnings--these turning-points of a   
higher intervention--with the ordinary  

event of a revolution1 or the rapid and 
decisive step of energetic usurpation4  
,but to the eye of patient observation  
and deep penetration they are           
distinguished from the latter by their  
profound historical causes and their    
attendant circumstances1 and by a       
peculiar stamp of purity and grandeur4  
,in short1 in their essence they are    
entirely different4  ,these observations
 must have made it evident in what sense
 ,i spoke of a theocracy of science4    
,the power of truth in that good science
 which is directed toward ,god1 is in   
its influence of a lofty and even divine
 nature4 ,but it is this simply1 in its 
immediate energy of operation1 without  
depending on any external sanction1 or  
even form thereof4 ,in the same way     
error also1 in its evil effects1 is most
 unquestionably1 and in the fullest     
sense of the term1 a power2 and that not
 merely in a sensuous and materialistic1
 or relatively to the mind in a purely  
negative sense1 but a demoniacal power  

of evil with a most embarrassing and    
perverting influence1 such as it has    
been often and in our own times most    
undeniably exercised4 ,the great degree 
in which science actually manifests     
itself as a power is not apparent so    
long as we limit our consideration to   
the history of the human intellect in   
our own circle of observation and the   
ordinary sphere of ,european            
civilization4  ,among the ,greeks1 for  
example1 rhetoric became the mere slave 
of an extremely corrupt government1 and 
followed it in all its disorders4       
,poetry1 indeed1 was the handmaid of the
 heathen worship and its religious      
legends2 but still1 as being an art and 
the sport of fantasy1 it moved with a   
considerable degree of freedom4         
,accordingly1 in the best and purest and
 greatest of the poets of antiquity1 a  
profound and significant symbolism of   
life lies under1 and occasionally       
appears on1 the surface of their works1 
which1 as considered from a right point 

of view and in a liberal spirit1 is     
neither totally repugnant nor directly  
opposed to a higher1 or even the        
highest1 i4e41 ,christian truth4 ,but   
still such notes of a divinely-inspired 
feeling1 which in the inspiration       
attains to a clearer perception of the  
divine nature1 is very far from         
amounting to the power of an idea1 and  
its actually and determining influence  
on life4 ,the philosophy and science of 
the ,greeks1 from its beginning to its  
close1 stood in decided opposition both 
to the popular religion and to the      
state4 ,accordingly1 they either        
exercised no influence at all on life1  
or1 at least1 no uncontested one4 ,at   
any rate1 their effects were very       
trivial4 ,all that can be justly said of
 the subject of ,grecian science or the 
ideas of the ,greeks applies1 with a    
slight modification and in a less       
general sense1 to those of the ,romans4 
,the remarks we made above on ancient   
art and poetry hold good1 though in a   

somewhat different application1 of the  
romantic portion of the middle ages1 its
 legends1 namely1 and poetic fictions4  
,however important the nobler aim which 
fancy here pursued to influence morals  
and life1 still the idea of the power of
 science can scarcely come in here4 ,as 
for science itself1 the medieval mind   
was divided in its pursuit of it4 ,on   
one hand there prevailed a strong desire
 after what was forbidden--or at least  
was supposed to be forbidden--the old   
heathen philosophy2 on the other1 as    
soon as it appeared impossible to get   
rid of it altogether1 an anxious        
endeavor to come to an equitable        
compromise with it1 or at least to make 
a rationally ,christian application of  
it1 and especially of ,aristotle1 who1  
in the judgment of those days1 ruled as 
supreme monarch over all the sciences4  
,under these circumstances1 and confined
 by these chains of authority1 it was   
impossible for ,christian science to put
 forth its full power and might1 or to  

exercise any material influence on the  
age or on life4 ,on the contrary1       
agreeably with the very principle of the
 ,christian life1 the latter shows      
itself only in writers like ,st4        
,bernard1 who did not belong to the     
schoolmen4 ,for in the genuine          
scholastic philosophy1 as having its    
origin in a perfectly heathen dialectic1
 neither the method nor the forms of    
thought could be purely ,christian4     
,how great the power of science has     
shown itself within the last century1   
and especially in our own age1 is a     
frequent topic of remark4 ,and at the   
same time the fact has not been         
overlooked1 that this power has         
gradually assumed a more pernicious     
direction1 or at least has become       
involved in a great and violent         
struggle1 which as yet is undecided1    
between a destructive tendency of mind  
and the power of goodness and truth     
exerting itself in an effort of         
restoration4 ,and it is1 perhaps1 only  

to the latter1 in its conflict with the 
evil principle of unbelief and the      
denial of all that is divine1 that the  
idea of a theocracy of science and such 
a higher power of truth is really       
applicable4 ,for this alone seems likely
 to secure to it the victory in this    
contest1 which1 so far as numbers are   
concerned1 is most unequal4  ,if1 now1  
we turn our looks to a more distant     
point1 and take into consideration the  
older ,asiatic nations1 though chiefly  
and in generally with respect to the    
religious aspect of their science and   
scientific monuments1 here1 more than   
elsewhere1 we shall meet with much that 
corresponds with this idea1 and has on  
its front a strong theocratical impress 
and signature4 ,it will1 therefore1     
pre-eminently serve to elucidate this   
idea4 ,the whole edifice of scientific  
thought among the ,hindoos1 though in   
its form of sacred laws1 systems1 and   
authentic commentaries thereon--of      
history1 legends and poetry1 it is not  

less rich and diversified than the      
literature and philosophy of the        
,greeks1 forms1 nevertheless1 a whole   
where every part is of one piece and one
 mold4 ,in all its manifold forms1 it   
rests and is supported on the same      
foundation1 which is regarded and       
venerated as divine4 ,and therein lies  
the secret of its incalculable power1 to
 which it owes its unshaken stability   
through so many tens of centuries1 as   
well as its great influence on the whole
 of ,indian life1 which has derived from
 it its unchanging form and duration1 so
 that we might almost say1 ,here has    
science1 or at least this elevated      
system of thought1 become the animating 
principle of life and a second nature4  
,to the many and great errors which are 
mixed up with the ,indian system of     
faith and thought1 ,i am not disposed to
 ascribe this indestructible principle  
of vitality and permanent influence on  
life4 ,at least1 if something must be   
ascribed to this source1 a vast deal    

more must be assigned to the influence  
of the truth that is also contained in  
it1 and which1 though variously         
adulterated and falsified1 still1 in its
 leading features1 has been distinctly  
preserved from the sacred traditions of 
primeval times and the first progenitors
 of the nation4 ,and yet even here1 in  
this edifice1 otherwise so uniform1 many
 a book and many a system has been      
introduced from the opposition1 even    
though the latter exerted its           
antagonistic principle far more weakly  
and far less pertinaciously here than   
among the ,greeks1 or on any other      
domain of the ,european mind4 ,for it   
was chiefly in the southeastern         
peninsula that the founder of that      
purely intellectual and ideal1 but yet  
demoniacal and therefore truly          
anti-,christian sect of philosophy and  
religion1 who lived about as many       
centuries before the ,christian epoch as
 ,mohammed after it1 and whose          
followers1 numbering nearly a third of  

the whole population of the world1      
spread over the southeast of ,asia1 and 
,tartary1 and ,china1 found adherents in
 ,india4 ,still the old and proper      
,india did not remain totally free from 
the pernicious tenets of ,buddhism1     
which1 of all religious or philosophical
 sects and errors1 is the most fatal and
 destructive that ever has been or ever 
will be4  ,let us now glance at the     
sacred writings of the ,jews1 though    
not1 indeed1 in so far as they are to be
 regarded as the divine law of faith for
 that nation1 and for all others who    
should come in the future and latter    
times of ,christianity 7a law1 we must  
observe1 which is expressed in a        
language so thoroughly individual1 and  
in so national a spirit1 that it often  
becomes thereby highly obscure and      
difficult to understand71 nor1 indeed1  
generally in a theological light4 ,for  
otherwise the example we have chosen for
 the illustration of the theocracy of   
science would be identical with the     

matter it was intended to illustrate4   
,we must here consider it simply as the 
written record of the origin and descent
 of the nation1 both in its legal and   
historical existence1 combining         
therewith its distant promises and      
expectations of the future--in short1 as
 the history1 poetry1 literature1       
political institutions and hopes of this
 singular people4 ,viewing it1 then1 in 
this light1 merely in its human1        
national1 and historical aspect1 its    
firm and lasting impression on the      
,jewish mind1 and its indestructible    
effects1 which survive all the changes  
of time1 form a most remarkable         
phenomenon4 ,for by means of it this    
ancient people1 so miraculously         
scattered among all the nations of the  
world1 is to this day--three-and-thirty 
centuries from the original composition 
of its first sacred books--still one1   
amid all its dispersion1 and1 we might  
almost add1 even in spite of its half   
unbelief in itself4  ,in modern history1

 which commences with the second epoch  
of revelation1 the four holy ,gospels1  
with various didactic epistles1 and the 
great prophetic book at the close of    
all1 forms the deep focus of            
illumination1 to which1 however1 ,i do  
not now immediately refer1 lest1 as ,i  
observed in a former case1 the          
illustration and the illustrated matter 
should prove identical4 ,out of this    
first germ of light1 as it was carried  
forward in a living transmission through
 the first five or six centuries1 was   
gradually raised an edifice of          
,christian science and thought4 ,a new  
literature was formed in every branch of
 doctrine or history1 of eloquence or   
controversy1 which1 composed in the two 
highly-cultivated languages of classical
 antiquity1 has exercised the greatest  
possible influence not only on the      
succeeding generation1 but on all       
subsequent times4 ,occasionally1 no     
doubt1 and especially in the earlier    
centuries1 a deviation from1 or1 rather1

 opposition to1 the prevailing system1  
whether as private opinion or positive  
error1 intruded itself into the midst4  
,still1 notwithstanding these little    
discords1 scarce perceptible in the     
entire mass1 the whole forms1 as a      
system of thought1 an intellectual power
 whose effects have been so great that  
its authors1 or1 rather1 its spokesmen1 
have with perfect justice been styled   
the ,fathers or the earthly creators and
 founders of the ,church1 i4e41 of this 
new era and of the truth which is       
transmitted in it1 without change1      
indeed1 but with a stream which widens  
as it flows4  ,i have chosen all these  
examples from well-known matters1 in    
order to direct your attention to the   
fact that the idea we have advanced of a
 theocracy of science1 or a divine power
 of truth therein1 does not depend for  
its final triumph and the total         
extinction of error on any individual   
force of genius1 however great1 but on a
 common and joint operation of a system 

of forces--on a vast and comprehensive  
edifice of thought1 various indeed in   
its composition and mental character and
 form of expression1 but still perfectly
 harmonizing as a whole4 ,one thing1    
however1 is indispensable--a divine     
tendency must predominate in it4 ,the   
foundation on which it rests and is     
supported must be divine4 ,the one ray  
of light1 even though in itself it be   
ever so pure and bright1 and truly      
deserve to be termed divine--one stroke 
of the sword1 though ever so sharply and
 keenly struck--the one confining limit1
 though set up and maintained by ever so
 comprehensive an intelligence 7which   
term ,i use to convey something more    
than mere prudence7--all these will     
avail nothing against this new flood of 
error and infidelity1 and of ,godless   
ideas--thoughts1 that is1 which are     
entirely without ,god1 and making no    
reference to ,him1 proceed from impious 
and demoniacal delusion4 ,against the   
inroad of atheism1 which is threatening 

life on all sides1 the divine might or  
theocracy of true science can alone     
furnish a defense4 ,it can only raise a 
new ark to save the age from perishing  
in the flood of spiritual wickedness4   
,but with this view the most essential  
point is the building of a consistent   
and compact whole1 while those who wish 
to co-operate in the good work must1    
like the builder of the ancient ark1    
have their regards turned chiefly to the
 future1 looking far beyond the present1
 and its minute and frequently most     
trifling controversies4  ,this true     
theocracy of science1 resting on a      
divine tendency in man1 which1 though it
 is inborn1 is seldom found pure1 and   
still more rarely retains its purity to 
the end1 must look to the state to      
secure its external stability and       
unimpeded action4 ,to this end it is    
necessary1 however1 that the state      
should understand and recognize its own 
divine foundation1 and look to that     
heavenly grace and strength which       

religion alone vouchsafes to it as the  
true source of its vitality and         
permanence4 ,individuals can at most do 
nothing more than co-operate in bringing
 about this desirable consummation4     
,they must not attempt to go beyond the 
true relation of this co-operative      
character4 ,the moving power must come  
from above2 it must proceed from the    
fountain of all goodness and all truth4 
,philosophically viewed1 indeed1 science
 and its divine tendency rests on the   
good and genuine aspirations of the     
human consciousness4 ,and it is only by 
the restoration of man's mind to the    
perfection in which it originally came  
from the ,creator's hands that science  
can attain to its perfect state4 ,now   
that the consciousness in its present   
state is imperfect--or1 rather1 that as 
compared with its condition when1 in the
 first fresh energy of life and in full 
and unimpeded action1 it came           
immediately from the ,creator1 it is no 
longer uncorrupt1 unconfused1 or        

unimpaired1 as it was almost our opening
 remark1 so it has been kept in view    
throughout the present series of        
,lectures4 ,the most natural conclusion 
of our labors1 therefore1 is to consider
 the possibility of restoring it to its 
original divine perfection1 as being the
 only method which can secure to science
 a stable foundation and enable its     
,godward tendency to attain its proper  
end4  ,in a cold1 dead1 and abstract    
understanding--in a passionately blind  
and absolute will--in a reason which    
loses itself in dialectical disputes or 
amuses itself with dynamical theories1  
and1 consequently1 never reaches its    
true object--in a fancy which is ever   
longing after and pursuing its own      
imaginations1 living on and lost in a   
dreamy and imaginary world of its       
own--in these severally faulty forms of 
the human consciousness1 as corrupted by
 the influence of sin1 and the          
consequences of the ,fall 7even though  
the objects of this vitiated thought and

 will may1 in themselves1 appear        
perfectly innocent1 indifferent1        
unselfish1 and even intellectual71 lies 
the original fountain of all perverted  
and deadly thinking4 ,the soul1 in the  
center of this fourfold source of false 
cogitation and false volition1 is torn  
and distracted many ways1 impeded1 and1 
as it were1 crippled and deadened4 ,but 
still it remains eternal and immortal4  
,accordingly1 the soul must be the point
 from which the restoration and         
reawakening of life must proceed4 ,but  
this restoration of the human           
consciousness to perfection is to be    
called divine1 on this account1 because 
it can only be reached by the soul      
attaching itself exclusively to what we 
formerly called the second new and      
divine starting-point of human          
existence4 ,for the more that the soul1 
created for immortality and loving1 and 
in love embracing that which is in      
itself immortal1 adopts this great and  
new word for man1 this second beginning 

in ,god1 and is impregnated with it1 in 
the same degree do reason and fancy     
cease to be at issue with each other and
 to be independent1 isolated1 and       
clashing faculties2 and1 finally1 they  
become altogether merged in the one     
thinking and loving soul4 ,then1 too1   
does the soul cease to be dead1 cold1   
and abstract1 and becomes1 instead1 a   
living and wakeful spirit1 i4e41 one    
which in its new life works freely and  
energetically4 ,and the will1 too1 is no
 longer blind1 no longer passionately   
absolute2 but1 restored to sight1       
becomes one with the internal sense1 as 
the third member of the human           
consciousness4 ,and by this union the   
will is1 as it were1 fully armed and    
equipped4 ,for the external sense1 which
 hitherto has been thoroughly passive1  
as soon as the will is restored to      
sight1 assumes by its means an active   
and living operation2 and the inner     
moral sense1 which before was merely    
subjective1 acquires a power of external

 discernment4  ,this is the end of      
perfection4 ,and it is only on this road
 of a divine restoration of the human   
consciousness1 according to its         
established law of progress1 that the   
divine tendency of science can attain to
 perfection4 ,with the attainment of    
this end an entirely new era will       
commence4 ,but the intricacy of the     
problem which our own age has to solve  
arises simply from this circumstance1   
that a truly new era and a false one are
 engaged in mortal conflict4 ,the former
 can only spring up and flourish when   
the latter decays and is got rid of4 ,to
 this end the present false spirit of   
the age1 which is but a perversion of   
the true cosmopolitan spirit1 must die  
the death4 ,and this must be brought to 
pass by the sword of the ,word or of    
eternal truth1 which pierces even to the
 joints and marrow1 and divides asunder 
soul and spirit4 ,for the immortal1     
,god-created1 and ,god-devoted soul     
requires to be separated and detached   

from the so-called spirit of the age1   
which is mixed up and compounded of so  
many dim1 false1 imperfect1 and evil    
spirits4 ,and the spirit of the age must
 itself be entirely converted and be    
brought to a knowledge and open         
confession of its error1 and when once  
whatever in it is totally dead has been 
adjudged to eternal death1 it will      
itself be renovated and purified in the 
fiery floods of the truly new times4    
,in this divine restoration1 however1 of
 the human consciousness1 or theocracy1 
man's part must be wholly passive4 ,it  
is enough if he does not hinder or      
retard it2 for in a certain sense he can
 at least co-operate in bringing it to  
pass4 ,even that final consummation     
toward which that true new era1 which as
 yet is entirely hidden and1 as it were1
 choked by the false1 longs and         
yearns--that peace of ,god1 of which the
 highest and best religious peace is but
 a foreboding symbol1 and1 as it were1  
the first weak grade1 or step1 can not  

be brought about by human art and power4
 ,it is not by any diplomatic courtesy1 
which in this case would be highly      
culpable--not by any amalgamation1 which
 in the present sphere is contradictory 
to every notion of right1 that that     
peace can be brought about1 in which1   
according to no vain or unmeaning       
promise1 there is to be one fold and one
 ,shepherd4 ,its accomplishment must be 
reserved entirely to ,him who1 from all 
eternity has been1 and still is1 the    
good ,shepherd of all ,his creatures4   
,here1 then1 at this point1 having1 by  
means of the idea of a restoration of   
the human consciousness to its original 
divine perfection1 arrived at a close1  
,i will pause a few moments to take once
 more a rapid survey of1 and to throw a 
clearer light on1 my past labors4 ,and  
herein ,i shall purposely refer to the  
division of philosophy1 and the         
designations of its several parts       
usually given in the schools4 ,the first
 five ,lectures treated of the human    

soul in the wide extent of its original 
relation1 not only to life but also to  
nature and to ,god1 and formed          
consequently of psychology1 though in a 
wider sense than the science which is   
usually occupied with this subject4 ,the
 three next1 as discussing the divine   
order of things1 contained a species of 
natural theology1 though treated of in a
 perfectly living method and relation1  
and entering historically into          
individual1 no less than universal1     
life4 ,of the last seven ,lectures the  
first three were devoted to the         
investigation of truth4 ,we here        
examined its fundamental principle of   
the unity of the highest science and    
divine faith1 the discrimination of     
truth in the struggle between faith and 
skepticism1 and the final conclusion in 
the unity of this higher science and    
faith with the true life and its        
influence therein4 ,this higher logic1  
in so far as it considers the true      
essence of things1 might even be        

designated an ontology4 ,and1 indeed1   
since it derives every thing from a     
divine principle1 it might not inaptly  
be called an applied or mixed theology1 
in the same sense as this designation is
 employed in the mathematical sciences1 
viz41 as the first part of such an      
applied theology4 ,in this sense the    
second part thereof would be formed by  
the metaphysics of life1 as the science 
of that which is above nature1 whose    
province it is to indicate all higher   
and supernatural principles in the whole
 sphere of existence and the actual     
world1 so far as it is given to man to  
know them4 ,employing the old           
phraseology and division of the schools1
 we might term this a cosmology1 in a   
moral and intellectual sense1 and with a
 regard to what human philosophy can    
attain to4 ,the symbolical energy of the
 divine communication in religion1 the  
divine foundation of the state1 the     
,godward tendency of science1 and the   
restoration of the consciousness by     

,god1 form1 as it were1 the four poles  
or summits of all these principles1     
which transcend and overpass the merely 
natural4  ,concerning the accomplishment
 of perfection in man's                 
divinely-restored consciousness1 and    
also in the whole of existence1 or in   
nature itself1 a few words yet remain to
 be added4 ,and thus this last section1 
considered as a cosmology1 is based on a
 divine principle1 so far as this is    
attainable by man4  ,now1 the first     
consequence of the perfection of the    
human consciousness1 as accomplished by 
,god1 will be the restoration of the    
divine image and likeness in man4 ,the  
soul1 now purified and made complete    
again1 becomes once more spiritually    
fruitful1 and in this internal          
productiveness1 which even the pure     
spirits do not possess1 is rendered     
similar1 though at an infinite distance 
and in a very secondary sense1 to the   
,creator in ,his productive energy4 ,the
 livingly operative spirit in the       

creature is like to that in the being   
who is increate and from all eternity1  
while the livingly active sense1 as the 
third member or element in the perfected
 consciousness1 is similar and          
correspondent to the divine operating   
word4 ,and lastly1 in this livingly     
quickened and completely restored       
consciousness1 man reassumes his        
original true and distinct relation to  
nature4 ,by the soul1 first of all1 he  
is reunited to ,god2 in his spirit1 now 
restored to true life1 he enters into a 
living and clear communion with all     
other kindred spirits2 and by his will1 
now clearly seeing and working in ,god1 
he assumes once more his original       
relation to nature as her first-born son
 and her legitimate lord4  ,but nature1 
as the creature that groaneth and       
travaileth in pain together1 waiteth in 
earnest expectation for its perfection  
and restoration4 ,and this is the only  
view of it that is either founded in    
truth or really ,christian4 ,and in this

 idea of creation groaning and          
travailing in pain lies a fullness of   
prophetic intimations for nature4 ,while
 she seems on the whole to be deeply    
slumbering1 this alone excites a hope of
 a great and general awakening2 whereas 
it is scarcely a generation and a half1 
or two at most1 since physical science  
first began to awaken out of the grave  
of its own dead notions1 when in nature 
itself1 no less than in the science of  
it1 all seemed sunk in death4  ,we need 
not1 therefore1 be surprised if this    
,christian view of nature and a         
dynamical physiology evince so little of
 agreement4 ,for the latter invariably  
regards the system of nature as         
something absolute and as perfect and   
complete in itself2 but this it         
evidently is not4 ,and indeed many an   
eloquent theological essay on the proofs
 of design in nature and on its         
indications of the goodness of the      
,creator1 sets out on a similarly       
defective hypothesis1 that nature1 in   

its present condition1 is exactly the   
same as ,god originally created it4 ,but
 this is directly contradicted by the   
promise so expressly and distinctly made
 to the last times1 of 8new heavens and 
a new earth40 ,for this not merely      
implies1 but rather asserts1 that nature
 stands in need of a grand renovation1  
which it transcends the ordinary course 
of its proper powers of development to  
accomplish1 and which1 consequently1 is 
only conceivable as brought about by the
 immediate operation of divine power1 or
 of a celestial theocracy for this      
purpose1 in the time of the universal   
regeneration4  ,we are far more ready   
and disposed to assign to the powers of 
evil a greater influence and a wider    
field of operation in the world of man  
than in the system of nature4 ,but it   
is1 perhaps1 more conformable to truth  
to see in the present condition of the  
latter a state of truce with the evil   
and destructive powers which formerly   
raged more fiercely--an interval during 

which the conflict is confined within   
certain limits1 rather than as a        
complete and perfect peace4 ,its        
external influences1 as they affect man1
 must not be taken for the standard in  
this case2 for they may be merely       
accidental2 just as the ordinary        
inundations belong to the economy of the
 balance of the elementary forces of    
nature1 and as the storms and tempests1 
which occasionally are fearfully        
destructive1 are1 nevertheless1 it is   
clear1 a process necessary for the      
purification and salubrity of the       
atmosphere4 ,but1 on the other hand1    
many facts of medical experience and    
peculiar phenomena of disease1 or even  
births of faulty or defective           
organization--as well as the lothsome   
generation of insects in the atmosphere 
or on the surface of the earth1 and many
 diseased states in both--when viewed   
simply and elementarily1 and apart from 
the usual principle of epidemic         
contagion1 appear to point rather to    

some intrinsical evil and originally    
wild demoniacal character in the sphere 
of nature1 even though they only occur  
as exceptions to these general laws4    
,how deadly even sidereal influences may
 prove is at least established by the   
fact of lunacy4 ,in those fields of     
celestial light1 too1 and those         
brilliant hosts of heaven1 which1 as    
nature's more retiring and lovelier     
charms1 become visible only by night1   
and display themselves to the calm and  
tranquil soul1 all is not in such       
perfect unison and harmony as the first 
impression would lead us to suppose4 ,a 
note of discord arises from the         
irregular orbits of those eccentrically 
revolving stars1 which1 though rare in  
their appearance1 seem to be pretty     
numerous--exercising either a watery or 
an arid influence on the terrestrial    
atmosphere1 and whose paths astronomy   
has indeed calculated1 though her       
calculations have not always been       
verified4 ,all our knowledge1 too1 and  

recorded observations of the rest of    
nature1 i4e41 in this sense of the earth
 itself1 does not go beyond the         
surface--consequently to only one       
portion of it2 and yet perhaps that     
internal part1 which is hidden from us1 
is the very one that is most deeply     
significant1 and more nearly akin to the
 eternal4 ,nature1 in her interior and  
reality1 may perhaps possess little     
resemblance to what we see of her       
externally4 ,at every step we stumble on
 some new proof of our ignorance1 and   
much also that gives an intimation of a 
new and unknown world4  ,nature in      
general may1 for us1 be compared to a   
towering pyramid of hieroglyphics heaped
 together at random1 from which1 with   
our utmost pains1 we can scarcely       
succeed in bringing together and        
deciphering two or three at most1 while 
we have not the key for interpreting the
 meaning and order of the whole2 for we 
must not1 as under a very erroneous idea
 is often done1 seek this in nature     

itself1 but entirely in its divine      
principle2 for in this must all that is 
unintelligible find its solution4 ,now1 
in that one part of nature which we are 
best acquainted with1 its surface--after
 that law of sexual distinction which   
reigns not only in the animal but also  
in the vegetable world1 and which1      
moreover1 in a certain sense prevails in
 the very atmosphere and its elementary 
organs of life--no other law of nature  
is so universal as that of death4 ,but  
if it be true that through that spirit  
and power of evil who first revolted    
from ,god1 death came into the world1   
and also into nature1 then must the     
earthly and now natural death have      
proceeded from the author of eternal    
death4  ,very questionable1 in this     
case1 would it appear to be1 whether the
 first and original creations of nature 
were other than immortal4 ,if ,he whose 
essence is omnipotence thinks           
hieroglyphics1 then are they living     
creatures2 and can we1 judging of ,him  

in ,himself1 and ,his proper nature1    
suppose that ,he would conceive of or   
create aught else than what is eternal  
and immortal8 ,the old curse still hangs
 over nature1 wherein the first author  
and inventor of death has contrived to  
root himself so deeply4 ,and that       
malediction was not removed by the first
 man2 on the contrary1 it was deepened  
and confirmed by him4 ,and even at the  
divine renewal of the human race1 the   
same anathema was again pronounced upon 
the natural tree of an earthly life1    
condemning it to wither still more and  
more under the baneful dominion of      
death4 ,the victory over death is only  
to be gained together with the          
perfection of man4 ,and then shall      
follow a theocracy and divine renovation
 of nature1 under which all that is     
therein shall again become immortal4 ,a 
perfect harmony shall thereby be        
restored to the whole of creation4      
,,end ,,of ,,philosophy ,,of ,,life4    
,,philosophy ,,of ,,language4           

,,preface ,,of ,,the ,,german ,,editor4 
,in these pages we give to the world the
 philosophical ,lectures which the late 
,f4 ,v4 ,schlegel delivered last winter1
 at ,dresden1 to a numerous and         
distinguished auditory--the last        
monument of his life and mind4 ,to many 
of his personal hearers they will       
probably be welcome1 as enabling them1  
in the perusal of what their own ears so
 lately heard1 to realize more          
distinctly the matter of the ,lectures1 
and the whole person of the eminent     
individual who was so unexpectedly taken
 away from among them4 ,but to a still  
larger circle of the friends and        
admirers of ,schlegel1 this publication 
will1 no doubt1 be acceptable1          
especially since1 under a pervading     
reference to language1 it throws much   
light and more fully carries out the    
views advanced by ,schlegel in the      
,lectures delivered two years before1 at
 ,vienna1 on the ,philosophy of ,life4  
,in this rich and important fragment1   

,schlegel's whole idea of philosophy    
stands out far more clear and distinct1 
though1 for its complete elucidation and
 exposition1 it was his intention1 had  
he been spared1 to add at least one more
 series of ,lectures to the three       
already given to the world4  ,the       
present publication is eminently        
calculated to show what in these three  
connected series of ,lectures it was the
 author's first object1 both as a       
thinker and teacher1 to accomplish1     
viz41 to convey the living words of his 
inmost mind1 rich with the fruits of    
many years' study and research1 to all  
who possessed a sensibility or          
disposition likely to be roused and     
animated thereby to pursue or promote   
some kindred inquiry or object4 ,it     
would1 therefore1 be a proof of grave   
misconception to make such requisitions 
on these ,lectures as are incompatible  
with this end and with the character    
which they most covet1 of being1 in the 
higher sense of the term1 a living      

discourse2 for1 to satisfy such demands 
was neither the design or wish of the   
author4 ,it was not his purpose either  
to take some single abstract notion1 and
 by detailed elucidation to make it     
clear and obvious1 nor to set up some   
rigorously limited system of notions1   
with its definitions and arbitrary      
terminology1 whose great merit should be
 made to consist in such regularity of  
plan and faithful execution1 as should  
every where command the notice and the  
wonder of the reader4 ,in short1 it was 
not his object1 in some partial         
speculation of the reason1 exclusively  
to set forth a long series of abstract  
propositions as a model and precedent   
for such essays4 ,those1 however1 who1  
to use ,schlegel's own words1 look upon 
these ,lectures as a series of questions
 to which their own hearts1 silently1   
indeed1 give a concurrent answer1 or    
find therein the satisfactory solution  
to many difficulties suggested by their 
own reflections on the life and mind of 

man1 will not be able to get rid of a   
just and righteous sorrow1 to think that
 the voice from which they still looked 
for many such questionings1 and much    
similar instruction1 is suddenly        
silenced1 and that none remains who1 as 
inheriting the spirit of the departed1  
or as his favorite and intelligent      
scholar1 is able to supply what is still
 wanting4  ,with this heavy feeling of  
sorrow1 it seems perhaps inconsistent to
 express a passing regret that the      
author has not been permitted himself to
 superintend this edition of his        
,lectures1 and to make those corrections
 which here and there might have        
appeared to him desirable4 ,a few       
passages1 noticed thus 77 in the text1  
were marked by ,schlegel himself1 either
 for emendation or enlargement1 and the 
loss of these corrections we can not but
 miss and regret4     ,,lecture ,i4     
,by philosophy--and this term best      
expresses the historical and original   
conception as it was understood by the  

,greeks1 who so variously and           
ingeniously developed it--,i understand 
man's innate and natural curiosity1 so  
far as it is universal in its scope1 and
 not from the first limited to any one  
specific end or subject4  ,this natural 
curiosity1 consequently1 stimulated by  
the mysteries of existence1 whether in  
the external world or of its own        
consciousness1 would fain make all these
 enigmas clear1 to itself1 and by       
attaining to an inward illumination1    
would discover the true signification1  
or1 if we may so call it1 the           
all-explaining key-word of life4 ,and1  
indeed1 there is no reasonable doubt but
 that the possession of this revivifying
 and living key-word would give to life1
 both individual and universal1 a much  
more exalted energy4 ,for nothing less  
than an internal light of intellectual  
brightness1 or of the spirit made clear 
to itself1 is that search after truth   
and knowledge1 by which we discover the 
key-word and true signification of life1

 as a whole4 ,by it all the powers1     
qualities1 and faculties of the soul are
 strengthened anew1 inwardly elevated1  
and augmented in force and fertility4   
,and if any would prefer to give the    
name of science to this highest and     
earliest speculative knowledge or       
pursuit of internal certainty and divine
 truth1 we object not1 so long as it is 
admitted that it is not a science       
precisely in the same sense1 and still  
less in exactly the same or similar     
form1 as the other sciences1 which are  
directed to one specific aim and limited
 to one subject4 ,free as life and the  
free-formed spirit itself1 ever new1    
wonderful1 versatile1 and infinitely    
varied1 both in internal structure and  
external manifestation1 are the ways of 
man's thinking and speculative spirit4  
,a ready and apposite illustration will 
clearly demonstrate this peculiar       
freedom and manifold variety in the     
methods1 species1 and developments of   
philosophy4 ,at any rate1 if it do not  

place it vividly before our eyes1 it at 
least suggests the idea of it4 ,the     
written dialogues of ,plato--that great 
master of philosophical exposition and  
of the thinking dialogue of science1    
with its ever-living and changing play  
of thought1 and earnest spirit of       
investigation--are perhaps not less     
diversified in their course2 not less   
wonderfully manifold and exuberant with 
all the riches of genius2 not less      
peculiar in their general conception1 as
 well as external development2 not less 
exquisite in the finish of the several  
parts and divisions1 than the poetical  
productions of the greatest and most    
admired of dramatists4  ,those who are  
best acquainted with the art and the    
intellect of the poet and of the        
thinker1 will be least inclined to      
dispute the justice and accuracy of this
 comparison4 ,we appeal to the instance 
of ,plato with greater confidence1 not  
only because he stands alone1 as        
inimitable for beauty of exposition1 and

 for fullness and grace1 as well as     
spirit and vividness of style1 but also 
because 7as is apparent from the        
numerous and varied compositions which  
he has bequeathed to posterity7 every   
path of inquiry previously opened1 as   
well as every road and by-way of        
dialectic subtilty still conceivable or 
possible1 were perfectly familiar to    
this lofty intellect4 ,there was1 in    
short1 no field of speculative thought  
and investigation1 however high or deep1
 that remained unexplored by him4 ,from 
any one of his most perfect             
master-pieces1 consequently1 we might   
perhaps1 by a precise and exhaustive    
analysis of the art and skill that lies 
hidden in it1 gain a more correct notion
 of the true and profitable method of   
speculative thought and investigation   
than from many or most of our           
compendiums of all absolute ideas and   
metaphysical chimeras1 or from the      
systems at present in vogue of          
unconditional logical negation4  ,in    

order1 however1 to establish this view  
of a true philosophy of life1 which in  
its very form is also living1 it is     
unnecessary to appeal to any single     
example1 even though it be one so       
splendid as that of the ,socratic school
 in general1 or of ,plato1 the greatest 
thinker it has produced4 ,for in fact1  
the whole history of philosophy1 from   
its commencement to its close1 will     
serve as a proof and confirmation of its
 truth4 ,in various ways does it teach  
and convince us that in this lofty      
struggle after truth the most divergent1
 and even apparently contradictory      
methods and tendencies may1 however1 and
 actually do lead to similar            
conclusions1 nay1 to one common result4 
,it shows us that1 however various may  
be the paths1 the end of knowledge--the 
eagerly-sought jewel of truth itself--is
 by no means always and in all cases    
tied to any immutable and exclusive rule
 of one fixed form and solely felicitous
 method of thought1 as to a magic charm 

on which all depends1 and from which all
 success must flow4 ,the history of     
philosophy1 ,i said1 for1 understood in 
its full extent1 in its correct sense   
and spirit1 and in its deepest          
significancy1 what else is this than the
 internal reverse of the picture of     
man8--the intellectual half of humanity1
 in its development through all the     
peculiar and remarkable processes which 
in the pursuit and cognition of         
truth--that noblest exercise of man's   
powers and faculties--he has at any time
 had recourse to4 ,and in tracing this  
gradual progression1 we may easily      
discern an invisible guidance which     
shows itself1 especially in the more    
remarkable epochs or transition-points  
and decided periods of the struggle4 ,in
 the general exciting cause1 and the new
 directions which the inward            
intellectual development occasionally   
took up1 and the law it followed1 an    
entirely distinct order of things       
manifests itself to the glance that     

looks beneath the surface1 of a far     
higher and more exalted nature than     
aught which is comprised and established
 by the insignificant rule of our       
ordinary school methods1 or which is    
only estimated and judged thereby4  ,it 
is by no means my wish to set aside the 
usual scholastic form in the academical 
exposition of scientific philosophy1 or 
in any way to depreciate it when it is  
effectively carried out on strict       
principles4 ,in its right place1 and    
when the occasion demands it1 we must   
acknowledge it to be indispensable4 ,it 
is not to be neglected with impunity4   
,this is especially the case in that    
period of our life which is more        
particularly and exclusively devoted to 
the study of the sciences1 when         
philosophy naturally takes its place    
among the rest in the academical course1
 and also in the systematic mode of     
instruction assumes a form similar to   
the other sciences4 ,it is involved in  
the already advanced but briefly and    

imperfectly developed idea of the       
spiritually free and ever-varying1      
ever-shifting form which belongs to the 
very nature of philosophical thought and
 knowledge1 that when circumstances     
predispose1 and its external relations  
afford the opportunity and occasion1    
philosophy should adopt and appropriate 
the limited and less absolute form of   
other sciences1 or1 as ,i would rather  
express it1 may and can condescend to   
assume them4 ,but this is only a special
 application for some collateral        
purpose1 a deviation and exception from1
 and not the rule itself1 if we thereby 
understand the natural rule1 or that    
which is essential and original1 and    
consequently the simplest and highest4  
,as regards1 however1 the philosophy    
which pretends to be the science of     
life1 and not merely of the school1 this
 principle follows from the fact1 that  
when taken as a whole1 and when the     
question is not of any special          
application to a particular view and    

object1 its form also must be free and  
vivid4 ,consequently1 even when classed 
and associated with the other sciences1 
it justly lays claim to the first place 
among them1 as being of a different     
nature and origin4  ,it is far1         
therefore1 from being requisite that    
philosophy1 following the mathematical  
sciences as a handmaid1 should endeavor 
servilely to copy them1 as has been so  
often erroneously done1 and1 in spite of
 experience of its impracticability1    
over and over again attempted4 ,still1  
with a true view of a living philosophy1
 mathematical science1 however dead in  
itself1 and even fatal to a higher      
spirit1 attains under profounder        
apprehension to intrinsic significance1 
and becomes elevated and ennobled4 ,the 
true method 7that1 namely1 which alone  
deserves to be so called1 the method of 
truth7 is based on the simple process of
 thought and its living development1 in 
which one thought springs and unfolds   
itself naturally from another1 and      

rigidly excludes all that is foreign and
 repugnant4 ,the true method does not   
move in paragraphs and numbered         
propositions1 making an outward parade  
of an apparently strong chain of        
evidence1 in which1 however1 a rigid    
scrutiny often detects some specific    
link in the chain totally valueless and 
without illative force1 or at least weak
 and far from cogent1 or placed in a    
false position1 to which it has properly
 no reference1 and only in appearance   
filling the void it covers4 ,thus it is 
also with what we call system1 or       
systematic4 ,we are indeed accustomed to
 employ this word in a twofold          
sense--either to convey praise1 or in an
 evil and deprecatory signification4 ,in
 the latter use we say1 8,this or that  
work is nothing but a system10 or1      
8,according to this or that system40    
,but by such phrases1 when criticising  
any comprehensive theory of scientific  
thought1 we do not mean that the work is
 entirely without foundation1 purely and

 absolutely imaginary4 ,for in such a   
case it would hardly be worth while to  
spend more words upon it4 ,our meaning  
rather is1 that while containing        
something that is true1 and much that is
 excellent1 undue importance is ascribed
 to the system1 or too much is inferred 
from it1 every thing being forcibly made
 to agree with it1 and itself carried   
beyond the limits of sober truth3 in a  
word1 that the systematic coherence is  
only external and specious1 and the     
result of much labor and art4 ,in       
reality this is very frequently the     
case4 ,this course is too often pursued 
in the theories and discoveries of      
modern science1 especially in those     
branches which stand in the closest     
relation to physical life and its       
preservation1 and are consequently most 
influenced by the fashionable ideas of  
the age4 ,some happy thought1 bearing   
the very stamp of genius1 some ingenious
 idea or entirely new view is started2  
on this foundation a system is forthwith

 raised1 either by the author himself or
 his followers and disciples4 ,embraced 
with the ardor of enthusiasm1 the novel 
theory is further extended and          
promulgated1 and becomes the watchword  
of a sect or party1 until1 degenerating 
into a mere fashion1 and being borne up 
awhile by the eddies of the moment1 it  
sinks at last into insignificance1 and  
is swallowed up by the vast stream of   
time4 ,when once the matter has reached 
this point or this stage in the         
pathology of human thought and opinion1 
then that first idea and original       
invention may be considered as good as  
defunct1 or at least is1 as it were1    
buried alive1 and the true vital        
principle which originally animated it  
is no longer perceptible4  ,but in a    
good and legitimate sense we may        
characterize a scientific work or a     
scheme of thought as systematic1 or as  
forming a system in itself1 and as such 
approve of it1 if only it possesses the 
virtue of internal consistency1 and the 

spirit of unity pervades and animates   
it4 ,and if this consistency of idea be 
really intrinsic and spiritual1 and at  
the same time living and natural1 it    
will be easily recognized in its        
perspicacious simplicity of form and    
expression4 ,it will need neither the   
external display of systematic precision
 and prolix demonstrative argumentation1
 nor the apparently rigid concatenation 
of paragraphs1 in which1 however1 the   
forced connection and the panoplied     
array of propositions form but a poor   
device to conceal the deficiency of     
intrinsic life and unity4  ,the case is 
precisely the same with the science of  
human thought and philosophy1 as with   
external life and daily experience4     
,nothing is more highly estimated in    
society1 business1 or politics1 than an 
active and consistent character4        
,properly speaking1 this example is not 
so much a simile as the very thing      
itself1 or the same subject viewed from 
another ground or in a different        

relation4 ,but this high and rare       
property of a genuine consistency of    
character does not depend on the        
delivery of a multitude of philosophic  
adages in and out of season1 or the     
specious thrusting forward of moral     
maxims1 but rather manifests itself amid
 general reserve and silence1 by its    
straightforwardness of action1 or when  
it speaks1 by the clear simplicity of   
its language4 ,so is it also with       
consistency of idea in philosophy4 ,the 
intrinsic and vital unity of a          
comprehensive system of thought--the    
systematic coherence which results from 
a reigning idea of the whole1 reveals   
itself and is to be known by a simple   
and familiar form of expression1 not    
unlike that of a friendly conversation1 
and is not exclusively confined to any  
prescriptive or preconceived formula of 
the schools or artificial method4  ,but 
in respect to academical instruction1   
and the position which philosophy either
 may or ought to occupy therein1 ,i have

 one remark to add4 ,if ,i may judge by 
my own experience1 or by what ,i have at
 times observed in others1 either when  
as a youth ,i was an academical student1
 or when afterward1 as a visitor at     
several of the ,german universities1 ,i 
took part in the scientific pursuits1   
and occasionally as a lecturer          
propounded my own views and opinions1 a 
decided and striking division seems to  
subsist between philosophy and the      
peculiar scientific studies proper to   
the future wants of life4 ,this is1     
however1 less the case with the study of
 medicine1 which1 being founded on1 and 
conversant with1 the science of nature1 
stands in a close relation to           
philosophy4 ,still even the prosecution 
of this natural science proves          
distinctly enough that the interests of 
general science follow entirely         
different paths from such as are most   
eligible1 and more especially conducive 
to the acquirement and collection of    
particular information4 ,still more does

 this apply to that numerous class who  
devote themselves to civil professions1 
and whose future life is to be employed 
in political departments4 ,by them      
philosophy is pursued as a mere         
collateral and secondary object of      
study1 as a half-superfluous            
intellectual luxury4 ,but this she      
nowise admits of2 she demands an earnest
 and devoted affection1 and must be     
embraced with the full ardor of love4   
,it is in this very earnestness of      
purpose1 and this genuine attachment and
 enthusiasm1 that it has its source and 
being4 ,hence we may often observe many 
a studious youth attracted by the       
general question as to the nature of the
 human soul1 and by these sublime       
investigations into the mysteries of    
existence4 ,under the influence1 as it  
were1 of some magical spell1 he is      
absorbed in them so as completely to    
forget and lose sight of the studies    
appropriate to the calling he has       
chosen1 or at least to neglect them1    

viewing them as comparatively secondary1
 while others of more practical tendency
 steadily devote themselves to the study
 of their profession1 and confine       
themselves exclusively to its pursuit4  
,rigidly rejecting the metaphysical     
charm and seduction of system1 as a     
dangerous lure1 they care little1 if at 
all1 for the contempt with which the    
other class1 whom dialectic speculation 
has bewitched into forsaking its proper 
object of study1 looks down upon them as
 incapable of rising to the height of   
its own exalted argument4 ,now1 if ,i   
might venture to hazard a suggestion for
 the removal1 or at least the           
accommodation1 of this alienation from1 
not to say opposition to1 philosophy1   
which exists in the tone of our ,german 
universities1 and if it be not out of   
place here to enter into this matter1 my
 first desire and advice would be1 that 
the study and course of philosophy      
should be kept entirely distinct from   
that of the profession or the particular

 science which is learned with a view to
 future avocations in life4 ,in such a  
case philosophy might most              
advantageously be taken up by the       
student after the completion of his     
other studies1 in short1 at the         
conclusion of the whole academical      
course1 setting1 so to speak1 the crown 
upon it1 and forming the last step which
 the pupil must take before he enters   
upon the realities of life4  ,moreover1 
there is no leisure for idle meditation 
during the years of academical          
study--that period of preparation which 
few have a second time afforded them1   
and which1 being entirely practical1    
ought to be specially devoted to the    
perfect mastering of the special        
sciences which in after-life are to     
occupy us4 ,it is rather in our later   
and maturer years1 after the acquirement
 of the particular professional         
knowledge1 and even in the midst of the 
active business of life1 that leisure1  
together with a convenient opportunity1 

or a natural occasion1 is afforded for  
that meditation with which philosophy   
ordinarily begins1 but which in its     
results remains no idle speculation2 or 
for that apparently superfluous inquiry1
 which1 however1 investigates a subject 
more necessary and more essential to man
 than all else4  ,so much--if it has not
 been indeed too much--,i believed it   
requisite to say concerning the form of 
philosophy1 not so much to justify or to
 excuse that which in the present case  
,i could alone adopt1 as rather from    
this point of view also to establish the
 independent position1 and to depict the
 lofty aims of philosophy4 ,for if      
philosophy is nothing less than the     
actual science of life 7and the         
skeptical query whether such a science  
be either possible or attainable by man1
 will in nowise affect the question2 for
 if the doubt concerning the nature of  
life1 or life itself1 is suggested by   
life1 and consequently is living and    
real1 it amounts to the same thing1 and 

the objection applies alike to the doubt
 or the certainty7--if1 ,i repeat1 the  
object of philosophy be the sublime     
conception of our inner life1 struggling
 to unravel the mystery of its own      
being1 how can it be right1 or how could
 a wish arise to exclude from it one    
half of humanity1 or society1 or of     
civilized life8 ,the proper sphere of   
philosophy1 no less than of art1 is the 
whole civilized public4 ,this is the    
body in which it must circulate1 and to 
which its action must be applied4 ,the  
specious ground for such an exclusion   
can only be looked for and discovered in
 the ordinary school form1 which indeed1
 as ,i have endeavored to show1 is by no
 means essential to it1 but rather a    
mere accident1 which is so far from     
being necessary1 that it is not even of 
universal application4  ,if1 therefore1 
the subject-matter of philosophy is the 
whole inward life of man1 if its end is 
the solution of the ever-recurring      
questions of the speculative            

consciousness1 and the reading of the   
enigma of existence1 or however else we 
may choose to characterize and express  
it1 it is assuredly something of a      
distinct and more exalted nature than   
any of the preparatory sciences which   
make up the academical course of study  
for the specific objects of some limited
 calling and profession4 ,the philosophy
 of life1 as it sets out only with one  
simple position--life1 viz41 man's inner
 life--is restricted to no particular   
sphere1 but embraces them all in their  
fit season and occasion4 ,when1 indeed1 
in the youthful1 not to say childlike   
spirit1 standing on the threshold of    
expectation1 this inward feeling of life
 or consciousness has not as yet shaped 
itself into an ardent speculative       
curiosity1 or a grave and melancholy    
questioning1 or when at least1 it has   
not passed through the first stage of   
thoughtful wondering1 then it is as yet 
too early for the awakening of          
philosophy--that inward search after    

truth and meditation on the nature of   
our existence and consciousness1 that   
self-examination1 those half-doubting   
yearnings after an unknown love4 ,youth1
 inexperienced and undeveloped1 may     
reasonably be supposed to be excluded   
from a participation in this natural    
field of philosophical speculation1     
although even in this1 as in every other
 case1 it is extremely difficult to     
define the precise limits4 ,it would    
also be idle to repeat the remark so    
often insisted on by the sages of       
antiquity--that where life is totally   
absorbed in the business or pleasures of
 life1 or distracted by the cares of    
avarice or ambition1 so that1 strictly  
speaking1 no voice from within is heard1
 no soul-cherished feeling or sentiment1
 nay1 even scarcely a thought purely    
spiritual1 still survives1 or finds a   
place in that world-engrossed           
bosom--there philosophy finds no ear for
 her sublime revelations of the inner   
life1 nor dares hope for a responsive   

echo to her high-soaring meditations1   
and that profound emotion from which it 
draws her own birth4  ,philosophy1 ,i   
said1 takes nothing for granted but     
life--an internal life1 that is4 ,the   
more perfectly1 the more manifold the   
aspects1 and the more comprehensively   
within the given limits under which this
 life which it supposes is viewed and   
studied1 the more easily will it fulfill
 its object1 the sooner will it attain  
to that which constitutes its proper end
 and aim4 ,for this aim is to render    
clear and intelligible1 both to itself  
and others1 that higher life1 whose     
existence it assumes as the necessary   
basis of its speculations4 ,but how     
would this primary postulate1 this      
natural basis of philosophy of life1 be 
restricted and limited1 if the sex which
 is so pre-eminently marked by strong   
and deep feeling should be entirely     
excluded from the sphere of its         
inquiries4 ,indeed1 according to a more 
liberal1 comprehensive1 and enlarged    

point of view1 such as is most          
consistent with the true nature of      
things1 youth1 with its enthusiasm and  
quick sensibility for the beautiful--its
 first and most exalted love--is not to 
be exclusively given up to the fine     
arts4 ,as the latter are elements of    
life1 and very important elements too1  
they can not be excluded from the sphere
 of philosophy1 but1 on the contrary1   
form no inconsiderable portion of its   
general problem4 ,the objection1        
however1 might be raised1 that these1   
the best and fairest of the gifts which 
nature dispenses with a liberal and     
benignant hand1 are but transitory1 and 
that they wither and disappear before   
the first rude touch of external        
circumstances that limits their free    
play2 so that1 to judge from            
appearances1 they scarcely can abide1 or
 be steadily kept up to the gravity of  
philosophical contemplation4 ,often1 it 
may be urged1 some unpropitious destiny1
 some sudden storm of fate1 overwhelms  

and destroys them1 stripping the        
youthful tree of life of all its leafy  
honors before it has properly put forth 
its blossoms4 ,this1 no doubt1 is       
perfectly true4 ,in most cases1 however1
 the destroying principle does not come 
from without4 ,fortune and external     
circumstances have little to do with it4
 ,it lies rather in the inner           
impetuosity of passion1 in self-will1 or
 some other dark shade of character1    
perverting and bringing jarring discord 
into the most exalted feelings of the   
soul4 ,would it not be well and         
especially advisable to place from the  
very first these tender and delicate    
flowers of youthful feeling within the  
influence1 and under the action of an   
inward illumination and reflection1 as  
the only probable means of imparting to 
them greater hardihood and durability1  
and thereby to convert the fair but     
ephemeral flowers of youthhood into the 
mature and enduring fruit of sincere    
benevolence1 of a generous activity and 

inward harmony8 ,there is1 in truth1 no 
easier or more simple mode by which man 
can hope to arrive at this end4 ,it is  
only by means of such inner light1 and  
purity of sentiment and luminous        
meditation1 that we1 can hope to work   
our way to the key-word of existence    
which shall reconcile every difficulty1 
clear up every doubt1 and attune to     
harmony every discord4 ,for hereby also 
will the power be gained which alone can
 sustain and protect this inner life    
from every destructive influence4 ,this 
enlightenment1 however1 is nothing else 
than the philosophy of life1 and therein
 consists its essence4  ,now1 in order  
to place before us the very center of   
the entire question1 and at least to    
notice beforehand that which must more  
perfectly develop itself as1 step by    
step1 we trace the natural process of   
thought1 both in life itself and the    
science of life1 one remark is          
necessary4 ,the soul is nothing less    
than the faculty of love in man4 ,for   

this reason1 also1 the loving soul 7if  
,i may here make such an application of 
the words of a great teacher7 is the    
clear mirror in which we gaze upon the  
secrets of divine love either reflected 
or symbolically figured as so many      
enigmas1 which1 nevertheless1 serve us  
as light-giving and guiding stars amid  
the darkness of this earthly existence4 
,and in this pure mirror of our soul we 
plainly behold the eververdant and      
immortal plants or hidden flowers of    
nature1 like the dark bed of the deep   
through the clear waters of a still sea4
 ,in this mental mirror nature greets us
 with features less strange and unknown1
 and with familiar aspect seems to claim
 at once a kindred sympathy4  ,in these 
slight and passing remarks1 ,i have     
touched briefly upon many a topic of    
which the full development must be      
reserved for our subsequent ,lectures4  
,still1 though thus limited1 they       
contain the grounds which to my mind    
fully justify my adhesion to the opinion

 which1 more than thirty years ago1 in  
the first commencement of my literary   
labors1 ,i advanced with regard to the  
question of the propriety of excluding  
one half of mankind from this region of 
speculation4 ,and although1 in          
maintaining this sentiment1 ,i have to  
stand alone in1 or even am opposed to1  
the age in which ,i live1 still on this 
point ,i prefer to take as my guide and 
precedent the ancients1 the ,socratic   
school1 and1 above all1 the great       
master1 ,plato4 ,and were it necessary1 
and the present place admitted of it1 ,i
 might easily1 both from ancient history
 and modern times1 adduce authorities   
enough1 both in number and in weight1 to
 refute the opposite opinion1 or1       
rather1 prejudice4  ,the sphere1        
therefore1 and field in which philosophy
 has to move1 or to which it has to     
apply itself1 is no narrow one1 hemmed  
in and confined by any unwarrantable    
exclusiveness4 ,on the contrary1 it     
must1 so far is possible for aught that 

is human1 be complete and perfect4 ,and 
for this reason also1 she must not1 as  
indeed she can not1 take her rise in a  
consciousness artificially parceled out 
and divided1 and1 in short1 but one half
 of its true self1 and which1 being     
biassed and visionary in its views1 is  
divorced from real life4 ,it can        
originate only in the mind's greatest   
perfection and in its full and most     
undivided entirety1 inasmuch as to make 
this consciousness clear to itself and  
to others constitutes even its proper   
function and entire aim4  ,in the latest
 period of ,german philosophy many an   
ingenious path of investigation has1 no 
doubt1 been here and there struck out4  
,by a critical comparison of different  
views1 systems1 and opinions1           
dialectics1 as a preparatory course of  
study1 has been improved1 psychological 
research advanced1 especially the       
philosophy of nature enlarged4 ,still1  
on the whole1 a purely abstract mode of 
thinking1 totally estranged and separate

 from actual life1 is almost universally
 held to be the only right road to a    
profound philosophy4 ,this so-called    
pure and abstract thinking takes nothing
 for granted1 and allows of no postulate
 or axiom2 it acknowledges none besides1
 and generally has no foundation save   
itself2 it starts from itself alone1 and
 in so far has1 strictly speaking1 no   
proper beginning4 ,consequently1 without
 proper end or aim1 it goes on          
continually revolving around itself as a
 center1 and within its own charmed     
circle4 ,assuredly1 where the dialectic 
art and system moves within this narrow 
range of thought1 and restricts itself  
thereto1 employing a language which1    
while it is sharply abstruse1           
metaphysically recondite1 and           
pre-eminently abstract1 has at least the
 merits of clearness and distinctness1  
and ingenious classification1 then the  
very first result of such an exercise of
 dialectic art is profitable1 although  
merely negative4 ,for it establishes the

 fact1 that truth and knowledge are not 
to be attained by this method2 that thus
 it can not profitably be either sought 
or found4 ,it shows1 too1 that this     
dialectical preludium itself in nothing 
more than a preliminary exercise that at
 most does but serve as an introduction 
to another more lively way of fruitful  
thought2 though even as such it is      
suited1 not indeed for all1 but simply  
for those who enter upon it with this   
view of its nature4  ,human language1   
with its wonderful suppleness1 can      
adjust itself even to the consciousness 
which is parceled out and abstractedly  
divided1 so as perfectly to copy and    
reflect it in its ever-movable mirror4  
,it is able to give a perspicuous order 
and an artist-like shape even to the    
mere logical thought which has no       
subject-matter4 ,it only fails when the 
logical conceit of mere empty thought   
contemptuously rejects in the giddy     
whirl of supreme abstraction1 as its    
last earthly defect1 the laws of        

grammatical art1 and refuses to add to  
its abstract style the merit of         
perspicuity1 in order that1 as a        
metaphysical chimera1 it may in the     
inaccessible darkness that shrouds the  
obscure of the high-enthroned 8,ego10   
soar higher and higher1 and withdraw    
itself as much as possible from the eyes
 of man4 ,a confused terminology1       
perfect unintelligibility1 are the      
never-failing companions and peculiar   
characteristics of a false philosophy1  
which dreams of finding the inestimable 
jewel of truth and science in a         
never-ending and elaborate division of  
the consciousness4 ,it places perfection
 in an abstraction carried continually  
higher and higher in its emptiness4 ,but
 in truth it is only in the living unity
 of the full consciousness that we can  
properly understand the pure logical    
forms of thought1 such as they are      
inborn in the human mind1 or are        
engraved thereon as the first directive 
traits and principles of its intellect  

and rational activity4 ,they must be    
judged of according to the place which  
they occupy in the whole1 and relatively
 to the manner in which they act in or  
influence it4 ,it is thus alone that    
their true signification can be         
determined and truly conceived4  ,as    
often1 however1 as from that self-styled
 pure1 but in reality empty and totally 
abstract mode of thinking1 which is     
divorced from life and the realities of 
things1 it is hoped to raise or to      
evoke1 as it were1 by spell1 a real     
system of true knowledge1 we have a     
repetition of the old history of the    
,babylonian tower1 with its consequent  
confusion of language4 ,every new system
 of this kind is nothing more than an   
additional section of or an appendix to 
that ancient confusion of speech1 as    
well as of views and opinions1 so       
ancient in the history of the human     
mind4 ,each of these builders in the    
edifice of endless error commences with 
pulling down the fabric that his        

immediate predecessor and all before him
 may have commenced1 while in the space 
he has thus cleared for his own labors1 
he founds and rears the imaginary tower 
of his own knowledge and science4 ,he   
has at least the firm intention to raise
 it still higher--nay1 far and far above
 the height that all before him have    
attained4 ,but one man understands      
another just as little as himself4 ,more
 and more entangled and obscure1        
consequently1 becomes this new confusion
 of ideas1 till at last nothing remains 
but the anomalous ruins of crumbled and 
abraded thoughts1 which even when entire
 were only so many lifeless stones--mere
 abstractions1 soon either wholly       
forgotten1 or if surviving1 becoming    
daily more and more                     
unintelligible--since the original      
lexicon or alphabet1 or the             
all-explaining key to these rare and    
singular characters1 can be recovered   
only with the greatest difficulty4  ,a  
true and living philosophy can not      

choose and pursue this method of        
ever-advancing abstraction2 much less   
can it recognize it as the only right   
one4 ,it proceeds rather from life      
itself and the feeling of life1 and1 in 
truth1 from a feeling and consciousness 
of it1 which strives to be as complete  
as possible4 ,far is it from dreaming   
that it is in any artificial and        
elaborately-worked-out division of the  
human mind1 that it must seek its       
success or hope to attain its aim--the  
end of all true knowledge4 ,without     
that1 it feels that man's consciousness1
 in its existing state1 at least1 is    
already too much rent and distracted by 
division1 and being by means of this    
dismemberment checked in its natural    
action1 and weakened and impeded4  ,and 
this even is the point on which all     
turns4 ,that philosophy of so-called    
pure1 but properly empty thinking1      
separated and abstracted from actual    
reality1 without end and without        
beginning1 without ground as without    

aim1 knows nothing of our postulate of  
life1 in the full extent and sense of   
this word1 so far as any thing is full  
and complete for man4 ,the thinker1 once
 entangled in the meshes of such a      
philosophy1 can not admit of such an    
hypothesis1 will allow to it no value1  
or1 rather1 knows nothing of it1 and    
would never be able to make any thing of
 it4 ,and yet1 notwithstanding1 in this 
very philosophy an hypothesis is        
started1 or1 rather1 assumed            
beforehand--one1 however1 which in truth
 is entirely arbitrary1 and which1 when 
examined more closely and with rigid    
scrutiny1 betrays at once its utter     
baselessness4 ,it depends on or consists
 in assuming that the human mind1 as it 
exists at present1 is in a perfect      
state1 and has remained entire and      
complete1 and altogether unaltered from 
its original constitution4 ,it holds    
that nothing is wanted for the          
attainment of truth1 beyond a careful   
and skillful analysis of man's          

self-consciousness1 and a correct and   
appropriate classification of its       
several members4 ,but1 on the contrary1 
whenever we yield and give ourselves up 
to the feelings of our inward           
consciousness1 and try carefully to     
understand it simply as it is1 the first
 thing that strikes us most forcibly is 
a discord and opposition subsisting not 
only between ourselves and the external 
world1 but a strife with one's self     
raging in the inmost center of the mind1
 so that it seems to fall asunder and to
 rend itself into absolute              
unconsciousness and irreconcilable      
contrarieties4  ,now1 is it probable    
that strife would form the original     
state or the proper destiny of the human
 or even of any other being8 can this1  
in short1 have been the case from the   
first8  ,strife1 it is true1 prevails   
every where in human life4 ,it has its  
parties and divisions in the present no 
less than in the past1 in the free      
intercourse of private as well as in    

political life1 in the family as well as
 in the faith1 in knowledge as in       
thought and opinion4 ,wherever these act
 upon life1 or in any way affect it1    
they invariably involve it in hostile   
opposition and sectarian animosity4     
,but the immediate question here is not 
of this strife of the passions1 or of   
the moral corruption of the inner       
character1 which is excited by their    
indulgence1 although1 in truth1 the     
external strife of human nature1 which  
comes forward1 as it were1 in a visible 
and bodily shape1 and its earliest      
source in the hidden contentions of the 
inmost soul1 which arise from its entire
 constitution and the present condition 
and state of our faculty of thought4    
,just a little also do we refer to any  
view taken of the sad mutilations of the
 human consciousness resulting either   
from some faulty organization and       
disease1 or from those defects which    
proceed from defects of character or    
weakness of intellect4 ,the conditions  

which1 relatively speaking at least1 we 
call physically and morally sound1 as   
being free from all remarkable          
deficiencies or disorders1 are1         
nevertheless1 not to be regarded on this
 account as perfect1 and endued with    
full living energy1 and possessed of    
their original completeness4 ,on the    
contrary1 in the general mind1 such as  
on the whole we find it at present1 and 
which1 in this respect1 we may look upon
 as being in its true and proper state1 
there is much that is evidently         
perverted from its right object1 much   
that has fallen a prey to disorder4 ,and
 indeed we are naturally led to take the
 same view of it when we discover most  
of the several constituents of the mind 
for the greater part extremely weak1 and
 as it were in a crippled state1 and its
 different faculties seldom if ever     
maintaining a deep pervading harmony1   
and keeping in perfect unison with each 
other4 ,it is to this internal          
opposition and original dissension of   

the thinking consciousness that ,i here 
would draw your attention1 as           
psychologically manifesting itself      
between thinking1 feeling1 and willing4 
,in this dissension1 so deeply rooted in
 our inmost being1 intellect and will   
are1 even independently of the effect of
 human institutions and observances1 but
 seldom in harmony2 while reason and    
imagination1 if not always opposed1 are 
at least greatly estranged1 and seldom  
maintain a mutual good understanding4   
,this is man's first and ever-recurring1
 ever-renewed perception of his inward  
life4 ,careful observation of self is   
ever impressing on him a consciousness  
of what we might almost call an inborn1 
or at least hereditary1 discord and     
division in the human mind4 ,this       
intellectual fact1 which is one purely  
psychological and totally independent of
 the disturbing influences of passion or
 disease1 may in truth well carry us to 
the conclusion which1 independently of  
it1 so many other moral phenomena and   

historical traces appear to point at4   
,it leads us on almost irresistibly to  
embrace that exposition of it which has 
been held in common by almost every     
ancient people2 the doctrine1 namely    
that man at the very onset fell from his
 original state of harmony into         
dissension and disunion1 and has since  
sunk many degrees lower and lower from  
the dignity which belonged to him on his
 first creation4 ,but as this primitive 
obscuration and degeneracy went to the  
inmost root of man's being1 under its   
influence1 not only his relations to the
 external world1 but also in himself1 in
 his pure internal thinking1 feeling1   
and willing1 all is deranged1           
discordant1 and fragmentary1 so that    
very rarely indeed do the three         
co-operate effectually in a living and  
enduring harmony4 ,and it is doubtless  
because the prevailing theories of the  
human mind overlook the fact of this    
great change that they are so utterly   
unsatisfactory and generally so tame and

 superficial4 ,the determination1       
however1 how far this event is to be    
regarded as an historical fact and rests
 on authentic tradition1 is a question  
which lies beyond our present purpose1  
and belongs rather to a purely critical 
investigation4 ,the immediate and       
specific aim of philosophy is simply to 
analyze and clearly understand the      
psychological fact of the discord and   
dissension which subsists between the   
several faculties of soul and spirit1   
and to exhibit it just as it is4 ,having
 accomplished this1 it will then proceed
 to indicate the point or position from 
which the work of restoration must be   
commenced1 or by which at least the way 
which leads to it may be discovered2 the
 path1 namely1 of return to the original
 harmony of the soul4 ,in other words1  
its ultimate object will be to discover 
the means of restoring a living and     
perfect consciousness1 and of bringing  
about a more harmonious co-operation of 
its hitherto divided powers and         

faculties1 whether of soul or spirit4   
,now1 even in ordinary experience1      
certain propitious combinations of      
circumstances do occur1 when this inward
 strife and innate or hereditary discord
 between the understanding and the will1
 the reason and fancy1 is happily       
overcome4 ,under their influence the    
faculties1 which previously were        
separate and divided1 or hostilely      
arrayed against each other1 are1 partly 
at least1 and for one individual life in
 all its incidents1 actions1 and        
productions1 brought into profitable    
agreement and harmony4 ,these rare      
occasions are furnished by extraordinary
 energy of character1 unrivaled artistic
 genius1 or other high and rare mental  
endowment4 ,these1 therefore1 form not  
only so many experimental proofs of the 
possibility of restoring the now        
discordant elements and the isolated    
organs of the inner man to completeness 
of unity and entirety of life1 but also 
furnish stable points from which to     

start again1 and to carry on the work of
 restoration4 ,such instances1 however1 
are but exceptions from the general     
course of things4 ,fortunate and rare   
exceptions they are1 no doubt1 but      
still1 even as such1 they only serve to 
establish more surely and incontestably 
the predominance of the rule1 and the   
universal fact of the internal strife   
among the faculties of the human mind4  
,not unnecessarily to distract your     
attention at the very outset1 ,i shall  
for the present omit to consider many   
subordinate and derivative1 but applied 
and complex faculties of our mind and   
soul1 such as memory1 the external      
senses1 the various instincts1 and the  
conscience4 ,restricting1 therefore1    
myself immediately to these four        
principal powers--understanding and     
will1 with reason and fancy1 which we   
may regard as the four poles of the     
internal world1 or as the quarters of   
the human consciousness1 ,i shall       
consider generally the opposition which 

displays itself between these elementary
 powers of man's mind4 ,this fact is so 
universally recognized1 and so generally
 predominant1 that it displays itself   
even in the experience and incidents of 
every-day life4 ,to what amounts the    
opinion so commonly expressed of many   
men1 nay even the greater part of       
distinguished characters1 8that their   
judgment and will are not in unison80   
8,what extensive learning and           
comprehensive views does he not         
possess10 is said of one man2 8what     
acuteness1 excellent judgment6 ,what    
might he not accomplish if he had but   
the will2 but he is so changeful1 you   
can never depend upon him1 so inactive1 
so void of energy of character1 that he 
does not himself know rightly what he   
wishes40 ,now in such passing estimates 
of men1 it is deserving of remark1 that 
it is not the passions1 or of passionate
 transgressions of the moral law1 that  
come in question1 but rather some       
internal defect and weakness4 8,he has  

the best will10 is said of another1 8is 
always active1 capable of any sacrifice 
and devotion1 and of a firm and         
undaunted resolution2 but at the same   
time he is so narrow-minded1 so         
unbending and short-sighted1 and        
possessed by such inflexible prejudices1
 that nothing can in truth be made of   
him1 and every enterprise is sure to    
miscarry that he has any thing to do    
with40 ,the discord is not indeed in    
every case so strongly marked and       
distinct1 still every one who at all    
observes his own consciousness may      
easily determine1 and satisfactorily    
answer the question1 whether this       
opposition between the understanding and
 the will1 or at least the disposition  
thereto1 is not deeply fixed and rooted 
in our inmost nature1 and on the whole  
universal4 ,whence else springs the high
 estimation in which steadiness and     
consistency of character are generally  
held1 but from the fact that it is a    
rare exception for will and             

understanding--the inward thought and   
the outward practice--to be in perfect  
harmony and agreement8 ,and in truth    
consistency1 thoroughly carried out in  
the whole life1 steadfast unison of idea
 and practice--in short1                
power--immediately enforces our respect 
and admiration1 even though we may not  
be able to agree with the motive and    
principles on which it acts1 and        
moreover remark much in the whole line  
of conduct deserving of blame1 when     
measured by the highest ideal standard  
of moral justice and perfection4 ,how   
often do we feel this to be the case in 
the historical judgment and estimate of 
great and celebrated men1 where our     
admiration by no means implies or       
carries with it a full and perfect      
approbation of every trait in their     
character or actions4 ,another mode of  
view and comparison will perhaps serve  
to set in a still clearer light the     
characteristic feature of the human mind
 in its present broken and discordant   

condition4 ,man usually directs his     
glance downward to the brutes1 in order1
 by pointing out its difference from the
 animal world1 to determine the peculiar
 essence of his own being and nature4   
,in this comparison1 after much and     
painful investigation1 man discovers    
that although his physical organization 
and the principle of life1 the          
blood-soul1 as the source of vital heat1
 is of the same kind and nature with    
that of the brutes1 he nevertheless     
possesses a rational soul1 which they do
 not enjoy4  ,more instructive would it 
be1 occasionally at least1 to raise our 
contemplation to things above4 ,by this 
method1 many characteristic qualities of
 the human mind might be briefly but    
distinctly set forth in sharper contrast
 by comparison with other created       
things1 or1 as the poet calls them1     
8superior spirits1 with whom we share   
our knowledge40#fb ,leaving this belief 
in the existence of purely spiritual    
beings1 which was common to all nations 

of the old world1 to rest on its own    
deep foundation1 and passing over the   
doubts which might perhaps be raised    
against it1 ,i shall simply take for the
 basis of my comparison the general idea
 of these angelic essences1 such as from
 the very first it has been long and    
widely entertained4 ,now1 from this     
point of view ,i should be at least     
justified1 were ,i to point to that     
fickleness and inconsistency1 or        
weakness and even defect of character1  
which ,i have above mentioned and       
depicted as forming the ordinary        
condition and the specific              
characteristic of man1 which according  
to our hypothesis does not belong1      
either in the same degree or at all1 to 
the pure spirits4 ,with them            
understanding and willing are altogether
 one1 and every thought is at the same  
time also a deed1 every fact perfectly  
comprehended and carried out1 with a    
design perfectly understood4 ,their     
activity is ever one and the same living

 and uninterrupted operation1 whatever  
be its direction1 in a bad as well as a 
good sense4 ,and thus it is that with   
these spirits knowing and willing are   
one2 so that a living and effective     
intellect is even a very spirit1 and    
equally so is a perfectly self-conscious
 will4 ,but a spiritual being like man1 
in whom intellect and will are not one1 
is1 as contemplated from this point of  
view1 a spirit divided and distracted1  
and one that has fallen into disunion   
with itself1 which only by means of a   
new and higher aspiration can be again  
raised to its full energy and living    
unity4  ,still more obvious1 and even   
more striking than the general and      
universally prevailing discord between  
the understanding and the will1 is the  
opposition and division which holds both
 the fundamental faculties or opposite  
poles of the inner world of             
consciousness1 namely1 between reason   
and fancy4 ,the fancy is the fertile1   
and1 properly speaking1 the inventive   

and creative faculty of man2 but she is 
blind1 and subject to many1 or rather1  
we must say1 innumerable delusions4     
,this is not the case indeed1 at least  
not in the same degree and manner1 with 
the reason1 as the faculty of calm      
prudence in man--the internal standard  
of the moral equilibrium of his nature4 
,still1 actually to produce1 truly to   
bring forth or to create1 is1 with all  
its reasoning1 utterly beyond its power2
 and if at times1 as is the case with   
the false philosophy and mere           
dialectical thinking1 it does make the  
attempt1 it gives birth to naught but   
lifeless abortions and mere             
thought-created phantoms of abstract    
nothingness4 ,it will hardly be         
necessary to track this opposition      
between reason and fancy farther1 and to
 follow it into the great arena of      
public life1 or to prove by a lengthened
 discussion that the men endowed with   
the best reasoning powers are not at the
 same time or especially endowed with   

the fire of genius1 or that the most    
sthetical and artistic natures are not  
always the most logical4 ,true genius1  
however1 forms a rare exception to this 
rule1 because in him the faculties of   
soul and spirit1 which are usually found
 isolated and opposed1 are happily      
united and effectually co-operate in an 
harmonious unison4 ,in other words1 we  
have in such a case a union of the      
creative fancy1 which in the productions
 of genius is the most essential point1 
and the acute1 discerning sagacity1 as  
also the distinctness of sensible shape 
and order1 which can not be absent from 
any real production of art4 ,and yet1   
for all this1 the understanding of the  
artist is something quite distinct from 
practical reason and logical acuteness4 
,there is1 moreover1 another state1 or1 
rather1 quality of the soul1 wherein the
 else divided reason and fancy are      
intimately associated and entirely      
reunited4 ,this is a natural1 pure      
affection1 and the very faculty of love1

 which is itself the soul and the       
peculiar essence of man's spiritual     
soul4 ,for example1 a mother's love for 
her child1 which is the deepest and     
strongest of the natural affections2 no 
one can call this love irrational1      
although it must be judged by an        
entirely different standard from the    
reason4 ,at least it does not arise from
 any carefully-weighed process of the   
reason1 for it is over it that it gains 
its greatest triumphs4 ,in love both    
halves of the soul are united4 ,for1    
taken separately and apart1 reason is   
only one half of the soul1 and fancy the
 other4 ,in love alone do both concur1  
and the soul is there present totally   
and perfectly4 ,in it both halves1 which
 otherwise are ever apart1 being again  
united1 restore a perfect state of the  
consciousness4  ,and in the same manner 
there is also a means of reunion for the
 understanding and the will4 ,and that1 
too1 is a pure1 strong1 and morally     
regulated love4 ,whenever1 proceeding   

from the very depths of man's being1 it 
has become1 as it were1 a second nature1
 and having received a higher and       
diviner consecration1 it forms the still
 and invisible1 but ruling soul of life1
 then is it the best and surest road for
 attaining to the reconciliation of the 
otherwise inveterate and deeply-rooted  
discord between the intellect and the   
will4 ,by such a love the inmost man may
 be restored to peace and harmony with  
itself1 and the otherwise distracted    
consciousness1 regaining a full and     
perfect unity1 is enabled to exercise   
its best and highest energies4  ,the    
following are briefly the results of    
this our first psychological sketch1 so 
far forth as they are necessary for the 
purpose and object before us4 ,the      
ordinary state of the human mind1 such  
as1 in its present condition1 it        
exhibits itself to our internal         
apperceptions1 is one of fourfold       
discord and distraction4 ,or1 rather1 if
 we may so speak1 it is a quadruply     

divided consciousness1 as being a prey  
to the double contrariety between the   
understanding and the will1 and between 
reason and fancy4 ,but the mind1 when   
restored to its full and living         
perfection1 is threefold1 or1 if the    
expression be here allowable1 it is a   
triune consciousness--the soul restored 
to unity in love--the mind or spirit    
requickened by the energy of a          
consistent life1 and1 lastly1 the       
internal sense for all that is highest  
and divine--which third member1 as the  
external medium and the ministering     
instrument of the other two1 can not    
interfere with or disturb their profound
 harmony4 ,now1 the return from the     
mind1 checked and limited in its        
operation by its existing divisions and 
discord1 into a living triple or triune 
consciousness1 is the very beginning of 
a truly vital philosophy1 and1 indeed1  
of a renovated and enhanced vitality4   
,,lecture ,,ii4   ,when man is          
considered relatively to his external   

existence in the sensible world and     
nature1 to which by his body he belongs 
and forms a constituent part1 then the  
three elements of which1 as regarded    
from this point of view1 his whole being
 or essence appears to consist1 are     
body1 soul1 and spirit4 ,now1 not even  
from these are schism and conflict      
excluded4 ,there is little or no harmony
 between the higher and spiritual       
principle of the inner man and the outer
 world to which properly his sensuous   
faculty belongs4 ,the natural wants and 
the organic laws of our corporeal life  
are at issue with the moral law of the  
inward feelings--with the exalted       
requisitions of the soaring thought and 
the profound desire of the pure spirit4 
,the struggle between these two distinct
 laws or ordinances of life1 the higher 
and the lower1 forms1 perhaps1 the chief
 problem which in his moral destination 
on earth man has to solve4 ,at least it 
constitutes the first beginning and step
 thereof4 ,no doubt1 the external frame 

of the human body1 with its wonderful   
organization1 presents in the prime of  
its development the corporeal image of a
 more exalted and more spiritual beauty4
 ,in its highest and happiest           
expansion--in its noblest forms--in many
 a bright gleam1 for instance1 of       
animated expression on the countenance  
of youth--we read the graceful          
reflection of a more than earthly       
loveliness4 ,the stamp of man's heavenly
 origin is not quite extinct or         
completely defaced even in his frame4   
,but on the other hand1 it is exposed   
and subject to innumerable injuries1    
sufferings1 diseases1 and corruptions2  
so that we feel at once the truth of the
 ,apostle's words1 in calling it the    
8body of this death40 ,added1 then1 to  
the other two elements of man's being1  
spirit and soul1 the organic body forms 
the third constituent1 in which1        
however1 is contained the ground and    
occasion of conflict and strife4 ,in the
 inner man1 indeed1 taken by itself1 and

 in soul and spirit1 as the two         
constituents of his higher life1 there  
is involved no absolute element of      
discord4 ,no doubt even here the harmony
 is liable to many disturbances1 and    
perfect unison1 perhaps1 is very rarely 
to be met with2 but still the discord   
has not its ground in the essential     
constitution of these two principles of 
soul and spirit4 ,the contrariety       
between reason and fancy1 understanding 
and will1 though existing in the        
fourfold consciousness of man in its    
present state1 prevails not there by any
 law of necessity4 ,it is not a result  
of their essential constitution4        
,simply1 the spirit is the more active  
faculty of the whole higher principle   
and of its internal life1 the soul the  
more passive one4 ,i have designedly    
employed the expression the more active1
 and the more passive1 while thus       
speaking of soul and of spirit2 for     
perfectly passive1 and entirely devoid  
of liberty1 the feeling and loving soul 

is not1 as neither1 on the other hand1  
is the spirit perfectly active and      
independent4 ,the latter stands in need 
of the fellowship of the soul and of the
 life-giving feeling to kindle and to   
expand it4 ,to a certain degree1 both   
spirit and soul1 or at least the        
preponderance of the one or the other1  
are dependent on the organization and   
organic differences of sex4 ,in general1
 we may at least assert and admit this  
much3 that1 viz41 spirit or thought     
predominates in man1 but spirit or soul 
in the female sex4 ,but even here 7so   
incalculably great is the diversity of  
human character and disposition1 so     
various are the methods and forms of    
education and moral culture7 many       
exceptions1 either by way of            
complication or deviation from the      
original simple relation1 are found to  
subsist4 ,in no case1 moreover1 can this
 preponderance of the reigning element  
be taken or understood as a total       
isolation or severance from the other4  

,on the contrary1 there are manifold    
transitions and fusions in the          
reciprocal action of soul and spirit4   
,in the same way that there are peculiar
 modes of thought1 a special kind of    
intellect1 which1 by a happy divination1
 goes infallibly to the point and the   
truth1 and is entirely the judgment of  
feeling--the issue1 in short1 of the    
feeling soul2 so1 too1 there are many   
impressions on the feelings 7an ardent  
love1 for instance1 and a purely        
intellectual enthusiasm71 which take    
their origin immediately out of some    
thought1 or generally from the          
understanding4 ,and1 in fact1 the very  
separation of the two generally does but
 lead to their more intimate union1 and 
furnish a new bond of unity4 ,thought   
and feeling stand reciprocally in need  
of each other4 ,as thought gains new    
life and animation from the rich        
feeling1 with its facile1 tender1 and   
profound emotions1 deriving therefrom   
its vital nourishment and sustenance1   

even so the feelings are not            
unfrequently first awakened1 and very   
often strengthened and elevated1 by the 
lofty flight of thought in its bold and 
searching investigations4 ,it is even   
this that constitutes1 in part at least1
 the attraction of social intercourse1  
the charm of love1 and the happiness of 
a well-assorted union1 which does but   
become more close by years--the one     
party finding in the other the          
intellectual or 7if the term be         
preferred7 the psychological complement 
of his own being and character4  ,but   
now a similar complement for the void   
and deficiency which1 even in the most  
favored dispositions1 enjoying the      
highest advantages of learning and      
culture1 still remains in man's         
consciousness and internal existence1   
may be found in yet another wise1 and by
 a far superior method4 ,we may1 for    
instance1 seek this consummation of our 
nature in that ,being who contains in   
,himself the fullness of all might and  

of all existence--of all life and of all
 love--and out of whom both soul and    
spirit proceed and take their beginning4
 ,now1 if we should wish to form an idea
 of the heavenly state of supreme       
felicity1 such1 at least1 as in         
forecasting hope we may suppose it to   
be1 and indeed are justified in so      
doing1 then we may doubtless think of it
 as such that in it both soul and       
spirit1 sunk in the abyss of eternal    
love1 will rest perfectly satisfied4 ,or
 rather1 in a living communion of       
thought and feeling1 they will most     
intimately sympathize in this ineffable 
majesty1 being absorbed in the          
never-failing stream of the infinite    
plenitude of divinity4 ,in this state of
 bliss1 the body will be dissolved and  
no longer existent4 ,at least           
transfigured and changed1 it will remain
 nothing more than the pure1 luminous   
veil ,lichthlle of the immortal soul and
 the spirit1 now totally and freely     
emancipated4 ,for it will no longer be  

possible1 with any propriety1 to think  
of the body as separate and distinct    
from the soul and spirit1 as in truth   
and fundamentally it will not be        
separate from them4 ,now1 for this      
blissful state of perfect union with the
 supreme essence1 no less than for those
 single and rare moments of mental      
ravishment1 during which1 even in this  
earthly life1 man occasionally1 though  
transiently1 does1 by vivid thought1    
transport himself to such a state1 the  
third element1 which as the connecting  
link must accrue to these two           
fundamental energies of man's inward    
being and existence1 in order to        
complete and perfect it1 is ,god        
,himself4 ,for it is here even as in the
 external world of sense2 there must be 
a third element4 ,there1 however1 it is 
the body1 which1 as no less essential   
than the other two1 completes the       
existence of the total man4 ,merely     
psychologically regarded1 and when we   
adhere and limit ourselves to the given 

sphere of the internal consciousness1   
the triple principle of man's being is  
neither ,god1 soul1 and spirit1 as in   
the higher blissful state1 nor even     
body1 soul1 and spirit1 as in this      
material world1 but simply spirit1 soul1
 and sense4 ,these are the three        
elements of the mind1 which as such     
immediately concern us at present1 and  
form the essential basis of the         
following considerations4  ,much is     
there that attaches itself to this      
principle1 or follows from it4 ,it would
 consequently only lead to confusion    
were we at present to take a full survey
 of all these cognate matters and       
consequences1 and lay them before you at
 the outset4 ,many of them will arise   
much more naturally afterward4 ,even the
 treating1 and the elucidation1 of the  
relation in which the senses1 as the    
third element of the human mind1 stands 
to the other two1 and the place which it
 holds among them1 will hereafter come  
more appropriately before us4 ,and this 

is especially true of a question which1 
however1 has an important bearing on the
 matter before us--the question1 viz41  
whether or not some particular faculty1 
either of soul or spirit1 is to be      
regarded as an internal sense1 a moral  
instinct1 or an immediate perception and
 intuition of the highest and best4     
,and1 connected with this inquiry1 is   
the remark1 that even in the usual      
outward senses there lies a spark of    
higher spiritual perception--such1 for  
instance1 as the artistic eye for beauty
 of form and color1 and for grace of    
motion1 or the musical ear for lovely   
sounds and measures2 so that even the   
senses are not so purely corporeal1 so  
totally material and grossly sensuous1  
as at the first glance they appear4 ,but
 there is another topic which here      
enforces itself on our consideration1   
and which1 for the correct apprehension 
of the whole matter1 is even still more 
important than that of the relation     
which sense holds to the other two      

elements of man's consciousness4 ,and   
this is to determine whether these two1 
soul and spirit1 are really different1  
or whether it be not probable that1 as  
the active and the passive powers and   
aspects of a higher principle in man1   
they are1 on the whole1 one and the     
same1 and consequently ought not1 in    
thought even1 to be unduly separated and
 distinguished4 ,but however this       
question is to be answered1 even though 
in man they be really and necessarily   
united1 still a relative distinction of 
them is justified by that preponderance 
of one or the other which manifests     
itself at different times and in        
different relations of life4 ,but a     
weighty reason exists for supposing that
 they are essentially two elements4 ,a  
fair presumption that1 after all1 soul  
and spirit are not perhaps one and the  
same under two several sets1 arises from
 a comparison of man with other created 
spirits1 if only it be allowed us to    
make a further application of a parallel

 which1 on a certain hypothesis1 we have
 already hazarded4 ,for1 however        
problematical at most the results of    
such comparisons may appear1 still in   
such cases as the present they are often
 very useful4 ,they tend1 at least1 to  
give a sharp and precise determination  
of the peculiar and characteristic      
features of man's consciousness4 ,now1  
the free and pure spirits far surpass   
man in energy of will--in activity and  
power--and1 secondly1 in rapidity and   
clearness of apprehension1 possessing as
 they do an intellect immediately       
intuitive4 ,in these properties1 as     
contrasted with the mutability and      
weakness of man's vacillating will1 the 
slowness of his groping and erring      
intellect1 the angels have greatly the  
advantage of man4 ,but1 on the other    
hand1 the human mind or spirit possesses
 in its peculiar creative fertility a   
vast prerogative1 which can not--not1 at
 least1 in the same degree--be ascribed 
even to the pure creatures of light4    

,and1 in truth1 it is on the soul1 which
 is not merely receptive or sentient1   
but also inwardly productive1 lovingly  
creative1 and ever giving new forms and 
shapes to the old and common1 that the  
creative faculty of invention1 so       
distinctive of man1 ultimately rests4   
,at least1 it forms the inner foundation
 and root out of which it springs and   
rises4 ,fancy1 indeed1 with its external
 shape and visible manifestion in art1  
is only one portion of it4 ,but still   
the other part also of the soul1 viz41  
the reason1 when directed to its right  
end1 and so long as it remains within   
its natural limits1 is a faculty of     
endless intellectual development1       
infinite advance1 and perfectionment4   
,and1 in truth1 the position is by no   
means new1 that perfectibility or the   
faculty of endless improvement 7which1  
however1 is associated with an equally  
great and no less infinite faculty of   
deterioration71 is the essential and    
wholly peculiar prerogative of man4 ,it 

is his characteristic property4 ,with   
regard to the other aspect or portion of
 the same property1 the productive fancy
 namely1 and its creative productions1 a
 similar view to our own--and1 indeed1  
under the same parallel and             
hypothesis--is expressed in the poet's  
assertion already quoted--      8,thy   
knowledge thou sharest with superior    
spirits2      ,art1 oh man6 thou hast   
alone40#fc  ,only the term 8art0 must   
here be understood in a wide and        
comprehensive signification1 so as to   
take in language4 ,or1 rather1 language 
itself is the general1 all-embracing art
 of man4 ,for nowhere does art evince   
its peculiar1 internal1 and intellectual
 fertility1 its creative faculty of     
invention1 so striking as in this       
wonderful structure of human language1  
with its many compartments4 ,man1 we    
might well say1 in general terms1 is a  
production of nature that has attained  
to the perfection of language4 ,in other
 words1 he is a spirit to whom1 before  

all other creatures1 the word           
explanatory and declaratory1 the        
guiding1 the communicative1 and even the
 commanding word1 is lent1 imparted1    
committed1 or conveyed1 and even therein
 consists his original1 marvelous1 and  
high dignity1 so far surpassing the     
ordinary standard of creation4  ,on this
 account1 therefore1 it is only natural 
and consistent1 i4e41 agreeable to man's
 nature and dignity1 that the           
comparative juxtaposition and parallel  
which is to lead to a more correct      
characterization of the human mind1 with
 its peculiar faculties and properties1 
should1 as ,i said1 be directed upward1 
rather than1 as is usually done1        
downward to the brutes1 and to the      
animal consciousness1 if1 indeed1 we may
 justly ascribe such to them4 ,now1 in  
this method of comparison ,i would go a 
step farther1 for by so doing ,i hope to
 promote the more perfect understanding 
of the whole1 and also to arrive at a   
correct and accurate notion of the      

several faculties of man's spirit and of
 the powers of his soul4 ,which1 then1  
of man's faculties or powers may be     
rightly attributed to the ,deity1 and   
which not8 ,to answer this question1    
however1 it is not my intention to enter
 into any very difficult and abstruse   
investigations1 such as would neither be
 very apposite to this place1 and       
perhaps 7to speak generally7 would be   
absolutely without and beyond the limits
 of the human understanding4 ,it will be
 sufficient for my purpose throughout to
 take for granted what1 according to the
 universal feeling of mankind1 is       
generally admitted1 and which is even as
 generally intelligible1 as it is easy  
of apprehension and clear4 ,but when ,i 
thus without hesitation take for granted
 a universal belief in the existence of 
a divine principle1 notwithstanding the 
doubt which in the human mind springs up
 against all else1 so also against the  
highest object of faith1 ,i do so with a
 deliberate view and purpose4 ,for ,i   

shall reserve the solution of this grave
 problem to a later period of my sketch 
and exposition of the thinking          
consciousness and of a true living      
science4 ,it is there1 in truth1 that it
 will find its most natural and         
appropriate place4 ,here1 however1 for  
the purposes of our intended comparison1
 which1 as the instance itself will     
prove1 is likely to be highly           
instructive1 it will be sufficient if ,i
 confine myself to a single remark4 ,the
 little that we know or can with        
certainty predicate of ,god may be      
comprised almost in the few words1 8,god
 is a spirit40 ,it is by virtue of this 
proposition that we ascribe to ,him an  
omniscient intellect and an all-mighty  
will4 ,both these attributes or powers  
of ,god1 are1 it is self-evident1 in the
 most perfect harmony1 and can scarcely 
be separated from one another2 whereas  
in man they are frequently widely       
divergent1 at times even hostilely      
oppose each other1 and at best do but   

check and limit their mutual action4    
,here1 however1 arises the question     
whether in strict propriety we may      
venture to ascribe to the ,deity any of 
the other mental faculties and powers   
which man is conscious of1 though on a  
greater and different scale1 and in a   
very extended sense8  ,now1 in the      
creative energy of ,god1 there is1 in   
truth1 comprised the plenitude of all   
fertility1 and1 if it be allowable so to
 speak1 an inexhaustible source of all  
invention4  ,but still1 as every one    
must at once feel1 a productive faculty 
of imagination and a creative fancy can 
not on this account be ascribed to ,him2
 for1 were we to do so1 we should step  
at once into the domain of mythology    
with its fabulous gods4 ,and even as    
little1 in strict propriety and accuracy
 of language1 can we attribute to ,god  
the faculty of reason1 which1 in man1 is
 the opposite of fancy4 ,reason is the  
connecting1 inferring1 discursive       
faculty of thought4 ,but all this1 with 

its graduated series of ideas or        
conceptions1 is not applicable to the   
,deity1 for in ,him all must be thought 
of as standing at once and immediately  
before the divine mind1 or1 rather1 as  
directly emanating from ,him4           
,consequently1 in a strict sense1 and   
following a rigorous precision of a     
thoroughly correct designation1 we may  
indeed ascribe to ,god an immediately   
cognizant and intuitive understanding1  
but not reason2 since1 by this term1 it 
is only by a violent abuse of language  
and a total conversion of ideas that a  
faculty of intellectual intuition can be
 understood4 ,one kind alone1 or branch 
of reason1 is immediately intuitive2 and
 that is the conscience1 or the moral   
instinct1 for the appreciation of       
whatever is good or evil1 right or      
wrong4 ,this might not inaptly be called
 an applied reason2 viz41 a reason      
applied to the will and to its inmost   
motives1 and to its just commencing1    
still inchoate determinations1 out of   

which external actions ultimately issue4
 ,but even because conscience is an     
immediate perception of right and wrong1
 a moral instinct for good and evil1    
and1 consequently1 in form1 wholly      
distinct from that function of reason   
which infers and deduces consequences1  
,i am indisposed to give it such a name1
 and would rather regard it as a        
peculiar faculty of soul or heart1      
subsisting by itself1 and intermediate  
between will and reason4 ,in any case1  
it would be superfluous to observe how  
highly inappropriate it would be to     
designate by this name that warning or  
punitive judicial vision with which ,god
 looks through and penetrates the inmost
 heart1 even though we must seek here   
the root and origin of the lucid oracles
 and simple revelations of the human    
conscience4 ,as a property1 however1 it 
can only be ascribed to those beings    
who1 like man1 behold the law of ,god   
far above them1 but by no means to that 
,being who is ,himself the sum and      

source of all moral laws4 ,but let us   
now revert to our first question of the 
predication of reason to the ,deity4    
,if1 in our present reigning systems1   
and especially in the latest ,german    
philosophy1 reason is1 notwithstanding1 
ascribed to ,him1 or1 rather1 the       
eternal1 unconditional1 and absolute    
reason is itself called ,god1 and       
rationality is made to be ,his essence2 
this is but the immediate consequence of
 the predominantly pantheistic tendency 
of these systems1 in which the ,deity is
 identified with the mundane ,all1 and  
resolved into the universal essence4    
,for1 inasmuch as it was felt that it   
could not be merely the all-producing   
and all-absorbing--the all-bearing1     
infinite1 vital power of the heathen    
systems of nature--and1 since a more    
scientific designation was required1    
nothing remained for the totally        
abstract designation of the one ,all1   
but the name of that faculty which even 
in the human mind forms the principle of

 unity4  ,no doubt1 in the preceding    
centuries1 one or two great teachers    
have employed very similar1 if not      
identical expressions1 in reference to  
the ,deity2 still this1 to my mind1     
appears an exception from the general   
rule1 to be explained and justified only
 by individual terminology and points of
 view4 ,and1 at any rate1 it is much    
safer to follow the ancient usage on    
this point4 ,accordingly1 ,i have made  
it a law scrupulously to observe it     
throughout4 ,but if people will at once 
subvert the ancient modes of speech1 and
 completely interchange and confuse the 
ordinary signification of the terms     
reason and understanding1 then all must 
naturally turn on the thing itself and  
the internal thoughts and the proper    
meaning which lies at the bottom of     
them4 ,and then1 by a due consideration 
of these1 a mutual understanding may    
perhaps be eventually arrived at1       
notwithstanding the different modes of  
speech4 ,with most of the writers and   

philosophers of the present day this1   
perhaps1 is scarcely to be hoped for4   
,the grave question1 however1 here 7and 
which1 as it lies at the bottom1 must   
ultimately decide on this difference of 
phraseology71 is this--whether          
philosophy in general is1 according to  
the rationalistic way of thinking1 a    
mere philosophy of reason1 or a higher  
philosophy of the spirit and of         
spiritual revelation1 or1 indeed1 of a  
divine experience4  ,further1 whenever1 
in the olden phraseology1 there are     
ascribed to the ,deity1 memory and even 
desires1 not to say impulses1 which1    
viewed nearly in the same light as man's
 appetites and passions1 are designated 
by the same terms1 all this is to be    
understood in the same way as the       
expressions concerning ,his all-seeing  
eye1 ,his ear1 and ,his mighty arm4     
,they are merely figurative and         
symbolical phrases4 ,in the use of them 
there is no pretension to scientific    
accuracy1 with which understanding and  

will are universally and actually       
ascribed to ,him4 ,they are devoid even 
of that apparent probability which gives
 rise to the question1 whether          
imagination and reason can1 with the    
same propriety as the former two1 be    
attributed to ,him4 ,with as little     
truth can a soul be ascribed to ,him4   
,for this is1 exclusively1 a passive    
faculty2 whereas1 in ,god1 all is energy
 and activity4 ,the expression1 however1
 of a soul of ,god1 is found1 by way of 
exception from the general usage1 in a  
few among ancient writers4  ,a more     
correct mode of indicating what is meant
 by this term would be to say that ,god 
is love1 and that love is even ,his     
essence4 ,or the same idea would be well
 conveyed by speaking1 under the form of
 a living force and property1 of ,god's 
fatherly heart as the center of ,his    
being1 of ,his omnipotence and          
omniscience1 and of the infinite love   
which results from the two4 ,no doubt   
even this expression of ,god's fatherly 

heart is merely figurative and          
symbolical4 ,still it is one of high    
significance1 and1 as such1 it is not a 
mere figure without meaning4 ,for1 the  
higher and profounder spiritual         
philosophy1 from ,plato down to         
,leibnitz1 has ever purposely employed  
such symbols and figures to indicate    
that which properly is inexpressible4   
,in fact1 it has always preferred them  
to the abstract notions employed by the 
rationalizing systems of our own        
lifeless metaphysics of naught1 which1  
as they are void in themselves1 so do   
they in reality say nothing4  ,thus1    
then1 has the very first step in this   
comparative psychology carried us1 at   
once1 to the utmost limits of what is   
knowable by man4 ,still it has tended1  
in passing1 to place in an eminently    
distinct light many important matters   
and essential properties and faculties  
which belong to our present sphere of   
psychological inquiry4 ,it is now1      
however1 necessary for me to turn my    

regards back to the point from which we 
started4 ,in order to commence our      
philosophy of life with the center of   
life and of man's whole consciousness1  
we set out from a psychological fact1   
which immediately impresses itself on   
the awakening consciousness4 ,this fact 
is the perception of the discord which  
reigns in our entire self1 and          
especially of the deep-rooted dissension
 which1 in their usual state1 divides   
the four principal faculties of the     
consciousness1 according to the twofold 
contrariety of understanding and will1  
and of reason and fancy4 ,i will here   
merely add the remark1 that further     
still1 another essential property of    
man1 and a state equally characteristic 
and peculiar to him1 is closely         
associated with1 and1 indeed1 is        
grounded in this internal discord1 viz41
 the freedom of the will and the state  
of doubt4 ,now1 this freedom of will    
which belongs to man is very different  
from the freedom of ,god1 or even from  

that of the pure spirits who were first 
created4 ,the notion of free will1      
however1 is so deeply and firmly        
grounded in our inmost feelings1 that   
man's universal conviction of it can    
never be wholly undermined by any doubts
 of the reason1 however subtilely       
advanced1 and1 in appearance1           
demonstratively urgent4 ,no objection or
 difficulty can totally extinguish and  
annihilate the persuasion of its truth  
within our breast4 ,for even after the  
greatest shock which our faith in       
ourselves may sustain1 either from      
reflection or from subtilely refining on
 the subject--after what1 apparently1 is
 a complete refutation of its truth1    
this divine and inborn prejudice 7if ,i 
may so term it7 of our intrinsic freedom
 still springs up again4 ,as the        
inextinguishable vital flame of the     
spirit1 it rises anew from the expiring 
embers of those deadening doubts1 which 
are themselves nothing more than the    
dead notions and null phantoms of a     

false semblance of thought4 ,now this   
freedom of will is a liberty of choice1 
i4e41 a will long vacillating between   
two different series of ideas--of       
opposing grounds and reasons1 and1 at   
last1 deciding for one or the other4    
,this volition1 however1 is1 by its     
nature1 so little decided1 and          
frequently finds so great difficulty in 
coming to a decision1 that even when    
externally it has already concluded its 
deliberations1 it often becomes again   
undecided and begins anew to hesitate4  
,or this freedom of choice in man may   
otherwise be described and thought of as
 a decision of the understanding1 which 
compares together two different         
volitions1 carefully weighs the         
conflicting grounds in favor of each1   
and1 at last1 in its final judgment1    
recognizes the preference to one or the 
other4 ,consequently1 this free will and
 choice1 so peculiar to man1 depends    
intimately and essentially upon that    
controversy between understanding and   

will1 which1 if not inborn1 has become1 
at least1 a second nature to him4 ,i    
have spoken of this freedom of will as  
peculiar to man1 since it is not        
necessary1 and rather would be a most   
arbitrary hypothesis1 were we to go so  
far as to assert1 that1 assuming the    
existence of other free but created     
essences1 our own special kind of       
freedom is the only possible and        
conceivable one4 ,still1 for our present
 purpose1 it is allowable to make such a
 purely hypothetical simile and         
comparison1 if 7a point on which the    
experiment itself must decide7 it be    
likely to render our own peculiar form  
of consciousness more intelligible and  
conceivable4 ,in this sense1 then1 we   
may go on to say1 that we must conceive 
the liberty of the blessed spirits as   
being in its essence very different from
 that of man's4 ,as such it belongs to  
beings who have long passed beyond the  
probation of the still undecided choice1
 or who1 at the very beginning of their 

existence1 were1 by the design of the   
,creator1 withdrawn from it1 and have1  
consequently1 attained to eternal       
freedom1 together with undisturbed and  
undisturbable peace in ,god1 who is the 
sum and inexhaustible source1 as well as
 the unfathomable1 of all freedom1 no   
less than of all life4  ,but even       
irrespectively of this freedom of choice
 for actual life and its particular     
objects and motives--irrespectively1    
also1 of the freedom which is conversant
 about external actions1 and of the     
inward moving causes of the will which  
contain the first ground and hidden germ
 of the former1 and of that state of    
uncertainty which follows therefrom1 and
 which not unfrequently long vacillates 
between one side and another--there are1
 also1 in pure thought1 simply as such1 
a similar state of internal hesitation  
or doubt--i4e41 of a thought hostilely  
attacking1 undermining and destroying1  
denying1 and annihilating even          
consciousness and cogitation itself4    

,left wholly to ourselves1 when1 closing
 our regards to the external world1 and 
without any definite object1 we calmly  
commit ourselves to the stream of purely
 internal thought1 we soon become       
sensible of this fact4 ,on the one hand1
 there crowd on the mind the impressions
 of the outward senses1 and the manifold
 creations of the peculiar1             
never-resting faculty of cogitation1    
seeking to gain the mastery over and to 
carry it along with them4 ,on the other 
side1 the distinguishing and discerning 
reason comes in with its questions and  
doubts1 and chemical analysis1 to       
resolve every thing finally into naught1
 and to explain all the conceptions of  
the mind as groundless and              
unsubstantial1 as so many pure illusions
 of the senses1 conceits of caprice1    
prejudices of a limited understanding1  
and mere pictures or creations of fancy4
 ,thus1 then1 the ever-swelling flood of
 thought in man's inner being and       
cogitation is not any calmly-flowing    

stream1 in which wave quietly follows   
and succeeds to wave1 as through rich   
and fertile plains it pursues its course
 from some distant source to the wide   
and open sea4 ,the fearful conflict of  
thought is rather some double current1  
where1 amid the crags and rocks1 the    
pent-in waters1 confining one another1  
beat up into foaming breakers--or1 still
 more dangerous1 beneath their          
apparently calm and smooth surface1 they
 form the tearing whirlpool with its    
bottomless abyss1 which1 at the least   
incautious approach1 hurries1           
irresistibly1 into its vortex the       
tossing little boat of man's brief      
existence4 ,for the most part it is only
 in natures originally1 at least1 highly
 endowed and noble1 that doubt and this 
internal struggle of thought rise to the
 height of despair4 ,these alone are    
finally driven1 by the rejection of all 
belief in themselves1 into utter ruin   
both of soul and spirit4 ,the tendency1 
however1 to a state of struggle and     

doubt is universal4 ,it seems to be     
nothing less than a characteristic      
property of human nature1 and to have   
its foundation in the dissension        
subsisting between reason and fancy1    
which has so firmly established itself  
in the mind of man4 ,it may happen1 no  
doubt1 that in a mind whose opinions are
 settled both in theory and practice1 no
 instability will be found to subsist in
 the plans which guide and regulate     
life1 but that1 on the contrary1 they   
are1 on the whole1 followed out with    
fixed resolution and decided energy4    
,and yet1 even in such a case1          
particular doubts will occasionally     
arise affecting many matters 7which1    
although subordinate to the fundamental 
laws of life1 are1 nevertheless1 far    
from being unimportant71 so as to force 
upon us the remark1 or even to extort   
the confession that1 in general1 such a 
state of immovable determination does   
not belong to human nature1 and that    
this internal conflict forms one element

 of that warfare of life to which man is
 called4 ,the predisposition to this ,i 
have referred to the discord between    
reason and fancy1 and1 for brevity's    
sake1 ,i have employed1 throughout1 the 
latter designation for it4 ,i must1     
however1 avail myself of the present    
occasion to observe1 that fancy is not  
limited merely to poetry and the fine   
arts1 and their respective creations1   
but inasmuch as all productive thought  
belongs to the imagination in the same  
way that the negative does to the       
reason1 it also co-operates more or less
 with science4 ,it is1 therefore1       
chiefly in this latter and larger sense 
that we here employ the term1 since it  
is from the contradictions of the       
productive and negative thought that the
 struggle and state of doubt arise4     
,the first truth1 then1 that psychology 
arrives at1 is the internal discord     
within our fourfold and divided         
consciousness4 ,having commenced with a 
slight characteristic sketch of this    

fact1 ,i have attempted to give a       
further and deeper grounding1 and to    
invest it with a higher and profounder  
significance4 ,to this first perception 
we appended1 as the second member in the
 series of our philosophical            
investigation1 the idea of a triplicity 
of consciousness as restored to its     
perfect and living action4 ,according to
 this view1 the simple division of the  
mind is into spirit1 soul1 and sense4   
,and this will1 in all our subsequent   
,lectures1 form the basis of our        
psychological reflections on the human  
mind4 ,it will also serve as the        
transition from the ordinary state of   
the consciousness in discord with       
itself1 and with its fourfold division1 
to the reunited triple consciousness4   
,we shall make it the starting-point and
 first step in this philosophy1 which1  
as it sets out from life1 is also to    
lead to a higher life4  ,but now1 even  
in the mind's ordinary state there are  
many such beginnings of a higher order  

of things--many moments of a more       
concentrated energy1 which bespeak a    
joint operation of the otherwise divided
 faculties and powers of soul and       
spirit1 and have for their result a     
partial restoration1 at least1 of       
harmony to this otherwise dismembered   
whole4 ,among these ,i would mention1   
first of all1 that inner fixity of      
character1 where thought1 will1 and     
conduct are consistent throughout2      
secondly1 a true artistic genius in the 
creations both of poetic and plastic    
fancy4 ,lastly1 there is that ardent and
 disinterested love1 with its           
magnanimous self-sacrifices1 which1     
though it surpasses all the limits of   
reason1 can not1 nevertheless1 be looked
 upon as a mere imagination or illusion 
of fancy1 forming as it does a profound 
and natural energy of the human soul1   
and constituting in truth its true and  
proper essence4 ,no doubt the external  
phenomenon and effect of this elevated  
principle of the soul is often tarnished

 and lessened by the dull admixture of  
earthly ardor1 and the bewilderment of  
passion4 ,a true and perfect            
manifestation of the feeling1           
consequently1 is no less rare than the  
truly felicitous creations of real      
artistic genius4 ,still it is to it that
 we must look for the first principle of
 a higher living thought and the true   
science thereof4 ,the truly loving soul 
needs only the excitement and guidance  
of a mind or spirit ripened and matured 
in divine experience4 ,accordingly1 the 
consciousness thus restored to unity and
 completeness of perfection becomes     
actively operative in its triple energy4
 ,and in the same manner the spirit     
striving with most ardent aspiration    
after the divine1 requires nothing but  
such an animating contact with the      
loving soul1 in order to attain fully   
and effectually to its desired end4  ,in
 the series of combining elements or    
principles of union for the otherwise   
divided consciousness there is yet      

another phenomenon1 both great and      
comprehensive in itself1 and which also 
reveals itself as such in actual life   
and experience4 ,and this phenomenon is 
furnished by language1 with its         
wonderful variety and yet truly artistic
 uniformity4 ,for it is the vital       
product of the whole inner man4 ,all the
 faculties both of soul and spirit1     
however discordant generally1 combine   
each1 in their full share and measure1  
to perfect this their conjoint          
production4 ,and yet1 after all1 many   
traces of inherent imperfection are     
visible therein4 ,it is only in the     
highest creations of artistic genius1   
manifesting itself either in poetry or  
some other form of language1 and then   
only in the brightest and happiest      
moments of inspiration1 that we meet    
with the perfect harmony of a complete  
and united consciousness1 in which all  
its faculties work together in combined 
and living action4  ,in language1 all   
the four principal powers have a nearly 

equal part and share4 ,the grammatical  
structure1 the rules for the changes and
 declensions of words1 and their syntax1
 are furnished by the reason4 ,from the 
fancy1 on the other hand1 is derived    
whatever is figurative2 and how very far
 does not this reach1 extending as it   
does into the primary and natural       
signification of words1 which often no  
longer exists1 or at least is rarely    
traceable8 ,lastly1 the clear and       
distinct arrangement of the parts1 the  
nicely-finished and beautiful shape of  
the whole of any composition1 whether   
poetical or rhetorical1 civil or        
scientific1 are the contributions of the
 understanding4 ,and so1 also1 whatever 
is truly characteristic--whatever1 in   
short1 goes beyond the mere instinctive 
cry of animal nature1 and the childlike1
 oft-times childish imitation of        
external sounds--in short1 that deep and
 spiritual significance1 that           
characteristic meaning which1 in the    
original stem-syllable and radical words

 of some rich old language1 invariably  
is regarded as a beauty1 must be        
ascribed to the understanding1 which so 
profoundly seizes and precisely         
designates whatever is peculiar1 unless1
 perhaps1 it is preferred to assign it  
to an immediate feeling1 which          
wonderfully harmonizes with or responds 
to it4 ,moreover1 the magic force of a  
commanding will1 which carries all      
before it by its intrinsic energy1 is at
 least noticeable in those few brilliant
 passages of highest inspiration or     
perfect poetic delineation1 from whose  
clear and perspicuous language1 the     
apparently ineffable1 shining forth like
 an electric spark1 kindles and         
influences every sensitive and kindred  
mind4  ,but before ,i go deeper into the
 question of the origin of language1 and
 examine the correct idea of this       
all-embracing and wonderful faculty of  
speech1 as man's most remarkable and    
peculiar property1 ,i would call your   
attention to the intimate connection    

subsisting between thought and speech1  
which is throughout reciprocal4 ,for as 
speech must be regarded as a thinking1  
outwardly projected and manifested1 so1 
too1 thinking itself is but an inward   
speaking and a never-ending dialogue    
with one's self4  ,judging1 from all    
appearances1 the consciousness of       
animals1 so far as we are justified in  
ascribing it to them1 is perfectly      
simple1 but sadly defective and limited4
 ,but even here1 however1 the several   
melodious courses of irrational and     
seemingly unconscious sounds appear like
 so many echoes of a better             
foretime--lost traces of ancient memory1
 and which1 together with the moving and
 mournful cry of deep1 painful longing1 
seem to make tolerably clear to us the  
notion of the creature waiting and      
groaning for its emancipation4 ,highly  
simple1 too1 but in quite a different   
respect1 is the consciousness or thought
 of the free spirits in their pure      
activity1 such as we may and ought to   

represent it to ourselves--like the ray 
of light which in its rapid descent     
penetrates all space4 ,but marvelously  
intricate1 on the other hand1 and highly
 complicated1 is the so manifoldly rich1
 and1 at the same time1 so versatile and
 changeable consciousness of man4 ,such1
 at least1 is the impression which a    
serious and searching glance into the   
unfathomable depths of our inward man   
enforces upon us4 ,and1 indeed1 just as 
in the triple operation of the          
consciousness1 when restored to the full
 perfection of life1 we may trace a     
certain faint signature of man's        
pristine likeness to the ,creator1 so   
also a slight vestige of the same kind  
is1 we might fancy1 discoverable in its 
unfathomable depth1 which1 however1 now 
reveals itself in quite a different form
 from its original nature1 and appears  
to be converted into its opposite4 ,how 
often does the thought that seeks to    
penetrate the mysteries of nature--the  
hidden thinker within man--believe that 

he has completely solved the riddle of  
existence1 and is able to explain and   
rightly interpret the many-meaning but  
obscure words of the sphinx within us6  
,and even then1 when he most flatters   
himself with his own ingenuity1 this    
miserable dipus of his own destiny is   
stricken with even more fatal and       
incurable blindness than the old        
,theban1 and can not discern the abyss  
of error into which his whole life has  
been hurrying1 and into which it is at  
last plunged headlong and precipitated4 
,ever laboring to seize the changing    
,proteus of its own self1 our ,ego may1 
perhaps1 often arrive at a rare         
amazement at the enigma of existence1   
and also is even seized many a time with
 a light terror4 ,never1 however1 by    
itself1 let it think and seek as it may1
 will it be able1 without some other    
guide1 to find the object of its        
longing1 and1 in its tragic blindness1  
to discover the clue of the labyrinthic 
mazes of its own thoughts1 and at last  

to arrive at harmony with itself4  ,so  
profound1 moreover1 and lasting is this 
our intrinsic dualism and               
duplicity--7and ,i use the term here1   
not in its usual moral sense1 but in a  
higher signification1 which is purely   
psychological and metaphysical7--so     
deeply is this dualism rooted in our    
consciousness1 that even when we are1 or
 at least think ourselves alone1 we     
still think as two1 and are constrained1
 as it were1 to recognize our inmost    
profoundest being as essentially        
dramatic4 ,this colloquy with self1 or  
generally1 this internal dialogue1 is so
 perfectly that natural form of human   
thinking1 that even the saintly         
solitaries of bygone centuries1 who1 in 
the ,egyptian deserts or the ,alpine    
hermitages1 devoted a half life to      
meditation on divine things and         
mysteries1 were often not able otherwise
 to indicate the result of such         
meditations1 to invest it in another    
dress1 to bring it into any other form  

of exposition than that of a dialogue of
 the soul with ,god4 ,and in all        
religions1 what properly is true prayer 
but a kind of dialogue1 a confidential  
opening of the heart to the universal   
,father1 or a filial solicitation of    
,his benevolence8  ,but to pass over at 
once to the directly opposite aspect of 
the matter3 even in the classical works 
of cultivated antiquity1 at a time when 
these depths of a loveful feeling were  
not yet so widely developed1 nor so     
completely revealed and unveiled1 we    
meet with this same phenomenon in       
another form1 and one indeed of the     
highest intellectual clearness and      
brilliancy--in the graceful ornament1   
viz41 of a truly exquisite diction4 ,i  
am alluding to the characteristic       
distinction of the discourses and       
teaching of ,socrates--that peculiar    
irony1 such as it is found in the       
,platonic dialogues1 and of which only a
 very slight trace is to be found in the
 works of some of the earliest poets4   

,for what else is this scientific irony 
of the inquiring thought and of the     
highest cognition1 than a consciousness 
which1 while it clearly perceives the   
secret contradictions which beset the   
mind1 even in its most earnest pursuit  
of the highest aim of life1 has         
attained1 nevertheless1 to perfect      
harmony with itself4  ,i must not1      
however1 omit to remind you that this   
term in modern phraseology has fallen   
very far below its primary meaning1 and 
is often so taken as to designate       
nothing more than a mere playful        
mockery4 ,in its original ,socratic     
sense1 however1 such as it is found in  
the whole series of the thought and the 
internal structure of ,plato's          
dialogues1 where it is developed to its 
fullest measure and proportion1 irony   
signifies nothing else than this        
amazement of the thinking spirit at     
itself1 which so often dissolves in a   
light1 gentle laugh4 ,and this light    
laugh again oftentimes beneath its      

cheerful surface conceals and involves a
 deeper and profounder sense1 another   
and a higher significance1 even the most
 exalted seriousness4 ,in the thoroughly
 dramatic development and exposition of 
thought which we meet with in the works 
of ,plato1 the dialogical form is       
essentially predominant4 ,even if all   
the superscriptions of names and        
persons1 all forms of address and reply1
 and1 in short1 the whole conversational
 garb1 were taken away from it1 and we  
were merely to follow the inner threads 
of the thought according to their       
connection and course1 the whole would1 
nevertheless1 remain a dialogue1 where  
each answer calls forth a new question1 
and the eddying stream of speech and    
counter-speech1 or1 rather1 of thought  
and counter-thought1 moves livingly     
onward4 ,and unquestionably this form of
 inner dialogue is1 if not in every case
 equally applicable and absolutely      
necessary1 still it is all but          
essential1 and at least highly natural  

and very appropriate to every form of   
living thought and its vivid            
enunciation4 ,and in this sense even the
 continuous unbroken speech of a single 
person may also assume the character of 
a dialogue4 ,yes1 ,i must confess that  
as it is my first object to attain to   
the greatest possible perspicuity of a  
vivid development of ideas1 ,i should   
then most confidently believe that ,i   
had gained my end1 if the present       
,lectures should in any degree make the 
same impression on you as a dialogue    
would--if they should appear like a     
series of questions1 to which some of   
you1 if not throughout1 yet here and    
there1 should in your heart give a tacit
 answer and assent--or even 7and in this
 case still more so1 indeed7 if1 in the 
whole context of these ,lectures1 you   
should find and believe to discover for 
many questions which your own hearts1   
your own reflections and life itself    
suggested1 if not a full1 satisfactory  
answer1 yet at least one directly       

meeting the difficulty1 and full of     
suggestions for its solution4           
,,lecture ,,iii4   ,true irony--for     
there also is a false one--is the irony 
of love4 ,it arises out of the feeling  
of finiteness and one's own limitation1 
and out of the apparent contradiction   
between this feeling and the idea of    
infinity which is involved in all true  
love4 ,as in actual life and in the love
 which centers in an earthly object1 a  
good-humored raillery1 which amuses     
itself with some little defect of       
character1 either apparent or real1 is  
not inconsistent with sincerity--not1 at
 least1 when both parties have no doubt 
of each other's affection1 and its ardor
 admits of no increase--but1 on the     
contrary1 lends to it an agreeable      
charm1 even so is this true of that     
other and highest love4 ,here1 too1 an  
apparent1 or it may be an actual1 but   
still only insignificant and trivial    
contradiction1 can not destroy the idea 
on which such a love is based1 but1 on  

the contrary1 serves rather to confirm  
and strengthen it4 ,but only there where
 love has reached the highest           
purity--has become profoundly confirmed 
and perfect--does this appearance of    
contradiction1 which is thrown out in an
 affectionate irony1 fail to alloy or   
weaken all higher and better feeling4   
,and what other foundation could a      
philosophy of life well have and        
recognize as legitimate than the idea of
 such a love8 ,and this is even that    
supposition of life1 viz41 of the inner 
life1 of which ,i formerly said that it 
is the only one which philosophy        
requires1 and from which alone it must  
set out4 ,only it is requisite that this
 love should be personally experienced  
or inwardly felt1 and the notion of it  
derived from immediate experience4      
,directly opposed to those arbitrary    
systems which compose the reigning      
philosophy of the day1 the philosophy of
 life is a science of internal spiritual
 experience1 which1 as it proceeds from1

 so it every where rests on facts2      
though indeed the facts on which it is  
grounded1 and to which it has invariably
 to refer1 are in many respects of a    
high and peculiar kind4 ,on this account
 philosophy may even be called a science
 of divine experience4 ,if man had      
never1 and1 in short1 were incapable of 
having any experience of divine things1 
what could he know of the ,deity with   
certainty8 ,a knowledge devoid of       
experience would be but the arbitrary   
creation or illusion of his own mind--an
 inward fancy1 or the mere reflex of his
 own reason--consequently an absolute   
nullity4 ,and for such a knowledge the  
task would ever be difficult to get rid 
of a mere idealistic conception of the  
,divine ,being1 or at least to repel the
 doubt whether ,he be actually any thing
 more than what such a conception       
represents ,him4 ,and1 in fact1 in most 
treatises and elaborate developments of 
that system of thought which makes man's
 self the exclusive principle and       

standard of truth1 the manner of        
treating the divine nature is extremely 
superficial4 ,such purely formal and    
empty notions on this subject are       
advanced1 that we are often justified in
 applying to these speculations on the  
highest topic of human language and     
thought1 the remark that applies too    
often to lower scientific treatises3    
8,thus it is that men write who have no 
real knowledge of the matter40 8,here we
 at once see there is a total want of   
personal observation2 the work is not   
based on any solid foundation of actual 
experience40  ,now the philosophy of    
life1 in its highest range at least1 is 
a divine science of experience4 ,this   
experience1 however1 is throughout      
internal and spiritual4 ,it is therefore
 easily conceivable that it can enter   
readily and easily into all other       
experimental sciences1 and into those   
especially which more immediately relate
 to man1 as1 for instance1 most of the  
branches of natural history1 and still  

more into philology1 with which at      
present we are most immediately         
concerned4 ,and this it does1 in order  
to borrow such illustrations and        
comparisons as may tend to elucidate or 
further to develop its own              
subject-matter1 or else to furnish      
applications to individual cases in     
other departments of life4 ,however1 in 
thus proceeding1 philosophy must take   
heed lest it overpass its own proper    
limits or forget its true end and aim4  
,it must not go too deeply into         
particulars1 or lose itself among the   
specialities of the other sciences4 ,on 
the contrary1 it ought carefully to     
confine itself to those points which    
more immediately concern man1 and       
especially the inner man1 and1 adhering 
to the meaning and spirit of the whole1 
seek to elucidate and throw out this    
pre-eminently4  ,the question as to the 
origin of language1 or1 more correctly1 
the question how man attained to the    
capacity for this wonderful gift or     

faculty of speech1 which forms so       
considerable and essential a part of his
 whole nature1 if it is to be taken     
merely as a matter of historical        
research and philosophical learning1    
lies out of the circle which we have    
marked out to ourselves4 ,a discussion  
exclusively confined to this special    
branch of philology has little in unison
 with speculations involving the inner  
experience of life and psychological    
observation4 ,there are two opinions    
pretty generally diffused on this       
subject3 the one maintaining that there 
is one primary and original language1   
from which1 as a stem1 all others have  
branched forth2 and the other1 that     
several were cotemporaneously formed4   
,these opinions1 as unfavorably         
affecting the right understanding of the
 essential connection between language  
or speech and thought1 ,i would wish to 
keep out of view1 and consequently ,i   
shall dismiss them with a few passing   
remarks4  ,the one is founded on an     

erroneous hypothesis1 and is itself     
false4 ,it is in open contradiction to  
facts1 as we now know them with         
tolerable completeness4 ,as for the     
other1 even if it be not in itself truly
 and properly false1 it is1             
nevertheless1 based on a great          
misconception1 or at least1 as it is    
commonly propounded1 involves one4  ,the
 former theory consists in this1 that   
language generally1 or1 rather1 several 
cotemporary languages1 as fundamentally 
distinct from each other as the several 
races of men1 who1 as this view asserts1
 sprung up out of the earth1 and its    
primeval slime1 were formed             
spontaneously by a perfectly natural    
process4 ,to the mere animal cries and  
various instinctive exclamations1 either
 of joy and grief1 of passion and want1 
were associated the deliberate          
imitation1 together with a childlike    
mimicry of different sounds1 similar to 
what we may even now observe in         
children1 with whom such mimic          

intonations and mocking word-play is a  
common and favorite amusement4 ,from    
such sensuous beginnings1 it is         
pretended1 a language might have grown  
up1 gradually and slowly1 indeed1 to the
 height of rationality and grammatic    
form and order4 ,that these two         
elements--the animal cries of nature and
 the mechanical imitation of            
sounds--have contributed to the         
development of language1 is a position  
that needs not and can not be           
controverted4 ,this element1 however1 is
 not found in all languages in equal    
measure4 ,it is strongest in those      
languages which stand at the very lowest
 grade of development4 ,among others1   
again1 which having attained very       
rapidly to maturity1 and having at an   
early period branched off into several  
others1 appear1 in their most ancient   
state1 highly intellectual and          
significant1 it is scarcely traceable4  
,but a fatal objection to the hypothesis
 as explaining the universal and        

complete principle of the phenomenon of 
language in all its ramifications1 is   
the fact that the noblest and most      
cultivated languages are found1 upon    
investigation into their earliest state1
 to possess1 even at this date1 the most
 artificial form1 and to be manifoldly  
rich1 and at the same time highly       
regular and simple4 ,and this is        
pre-eminently the case with the         
,sanscrit or ,indian1 in comparison with
 the ,greek1 ,latin1 and other kindred  
languages of the ,west and ,north4 ,in  
those1 on the other hand1 which appear  
to be at the very lowest grade of       
intellectual culture 7and generally     
these stand quite isolated from all     
those in the midst of which they are    
found71 we frequently observe1 on a     
closer acquaintanceship1 a very high and
 elaborate degree of art in their       
grammatical structure4 ,this is         
especially the case with the ,basque and
 the ,lapponian1 and many of the        
,american languages4 ,in the ,chinese1  

this excessive and inappropriate        
expenditure of art has been directed to 
a very peculiar and complicated system  
of writing4 ,there was no place for it  
in the language itself1 which is        
extremely poor1 being in its basis      
excessively1 not to say childishly1     
simple1 and quite ungrammatical4 ,its   
whole verbal treasury does not1 it is   
said1 contain more than three hundred   
and thirty words1 which form the same   
number of single syllables4 ,these1     
however1 acquire a different            
signification by means of accents1 of   
which there are no less than eighty     
thousand2 and even though1 as competent 
judges and the learned aver1 not more   
than the fourth of this large number are
 really necessary and made use of in    
practice1 still the liability to mistake
 must be very great1 since the entire   
language is founded on this artificial  
system of writing1 much more than on its
 living and spoken sounds4 ,hence1 not  
unfrequently1 when even learned ,chinese

 talk together1 they misunderstand each 
other4 ,this1 indeed1 is occasionally   
the case in other countries also4 ,but  
the difference is1 that in the former   
the source of misconception lies in the 
language itself2 and it is only by      
writing down their words1 that the      
,chinese can be sure of intelligibly    
conveying their real meaning4  ,modern  
and experienced philologists have1 in   
consequence of these difficulties1 given
 up that view of language which would   
derive it entirely from the imitation of
 animal cries4 ,plain facts1 indeed1    
speak too decidedly against it4 ,and1 in
 truth1 the chief point to be guarded   
against amid the great variety and the  
immeasurable richness of the phenomena  
of language in general1 is the          
explaining them all by any single       
hypothesis1 or the deriving them from   
one origin4  ,as to the other opinion   
respecting the origin of language3 the  
view and assertion that ,god himself    
brought language to man1 and taught it  

to him1 can not properly excite any     
opposition1 in so far as all that is    
good1 and man's best and original       
prerogatives1 must in reason be derived 
from ,god as their first author4 ,but   
when it is supposed that the language   
which on this hypothesis the first man  
spoke in ,paradise1 and which1 as such1 
is the source of all other later and    
derivative languages1 may still be      
found1 and is to be recognized in any   
one now extant1 as1 e4g41 the           
,hebrew--this assuredly is a great      
error4 ,it involves a total             
misconception of the immense interval   
which separates us from the first origin
 of the world4 ,of the language which   
may have belonged to the first man1     
before he lost his original power1      
perfections1 and dignity1 we are not1   
with our present organs and senses1 in a
 capacity to form an idea4 ,indeed1 we  
are no more able to do this than to     
judge of the nature of the language     
employed by the eternal spirits for the 

immediate interchange of their thoughts1
 which on the wings of light fly        
instantaneously through the wide expanse
 of heaven1 or of those words1 ineffable
 by any created being1 which are uttered
 by the ,deity in ,his inmost being1    
where1 to use the words of the          
,psalmist1 8deep calleth unto deep10 and
 where the fullness of infinite love    
answers to ,eternal ,majesty4  ,but now1
 to descend from this unattainable      
height to our own level1 and to consider
 the first man as he really was3 then in
 the simple statement of the first      
authentic records of mankind1 that ,god 
taught man language1 there is nothing1  
if we adhere to its obvious meaning1    
which is in any way revolting to man's  
natural feelings4 ,for why should it    
make any such startling impression on   
us1 if1 as it ought1 this whole matter  
be understood somewhat in the light of a
 mother teaching her child the first    
rudiments of language8  ,still1 together
 with this simple and childlike         

signification1 it 7like every other part
 of this divine book1 thus written on   
the inside and the out7 possesses also a
 far deeper meaning4 ,that name by which
 each living creature is called by ,god1
 and designated from eternity1 must     
embrace the sum of its inmost           
essence--the key of its existence--the  
reason and the explanation of its being4
 ,as1 indeed1 generally in the ,holy    
,scriptures1 so here1 also1 a high and  
holy import is combined with the notion 
of the name4 ,interpreted1 then1 by this
 profound sense and significance1 this  
brief narrative1 as ,i previously       
pointed out1 conveys the idea that by   
this communication to man by ,god       
,himself1 of the names of all living    
things1 the former was set up as the    
lord and king of nature1 and even as    
,god's vicegerent over the terrestrial  
creation4 ,and indeed this was his      
original destination4  ,if1 then1 no    
existing speech or language can afford  
us an access to this veiled original1   

now become inaccessible to us1 still the
 idea of one primary language1 or1      
perhaps1 of several such1 is certainly  
any thing but devoid of an historical   
foundation4 ,at least it is a very      
natural hypothesis1 and founded in some 
degree on facts1 which must not be      
forthwith rejected1 but requires to be  
tested by further inquiry4 ,it is1      
however1 of no light importance to the  
maintenance of this hypothesis to form a
 right conception of the difference     
between derivatory and mixed languages1 
and1 above all1 to take a comprehensive 
survey of the whole of human language1  
in its nearly boundless wealth1 so far  
as such a survey is serviceable to our  
present object of arriving at a true    
knowledge of man4 ,and how can such a   
profitable application and applicability
 be well doubted8 ,for the genealogical 
tree of human languages1 in its manifold
 ramifications--the growth of language  
shooting forth from epoch to epoch1 with
 all the vast riches of art1 does but   

hold before us1 as it were1 a written   
monument and memorial of the thinking   
consciousness assuming1 so to speak1 a  
bodily shape1 and visibly presenting    
itself before us1 but still on a grand  
historical standard1 and according to   
dimensions which reach over the whole   
habitable globe4 ,that1 therefore1 the  
history of the thinking consciousness   
stands in most intimate connection1 or  
at least in very close relation to the  
science of living thought1 is surely a  
point which requires neither lengthened 
investigation nor an express            
demonstration4  ,in the attempt at this 
juxtaposition1 ,i shall only project    
those points which either are of        
importance for the right understanding  
of the whole1 or of interest in         
themselves4 ,for this purpose ,i shall  
avail myself of nothing but the most    
certain and clearly demonstrated results
 of modern research into the nature and 
history of language4 ,all that may      
appear in any way uncertain1 or would   

lead us too far into the special        
branches of philology1 will be left     
unnoticed4  ,a simile from physical     
science will perhaps lead us by the     
quickest and shortest road to the object
 we are in pursuit of4 ,and1 indeed1 the
 geological branch of natural history   
may well be considered cognate to the   
inquiry before us4 ,for what geology    
properly investigates is the antiquities
 of this terrestrial planet1 and the    
primal condition of the mountain ranges1
 observing and seeking to read the      
long-hidden memorials that are daily    
brought to light of pristine            
convulsions1 and to number the          
successive epochs of gradual change and 
decay4 ,but it was not at once that     
geological science made any progress    
beyond the mere acquaintance with the   
surface of our globe4 ,an insight into  
its primary internal constitution and   
subsequent process of formation was not 
gained until observation had enabled us 
accurately to distinguish between the   

two kinds of rocks--the alluvial and the
 secondary1 with their fossiliferous    
strata of chalk and clay--and the       
primary1 unstratified rocks of granitic 
and similar structure1 and by patient   
and accurate observation of the         
superficial phenomena of the earth in   
different lands and climates to         
establish this classification as a      
general law4 ,now this geological       
distinction admits of application to    
language4 ,those composite languages    
which have been formed out of a mixture 
or aggregation of several1 may be       
compared to the diluvial rocks which    
belong to the secondary formation4 ,as  
the latter have arisen out of or have   
been formed by floods and inundations1  
so these mixed languages owe their      
origin to the great ,european migration 
of nations1 or perhaps were formed by   
the ,east by similar ,asiatic           
migrations1 at a still older epoch1 and 
in primeval times4 ,those languages1 on 
the contrary1 which1 at least as        

compared with those which are manifestly
 mere derivatives from them1 we may call
 primary4 ,in this class we may mention 
the ,roman among those of ,europe1 and  
the ,sanscrit in those of ,asia4 ,these1
 then1 stand on the same line and       
dignity with the so-called primary      
rocks4 ,no doubt1 even in these further 
investigation will discover many traces 
of a mixture1 no less palpable indeed1  
but one1 however1 in which the          
constituents neither were originally so 
heterogeneous1 nor since have continued 
so totally unchanged4 ,for in the same  
manner1 granitic rocks1 and others of   
the primary order1 are also found to be 
composite in their mineral constituents4
 ,these likewise point to a still       
earlier convulsion of nature1 to which  
they owed their first production4       
,unquestionably1 however1 the primary   
mountains form the first line and       
earliest formation among the several    
epochs of revolution which the present  
earth has undergone4 ,but it would be an

 error were we from this simple fact at 
once to draw any inference as to the    
interior of our globe2 for this         
geological and mineralogical distinction
 of the two classes of rocks can not be 
proved to hold good beyond the mere     
surface and coat of the earth4 ,to this 
alone is man's observation and          
experience confined4  ,it is impossible 
to penetrate very far into the interior 
or the central mass of our planet1 and  
investigate its internal constitution1  
and consequently this ring of rock can  
not be regarded in any other light than 
as analogical to the thin covering and  
epidermis of the organic living         
creature4 ,and just so is it with the   
science of language4 ,there are         
undoubtedly languages which1 in a       
certain sense1 we may term primary4     
,only in so doing1 we must not think    
that in any one of them we have         
discovered and possess the long-hidden  
original of all existent languages4 ,if1
 for instance1 from this correct        

geological classification of rock1 any  
bold speculator should go on to assert  
that the whole interior of the earth1 or
 at least the center of it1 is a mass of
 granitic or other primary rock1 we feel
 at once that this would be a baseless  
hypothesis4 ,and it would be as grave an
 error1 in the domain of philology1 were
 we to go on and draw a similar         
conclusion4 ,the ,sanscrit1 for         
instance1 holds unquestionably the      
foremost rank1 as the oldest among those
 which belong to the same family1 and1  
as compared with these1 may undoubtedly1
 in a precise but limited sense1 be     
regarded as a primary language2 but it  
would be an idle assumption were we     
therefore to consider it in the same    
light that ,hebrew was formerly1 and to 
look upon it as the universal original1 
the first source and mother of all other
 languages on the surface of the earth4 
,but not even the historical prerogative
 of a high antiquity--no1 nor even the  
merit of having preserved a primary form

 in greatest purity1 however valuable a 
quality1 is the sole standard of        
excellence in a language1 nor that which
 alone determines its perfection4 ,the  
,english language affords a ready       
illustration of our remark4 ,to it1     
beyond all others1 the designation of   
being a mixed language applies2 indeed  
it corresponds altogether to this       
character4 ,it furnishes at the same    
time a striking proof of the height of  
excellence which even a mixed language  
is capable of attaining2 meeting as it  
does1 all the requisitions of a solemn  
and nervous poetry1 the earnest appeals 
of eloquence1 and the calm flow of      
descriptive prose4 ,and yet1 on         
analysis1 it presents to the grammatical
 eye the somewhat heterogeneous compound
 of two wholly different elements1 whose
 originally chaotic mixture has been    
reduced into a rare and happy           
proportion4 ,for into its original      
,high-,dutch1 or ,anglo-,saxon basis1   
many words have been introduced from the

 ,latin or ,norman-,french1 which among 
the living roots of the former appear so
 far aliens and foreigners1 as1 being   
little capable of grammatical declension
 or derivation1 they do not1 like the   
others1 form so many fruitful verbal    
stems1 from which new forms and         
compounds shoot forth4 ,of ,asiatic     
languages the ,persian is in this       
respect of a similar constitution to the
 ,english4 ,here also the essential     
foundation and living root of the whole 
is some peculiar and old national       
language1 closely akin to the ,sanscrit 
and ,gothic-,german2 but its ,arabian   
admixture is as great in degree as the  
,latin-,french of the ,english1 and     
indeed both were brought in by a similar
 political revolution4 ,still the       
,persian is generally1 and with good    
cause1 praised as a noble language1     
abounding in lively poetical ornament1  
and moreover1 like the ,french in       
,europe is adopted throughout ,asia as  
the general language1 of business and   

conversation4 ,those derivatory         
languages also which stand next in order
 to the mixed1 and in part also belong  
to them1 and which have rather softened 
down than abolished the stricter        
grammatical forms1 having rounded them  
off as it were for greater convenience  
of use1 do not necessarily stand        
inferior to the mother-tongue in grace  
and vigor of composition4 ,on the       
contrary1 in respect of style1 they are 
often vastly superior to them4 ,thus the
 ,italian appears softer and more       
flexible for lyrical verse1 and perhaps 
for every creation of the poetic fancy1 
sweeter and more graceful than its      
,roman mother-tongue4 ,the ,french1 too1
 at least as the language of society1   
moves with an unequalled freedom1 while1
 for precision and distinctness of      
expression1 its prose has attained to an
 unparalleled height of excellence4 ,the
 ,spanish also1 besides being praised   
for the excellence of its prose1 as     
admirably suited either for the dignity 

of serious narrative or the ingenious   
play of wit1 is in poetry distinguished 
above most of its sister dialects by a  
wonderful richness and peculiar grace in
 the playful sallies of the fancy4 ,and 
yet it is a derivative language1 and    
compounded of the most heterogeneous    
elements4 ,for not only it is highly    
probable that the ,gothic-,german       
admixture is even greater in this than  
in any other of the romance dialects    
which sprung up out of the ,latin1 but  
the ,arabic also forms a very           
considerable element in it4  ,but it was
 not to descend into the grammatical    
specialities of philological erudition1 
or to heap up a mass of purely sthetical
 remarks1 that ,i have alluded to these 
pregnant instances4 ,what ,i chiefly had
 in view was to remove1 if possible1 all
 erroneous notions from the conception  
of the primal language4 ,it was1 in     
short1 my object to bring before your   
minds its origin and growth1 according  
to that continuous process which may    

even still be seen going on in any      
spoken language4 ,and although in our   
own neighborhood it is only in a few    
partial instances1 and these far from   
definite1 that we can trace this living 
process1 still they are not on this     
account to be neglected1 since they     
furnish much instruction1 and are       
calculated to throw much light upon the 
whole matter4  ,now1 as regards the     
historical origin1 not only of language 
in general1 but also of its several     
extant dialects1 and especially those   
which relatively to such as are derived 
and compounded out of them may pass as  
primary1 there is one essential point   
toward a right understanding of the     
matter4 ,we must not attempt to account 
for their origination and development   
merely by a mixture and derivation from 
many individual parts1 but rather       
endeavor to set them before our minds as
 productions similar in nature to that  
of a poem or any other piece of art4    
,for the latter are severally the result

 of a conception which1 from the very   
first1 was a whole--they never could    
have been produced by any successive    
agglomeration of atomistic parts4 ,in   
this view of language we must1 in       
thought1 place ourselves at a very      
different epoch of mind from the        
present4 ,now we can not well hesitate  
to allow that1 in the primal period of  
the human race1 and of nations          
individually1 the productive fancy would
 manifest itself in the creation of     
words with far more of inventive genius 
and fertility than would be likely to be
 displayed at a subsequent period of    
mental culture1 when the analytical     
reason had1 step by step1 succeeded in  
gaining the preponderance4  ,commonly1  
indeed1 men speak strangely enough of   
the origin of languages4 ,they talk of  
the matter somewhat in the same fashion 
as it would be to say of a picture1 that
 it had its origin in ochre1 lake1      
ceruse1 asphalt1 and such like coloring 
substances1 together with the addition  

of oil1 which holds here somewhat the   
same place that in language the reason  
does with its grammatical arrangement   
and logical combinations4 ,of these     
motley materials1 it might be said1 one 
little particle after another is laid on
 the canvas1 till1 gradually1 long      
streaks appear1 which again swell       
gradually into fuller and deeper        
outline1 until1 at last1 a complete form
 and figure stands forth1 to which1 at  
last1 there accrues an expressive       
physiognomy4 ,and so1 at last1 the      
picture is finished4 ,but in all this   
description it seems totally forgotten1 
that unless the ideal conception--the   
picture as a whole--had1 from the very  
first1 been present to the mind of the  
painter1 it would never have attained to
 such a realization1 thus growing up1   
step by step1 under the hand of the     
artist4 ,at least1 without this it would
 not be a true artistic work of genius1 
since this is1 in every instance1 the   
result of some foregoing conception of a

 whole4  ,not piecemeal1 therefore1 and 
fragmentarily1 did language arise4 ,it  
came forth1 rather1 at once1 and in its 
totality1 out of the full inner and     
living consciousness of man4 ,we shall  
have no difficulty in thus considering  
it1 if only we can succeed in ideally   
transplanting ourselves to that foretime
 when the thinking faculty was more     
creative1 and when1 in the designation  
and expression of its ideas1 it moved   
more freely and with the elasticity of  
genius4 ,but if speech answers to       
thought1 and if language itself is but a
 true copy1 a shifting diorama1 as it   
were1 of man's inward self1 then 7to    
make use of that oldest record of the   
human race1 which1 as it is better and  
more natural than all others1 so it also
 furnishes the best clew for unraveling 
the riddles of olden tradition71 we     
might well ask whether the language of  
,cain1 the accursed vagabond wandering  
over the face of the earth1 could have  
been the same as that of the pious      

patriarchs and saints of the primeval   
world1 some of whom1 under other names1 
but in equal honor1 are found mentioned 
in the traditions of the ancient        
,persians1 and the sacred books of the  
,hindoos and other ,asiatic nations8 ,or
 could it well have been the same with  
that of ,noah1 the second progenitor and
 the restorer of the human race1 whom1  
likewise1 the earliest traditionary     
records of every people recognize and   
mention4 ,the family of the ,cainites   
holds no inconsiderable place in the    
earliest history of civilization1 and   
the first working of metals1 and the    
invention of several useful arts1 is    
expressly ascribed to them4 ,but still  
their difference in language from the   
other families of the antediluvian      
world1 and generally in their whole     
civil constitution1 must have been very 
great and palpably noticeable4 ,and this
 favors the hypothesis1 which1 in       
itself1 is any thing but impossible1 and
 deserves rather to be called highly    

probable1 of several primary languages1 
or1 at least1 of different epochs in the
 primeval speech of the earliest        
foretime1 which1 moreover1 serve to     
indicate so many natural sections in the
 progression which the mental           
development of the aboriginal family of 
man observed1 and the shapes which its  
mode of thinking successively assumed4  
,now1 if ,i may venture to suggest the  
course in which some such progression   
may1 in idea at least1 be projected and 
traced in the entire system of the vast 
multitudes of languages which exist on  
the face of the earth1 ,i would set out 
with the ,sanscrit4 ,for this is the    
best known and understood of the whole  
,hindoo family1 among which it holds the
 foremost rank as the oldest and most   
complete4 ,to the same class would      
belong first of all the old ,persian1   
the ,gothic-,german1 and the            
,scandinavian1 all of which are most    
intimately related to the former2 then  
the ,greek1 and the ,latin with its many

 derivatives2 and lastly1 according to  
the opinion of competent judges1 nearly 
the whole of the ,slavonic dialects4    
,all these languages1 each in its       
measure1 and in proportion to the       
cultivation it had enjoyed1 are marked1 
especially in their earliest stages1 by 
a very artificial structure and a       
beautiful grammatical arrangement1 but  
pre-eminently by a highly noble poetic  
shape1 combined with an equal degree of 
scientific precision4 ,this1 however1 is
 but one family among many others which 
make up the whole system4 ,the latter1  
however1 stand at a far lower grade of  
development and perfection4 ,among those
 which1 like the ,tartaric-,chinese and 
the ,african1 belong to the latter      
class1 the highly remarkable dialects of
 ,america occupy an important and       
characteristic place4 ,the traveler#fd  
best acquainted with the ,american races
 and dialects has described the former  
as singularly remarkable for the        
degradation to which their mental       

faculties have fallen below the original
 standard1 while he speaks of the latter
 as resembling the relics of some great 
ruin or mighty devastation4 ,on this    
expression of the famous traveler1 which
 agrees so accurately with the idea ,i  
am here developing1 and with the result 
of my own investigation into the course 
of the human mind since the old and     
primal times1 ,i am disposed to lay very
 great stress4 ,for with him it was the 
conviction impressed upon his mind by   
personal observation alone1 unbiassed by
 any preconceived opinion or hypothesis 
favorable to my views4 ,this character  
of deep degradation belongs1 perhaps1 to
 the better class of languages1 since   
they present but little analogy to each 
other in their material elements1 and   
admit scarcely of any classification4   
,at least it forms a distinctive mark of
 them1 and awakens a melancholy         
impression4  ,the ,egyptian1 which1     
since the partial deciphering of its    
hieroglyphics1 is no longer totally     

inaccessible1 belongs1 ,i think1 to this
 second class4 ,in it1 however1 it holds
 a very important place1 and is         
eminently distinguished4 ,for its       
hieroglyphical mode of writing1 by      
combining the alphabetical with the     
symbolical mode of indication1 gave it1 
consequently1 great liberty of choice   
among the different phonetic figures    
which might stand for the same          
alphabetic character1 so that the       
phonetic word was1 as it were1 invested 
with a symbolical garb1 and all alike   
assumed an hieroglyphical tone4 ,some of
 the ,greeks regarded the hieroglyphical
 as the oldest of all human languages2  
and1 indeed1 that somber melancholy     
which seems to reign in all the         
monuments of ancient ,egypt1 might well 
be regarded as a silent witness to the  
great event of the ruin of a primeval   
world4  ,in order to complete our       
subject1 the ,hebrew still remains for a
 general notice in that brief review    
which alone our limits admit of4 ,we    

must1 however1 give such a              
characteristic view of it as will enable
 us correctly to determine the place    
which it is to assume among the rest4   
,apparently1 it stands isolated by      
itself1 belonging altogether to neither 
of the two classes we have described4   
,it seems to favor the conjecture1 that 
a new and peculiar class is necessary to
 embrace all the phenomena in this first
 and oldest epoch of language4 ,this1   
then1 with the two already considered1  
will form three classes4 ,in its radical
 words1 the ,hebrew exhibits only a     
slight relationship to the              
,indo-,european family4 ,this1 however1 
on further examination1 will probably be
 found to be still more considerable4   
,for it is often impossible to recognize
 it at once beneath a totally different 
grammatical form and structure1 and it  
is1 moreover1 withdrawn from immediate  
notice by the difference of its         
predominant mental tendency4 ,we know1  
however1 as an historical fact1 that the

 ,phnician1 which differed from the     
,hebrew only as one dialect from        
another1 was not without some connection
 with the ,greek1 on which it exercised 
no inconsiderable influence4 ,now1 with 
respect to the peculiar character of the
 ,hebrew1 every thing in it is directed 
to the attainment of the highest        
vividness and profound significance4    
,this is even the case with its         
grammatical principle1 which makes all  
its other terms1 whether names of       
objects or qualities1 subordinate to the
 verb4 ,the triplicity1 also1 of the    
roots1 which1 with very few exceptions1 
consist of three letters--which again1  
for the most part1 constitute as many   
syllables--was1 assuredly1 not without a
 significant design1 and possessed1     
collaterally1 a certain mystic allusion4
 ,in its profound significancy and      
compressed brevity--in its figurative   
boldness and prophetical inspiration1   
far more than in any chronological      
precedence of antiquity1 consists the   

peculiar character and high prerogative 
of the ,hebrew4 ,on the other hand1 it  
is somewhat inferior to many others1 as1
 for example1 the ,greek1 in poetical   
forms and shape1 in richness and variety
 of development1 and in precision of    
scientific diction4 ,in its essential   
character1 the ,hebrew language is      
prophetical1 like the people itself1    
even in the present evil days of their  
dispersion--the people in whom the      
living word of the twofold ancient      
prophecy1 now that the ,jews have handed
 it over to the ,gentiles1 has first    
attained its perfect accomplishment4    
,the whole system of the languages of   
man is but the external and visible copy
 and true mirror of his inmost          
consciousness4 ,the different epochs of 
their ancient production are but so many
 terms in the progression observed by   
the human mind in its development4      
,consequently1 language in general1 as  
the clew of memory1 and tradition1 which
 binds together all nations in their    

chronological series and succession1 is1
 as it were1 the common memory and organ
 of recollection for the whole human    
race4 ,it is only in this relation1     
which is certainly important1 and also  
essential to the problem before us1 that
 ,i have thought it allowable to enter  
upon this episode4 ,many of the         
particulars may perhaps have been       
unattractive enough4 ,still ,i trust    
that the general result1 as throwing    
light upon the origin1 or1 rather1 the  
historical rise and oldest development  
of language1 has proved universally     
interesting1 even though at most it has 
but suggested matter for future         
meditation4  ,this result may be        
expressed or briefly comprised in the   
following words3 on our side of that    
obscure interval or great chasm which   
separates us from the hidden and        
inaccessible history of the first       
formation of language1 the first grade  
in its growth is indicated by a deep    
state of decline and a melancholy sense 

of the fact4 ,and yet even from this    
state a highly significant art is not   
altogether excluded1 since we see it    
expressing itself in the beautiful      
symbols of the figurative language of   
,egypt4 ,the second step in the further 
development of human speech is formed by
 the lofty flight which the poetic      
spirit took in the ancient languages1   
which greatly excel all others in beauty
 of form and perfection of structure1 in
 richness of poetical ornament1 and     
perspicuity of scientific precision4    
,some of the oldest fragments in those  
languages are also marked with a        
peculiarly beautiful tone of sarcerdotal
 solemnity1 as is the case with many a  
relic from the earliest period of the   
,latin4  ,but the fuller and higher     
initiation in divine lore1 and a bold1  
religious enthusiasm1 form another and a
 peculiar grade in the historical       
development of language2 and this was   
the third step that it took in this     
earliest and primeval time4 ,and1 as a  

proof that the characteristic just      
alluded to is not derived solely from   
the spirit and tone of the holy writings
 of the ,hebrews1 and that ,i have not1 
without further corroboration1          
transferred it at once to language in   
general1 ,i will add one more remark1   
tending to show that in some degree it  
has its foundation in the very nature   
and grammatical structure of human      
speech itself4 ,in the ,arabic1 which in
 many other respects is closely akin to 
the ,hebrew1 many of these              
characteristic properties may likewise  
be traced1 even though the ,arabians at 
a very early date1 turning aside from   
the simple faith of the old patriarchs1 
gave themselves up to the superstitions 
of magic and astrology1 and1 since the  
times of ,mohammed1 have been animated  
with an inextinguishable and fanatical  
hatred of a profounder truth of         
godliness and the religion of love4  ,i 
called language in general--as being the
 store-house of tradition1 where it     

lives on from nation to nation1 and as  
being the clew of material and spiritual
 connection which joins century to      
century--the common memory of the human 
race4 ,now1 it is this faculty of memory
 which ,i would here seek to give a more
 precise characteristic of4 ,for the    
present seems its appropriate place in  
our series of psychological inquiries1  
according to the relative position which
 it holds in the general system of the  
mental faculties4 ,before entering upon 
this topic1 however1 the position that  
language must not be thought of as being
 in the first instance produced         
piecemeal by the concretion of several  
atomistic and unconnected parts1 but as 
molded in one cast1 and in its totality1
 similarly to a poetical or other       
creation of art1 requires proof and     
corroboration4 ,for this purpose1 then1 
,i would bring to your remembrance a    
fact or phenomenon which is closely     
connected with the investigation into   
the nature of memory1 though it involves

 a marvelous leap of the memory1 or at  
least of its usual method of operation3 
,i am alluding to what1 by an old       
phrase1 is called the gift of           
languages--or that natural gift by which
 certain individuals seem enabled to    
enter all at once into the spirit and   
structure of foreign languages1 and that
 not merely in the case of very simple  
ones1 but even the highly-cultivated and
 artificial languages of modern ,europe4
  ,this phenomenon of the soul          
transporting itself1 or1 as it were1    
transported all at once into a language 
previously quite strange to it1 so as to
 understand any spoken or written       
composition in it1 is certainly not one 
of ordinary occurrence2 and1 in truth1  
whenever it manifests itself strongly   
and decidedly1 it closely borders on the
 marvelous4 ,still it is a fact         
sufficiently well known1 and neither    
unheard of nor rare4 ,on the other hand1
 the higher and active case of the same 
phenomenon1 which is marked1 not merely 

by the understanding but also by the    
speaking of a language never before     
learned1 and which was meant by the gift
 of tongues in the old sense1 is        
certainly a really miraculous fact4 ,but
 even this is acknowledged and believed1
 and there is no sufficient reason for  
calling in question the ancient         
witnesses to the fact1 merely on account
 of the nature of it4  ,i called this   
fact a wonderful leap of the memory4    
,for however subordinate this faculty   
may in other respects appear relatively 
to those which every where make         
prominent claim to the spontaneous burst
 of genius1 still1 even in the case of  
memory1 its first spring and origin is  
often veiled and inexplicable1 and it   
presents many points of view leading to 
profoundest questioning1 and suggesting 
grave investigation4  ,in our           
psychological survey of the whole human 
mind1 we set out with its four leading  
faculties1 as arranged under the two    
contrarieties of understanding and will1

 of reason and fancy4 ,besides these    
four leading faculties1 there are       
several1 perhaps1 just as many others1  
derived indeed from the former1 but     
still not so much subordinate to them   
7for in another relation they appear    
equally important and not less essential
 than them7 as rather co-ordinate with  
them and having a peculiar function     
assigned to them4 ,of these ,i have in  
my former ,lectures analyzed and        
described the conscience as the moral   
instinct for right and wrong1 when ,i   
named it the reason applied to the will1
 or1 rather1 as ,i preferred to consider
 it1 as a peculiar and independent      
faculty1 intermediate between reason and
 will1 and being an immediate feeling   
and judgment as to what is good and evil
 in human desires and actions4 ,now1    
just as conscience is a mean between    
reason and will1 so is memory           
intermediate between reason and         
understanding4 ,with both of them it is 
closely connected4 ,memory1 on the one  

hand1 is the treasure-house of the      
understanding2 indeed1 it is the        
understanding hitherto acquired and     
worked out1 now laid and stored up4 ,on 
the other hand1 as the clew and thread  
of recollection1 memory furnishes that  
ground and principle of association in  
the consciousness1 on which reason      
itself and its exercise is dependent4   
,so entirely is this the case1 that the 
partial or total loss of memory1 from   
sickness or old age1 though producing no
 derangement of the reason1 is1         
nevertheless1 followed by a partial     
decline and slowness of rational        
thought1 which occasionally amounts to a
 general deadening and extinction of the
 rational faculty4 ,the close connection
 between memory and understanding is    
especially visible in children1 in whom 
the first faint opening of intellect is 
generally simultaneous with the first   
apperception of self and retention of   
external impressions or signs4 ,the     
understanding is that thinking and      

cognition of individuals1 which is even 
the act of intellection4 ,consequently1 
the individual mark and characteristic  
sign in the function of memory belongs  
to the understanding2 but the combining 
link between these individual           
conceptions or signs--their permanent   
association--is the reason's share in   
memory2 for the latter is the knowing   
and consciousness which1 in the coherent
 whole of associated and illative       
thought1 is conversant about general    
notions4  ,and here arises a question   
similar to that which we started in our 
investigation of language4 ,must we     
assume1 at the first awakening and      
hidden spring of memory1 a divine       
impulse1 so to speak1 or a higher       
foundation for it from before the       
beginning of this terrestrial existence8
 ,or1 indeed1 since on this subject many
 theories have been started of old1 and 
are ever springing up1 to retain a place
 among the world's floating opinions1   
what are we to think of these views     

tested by that knowledge of our inmost  
consciousness which the observation of  
life furnishes8 ,how far do our feelings
 and reflections justify or limit them8 
,among these opinions is the hypothesis 
revived by ,leibnitz1 of innate ideas1  
or1 rather1 according to the most recent
 exposition of it1 of certain forms of  
thought essential to the reason1        
existing1 antecedently to experience1 in
 its fundamental scheme1 and1 as it     
were1 engraven in it4 ,now all such     
opinions1 whatever variations they may  
present1 arise1 without exception1 from 
the ,platonic notion of the anamnesis   
possessed by the soul from a previous   
existence1 and1 moreover1 they agree    
with the dogma of the metempsychosis1   
which1 ,indian in its origin1 is1       
however1 widely diffused among other    
nations also4  ,a real and actual       
pre-existence1 however1 of the human    
soul1 as it does not admit of any       
historical proof1 so is it not easily   
reconcilable with our own feelings1 nor 

with our general sentiments on the      
relation we stand in to ,god1 and the   
divine economy in the government of the 
world4 ,and as for the ancient belief in
 the migration of souls1 it can not1    
however remarkable for its wide         
diffusion1 be regarded in any other     
light than an arbitrary creation of     
fancy and a kind of mythology of the    
soul4 ,moreover1 with regard to the     
theory of essential forms of thought    
impressed on the reason antecedently to 
all experience and prior to the first   
awakening of consciousness1 it is based 
on a view of the reason which would make
 it a universal receptacle of the       
thought1 divided into greater and less  
chambers and compartments4 ,it is thus  
made the residuum or dead precipitate of
 the natural functions of the living    
cogitation1 and of the law of life which
 rules therein1 which1 thus arranged in 
rank and row1 are placed before us1 like
 the dried specimens of an herbarium1 or
 like the butterflies pinned to the     

entomologist's case1 from each of which1
 however1 amid the mechanical           
arrangement1 the true1 delicate1        
light-winged ,psyche has long since     
flown away4 ,and since in philosophy our
 first object must be to seize1 if      
possible1 the living thought in its very
 life1 and to give to it also a living  
expression1 or at least to paint it     
after the life1 it is not easy to see to
 what end this so circumstantial        
procedure is to lead4 ,the whole        
hypothesis1 in short1 seems useless and 
superfluous4 ,as to the principle or    
hypothesis of innate ideas1 which in    
truth requires to be kept perfectly     
distinct from the one previously        
considered1 it is quite conceivable that
 it may be a right method for the       
artist1 who is ever in pursuit of the   
ideal1 and in some cases also for the   
thinker1 to present to his mind the     
object of his conception1 and which he  
is seeking ideally to manifest1 such as 
with a similar end it would appear      

before and be contemplated by the divine
 mind4 ,at any rate1 such a mode of     
thought would greatly facilitate the    
execution of his ideal conception4 ,but 
if what is meant by this theory is an   
antecedent intellectual intuition of the
 pure ideas in the divine mind1 then we 
are brought again to the difficult and  
debatable hypothesis of an actual       
pre-existence4 ,moreover1 when we go    
into details1 and attempt to apply this 
theory to particular instances1 we are  
at once involved in the greatest        
perplexity4 ,for what1 even in the      
department of art1 are we to understand 
by the inborn idea of a noble1          
wide-spreading tree1 of a beautiful     
flower1 a grand and well-proportioned   
architectural edifice1 or other         
monument8 or a vigorous animal1 or noble
 human form8 and what meaning1 in the   
domain of practical life1 would it      
convey1 to talk of the innate idea of a 
skillful general1 or of a wise          
financier8 ,we can not1 indeed1 imagine 

to what good end this hypothesis can    
serve or lead1 and1 consequently1 as    
soon as it is taken for any thing more  
than a mere figure of thought1 it       
involves us in new1 if it does not      
entangle as again in the old1           
inextricable difficulties4  ,the        
question1 however1 admits of a more     
general sense4 ,without supposing that  
there is1 inborn in the human soul1 a   
whole system of notions and forms of    
thought--a whole world1 in short1 of all
 possible ideas--may there not have been
 imparted to it from above a higher     
gift1 which1 naturally1 is only called  
into action simultaneously with the     
awakening of the rest of the human mind1
 or of the mind generally8 ,if so1 would
 it not appear to the soul in the form  
of a memory2 and1 in a certain sense1 be
 really such1 though1 indeed1 not so    
much a memory of the part as of         
eternity8 ,this is a question which1    
advanced in this sense1 can not1 ,i     
think1 be absolutely negatived2 not that

 any essential necessity or actual      
ground exists for it2 but that1         
carefully guarded by certain            
limitations1 it is an hypothesis that   
may1 without hesitation1 be assumed or  
conceded4 ,can it1 in truth1 well be    
doubted that every spiritual being1     
created by infinite love1 has had       
imparted to him a share in the source of
 eternal love1 which is to remain his   
forever1 or so long1 at least1 as the   
connection with the supreme source of   
his being is not violently broken and   
rent asunder8 ,if1 then1 such a portion 
is to remain forever the property of    
every created spiritual being1 it must  
assume a definite place in his          
consciousness1 and1 in the development  
of the latter1 manifest itself in its   
due place4 ,as regards1 indeed1 the     
human soul1 this supposition can1 with  
less justice1 be denied1 the more       
universally and pre-eminently the       
prerogative of a high degree of         
resemblance to the divine image is      

ascribed to it4  ,now1 this             
participation in ,god1 as the primary   
source of eternal love1 which abides    
forever in the human soul1 and which    
becomes extinct in one extreme case     
alone--this divine endowment of the     
human consciousness from above--can only
 be thought of and described as the     
recollection of eternal love2 and this1 
moreover1 is the only innate idea in the
 human mind which it is possible or     
allowable to assume4  ,the thought of an
 original recollection in man--which1   
properly1 is not of a mere foretime1 but
 of eternity1 but which1 in all         
propriety1 still admits of being termed 
a recollection--has brought us to the   
notion of time and eternity1 and to the 
question of their reciprocal            
relation--of which the true and correct 
view is probably very different from    
that which commonly prevails4 ,but this 
is a topic which1 for its further and   
complete elucidation1 demands a special 
investigation4     ,,lecture ,,iv4      

,the idea of a pre-existence of the soul
 in an earlier and different state of   
being from the present1 is a delusion   
and groundless hypothesis1 arbitrarily  
tacked on to ,plato's doctrine of the   
anamnesis or of innate ideas4 ,as such1 
it is calculated to involve us in       
innumerable difficulties4 ,i have1      
however1 endeavored to show that the    
doctrine itself is distinct1 and can be 
kept separate1 from this arbitrary      
admixture4 ,stripped of all extraneous  
additions1 the essential parts of this  
,platonic doctrine of a higher memory   
have always possessed a powerful        
attraction for many deep thinkers and   
noble minds4 ,from its first authors    
down to ,leibnitz1 it has made a deep   
and lasting impression1 which has ever  
enabled it from time to time to recover 
its ascendency4 ,in its purer sense and 
more simple and legitimate view1 we may1
 ,i asserted1 understand by it no       
completely lifeless and mechanical      
system of all the possible ideas which  

reason may evolve in the human mind1    
antecedently arranged and classified1   
but an idea of his divine origin innate 
or implanted in his mind1 which can not 
be otherwise or more simply indicated   
than by the expression we have chosen to
 designate it--of a recollection of     
eternal love4 ,but this recollection1 ,i
 affirmed1 is not so much the           
remembrance merely of some special past1
 which would again lead us to an actual 
pre-existence of the human soul1 as a   
remembrance of eternity2 and it is in   
this light that the whole idea must be  
regarded1 if it is to be allowed any    
force4 ,now1 this gives rise to and     
calls for a closer investigation into   
the mutual relation and whole conception
 of time and eternity4  ,this faculty of
 remembrance is of an entirely different
 kind from the ordinary exercise and    
function of memory4 ,this state1 this   
quality or power of the soul1 or        
whatever else it may be called1 might be
 appropriately termed a transcendental  

memory1 if it were not out of season1 or
 if any advantage would be gained by    
renewing the already half-forgotten and 
involved terminology of the philosophic 
schools of the last generation4 ,yet    
this would but be a change of name for  
the self-same idea and object1 which at 
best could only serve to exhibit more   
distinctly and clearly1 and from many   
points of view1 whatever is peculiar in 
the nature of such an unusual idea1 or  
its new and unusual sense1 as well as   
the proper and difficult focus of       
inquiries and investigations of this    
nature4 ,but the point upon which       
depends the decision of the whole       
matter1 or1 rather1 from which alone its
 right explanation can and must proceed1
 is1 as already stated1 the mutual      
relation between time and eternity1 and 
a just conception of both4  ,usually1 or
 at least oftentimes1 eternity is       
explained and understood as being the   
entire cessation1 the perfect           
nonexistence and unconditional negation 

of all time4 ,but this would involve at 
the same time the negation of life and  
all living existence 771#fe so that     
nothing would remain but an absolute    
negative1 which is a void entity and    
perfect nullity4  ,in place of the      
endless contradictions to which all     
negation generally1 and especially the  
absolute negation of time1 can not but  
lead--in place of that to which the     
,english poet's phrase of 8darkness     
visible0 is applicable1 ,i would offer a
 description of the idea of eternity1   
which may1 perhaps1 render it less      
incomprehensible4 ,eternity1 as ,i      
should define it1 is the all-embracing1 
completely complete time1 which is      
infinite1 not only 8a parte extern10    
i4e41 ever-passing1 yet everlasting1    
without beginning and without end1 but  
also infinite 8a parte intern20 so that 
in the endlessly living1 thoroughly     
luminous present1 and in the blissful   
consciousness thereof1 the whole past1  
and also the whole future1 are equally  

actual1 equally clear1 and equally      
present to us as the very present       
itself4 ,for can we form any other      
conception of a state of bliss8 ,nay1 is
 not this idea of the fullness of time  
entirely one and the same1 and exactly  
coincident with that state which at     
least we are able to think of1 and      
indeed can not well avoid thinking of8  
and is not this also the only form of   
existence applicable to the divine      
consciousness1 on the assumption and    
belief not of any mere divine essence1  
but of an actual living and             
self-conscious ,godhead8 ,that1 at      
least1 the idea of time is not          
absolutely excluded from the life and   
essence or the operations of the living 
,god of revelation1 there exists in the 
latter abundant indication1 testimony1  
and proof4 ,almost all the expressions  
there chosen for this matter allude to  
that full and divine time1 in which     
yesterday and to-morrow are as to-day1  
and 8a thousand years as one day10 and  

many others which convey the same idea1 
but in no ways apply to the false notion
 of eternity which makes it the absolute
 negation of all time4 ,the very ,hebrew
 name of ,god furnishes a confirmation  
of this assertion4 ,and ,i may here     
indulge myself with producing it1 since 
we shall be able to accomplish this     
object without entering into an analysis
 of the language itself1 and its sense  
can be made perfectly clear according to
 the sense of our own language1 without 
any circumlocution or periphrase4  ,in  
the sacred volume of the ,old           
,testament1 two names are used to       
designate the ,supreme ,being4 ,the one 
is perfectly general1 and signifies the 
idea of ,god or the ,deity absolutely1  
being also applied to the gods of the   
heathen1 and occasionally employed      
simply to signify angels and spirits4   
,the other1 however1 is exclusively     
given to the true and living ,god of    
revelation4 ,this word is derived from a
 ,hebrew root1 which signifies 8to be10 

or1 rather1 since we can hardly expect  
to find in these ancient languages1 and 
in the primary significations of the    
radical words1 the idea of a simple     
abstract existence1 it means life1 a    
positive living existence4 ,in one place
 this name1 which is made up of four    
letters1 is explained and interpreted as
 signifying 8,i am that ,i am10 or1 more
 accurately1 8,i am that ,i shall be40  
,now1 this is as much as to say1 the    
true and living ,god of revelation1 ,he 
who from the beginning has manifested   
forth ,his glory in creation1 and who   
ever since is continually manifesting   
,himself1 internally1 at least1 to the  
whole human race and to each individual1
 though1 in truth1 often unattended to  
and little regarded1 and who will still 
more gloriously reveal ,himself in the  
end of time1 that is1 of this earthly   
duration and period of change1 or1 as it
 is expressed in ,sacred ,writ1 in the  
fullness of time1 or when time itself   
shall be accomplished4  ,now1 here it is

 evident the idea of time is not        
absolutely excluded from a conception of
 the essence and operations of ,god4 ,on
 the contrary1 this description involves
 the idea of full and complete time1    
which lasts from eternity to eternity1  
and to the height of which1 when the    
hour shall have come1 that is to say1 at
 the final consummation1 this our       
earthly time1 in whose fetters this our 
world of sense is now held1 shall be    
raised and glorified4  ,the question1   
therefore1 is properly to determine     
whether there exists such an absolute   
opposition between time and eternity    
that it is impossible for them to       
subsist in any mutual contact or        
relation1 but the one necessarily leads 
to the negation of the other1 or        
whether1 at least1 there is not some    
conceivable transition from the one to  
the other4 ,now1 in the former view1    
since the absolute1 universally1 and    
most especially thinking as well as     
absolute willing1 forms the destructive 

principle in life1 there lies1 perhaps1 
the first source1 not only of false     
systems1 but also of the metaphysical   
prejudices which man's intellect        
nourishes1 and especially of all the    
deeply-rooted1 inborn1 or hereditary    
errors of the reason4 ,on the other     
hand1 according to the theory on which  
our present speculations are based1 both
 time and eternity are not incompatible 
with or in hostile and irreconcilable   
opposition to each other4 ,their ideas  
do not mutually destroy each other4     
,certain definite connecting-links and  
points of contact and transition exist  
between them4 ,the contrariety is not an
 incomprehensibly absolute one of       
eternal negation1 but rather a living   
one1 similar to the distinction between 
life and death1 or that between evil and
 good4 ,so long as we believe in a great
 and irreconcilable contrariety between 
time and eternity1 such as at the first 
delusive aspect they present themselves1
 we can not hope to extricate ourselves 

from the labyrinth in which external    
things and our own internal reflections 
involve the mind4 ,this can only be     
effected by the idea of a twofold time1 
such as it is our purpose accurately to 
define and bring before you4 ,and this  
notion of a twofold time arises from the
 difference between the one perfect and 
blissful time1 which is naught else than
 the inner pulse of life in an          
overflowing eternity1 without beginning 
and without end1 and that other time    
which is prisoned and fettered in this  
lower world of sense1 where the stern   
present alone is prominent1 and lords it
 over all else with despotic sway--the  
past being lost in darkness and sunk in 
the night of death2 while the future1   
now advancing1 now receding1 hovers like
 a shadow1 in an obscure1 glimmering1   
and deceptive twilight1 until the now   
brilliant present passes away1 and in   
its turn becomes as nothing1 being      
buried in the darkness of death1 which  
shrouds all past and former existence4  

,and as there is a twofold time1 so also
 may we1 in relation to ,god and the    
world1 distinguish a twofold eternity4  
,let us1 for this purpose1 contemplate  
the whole creation1 including not only  
this visible world of sense1 but also   
the invisible world of spirits1 either  
in its original perfection1 which it    
possessed when it issued unsullied from 
the hand of the ,creator1 or even in    
that state of perfection1 which1        
glorified and perfected1 and become     
imperishable1 it is to enjoy when the   
course of earthly time shall have run   
out1 and when there shall be no more    
death4  ,now1 relatively to either its  
original perfection or that to which it 
is finally to be restored1 we can not   
better designate the universe than by   
terming it the created1 while ,god is   
the uncreated eternity4 ,the world1     
however1 according to what we know of it
 from revelation1 is not absolutely     
such4 ,it is eternal only from one point
 of view1 that1 namely1 which looks     

forward to its everlasting1 continuous1 
and blessed duration1 and not from that 
of its first origin4 ,for the world 7if 
it was1 as we are taught1 created out of
 nothing7 had a beginning--a precise    
beginning--which took place in time4    
,and this fact1 again1 suggests and     
confirms the remark how the idea of     
time1 which is unquestionably involved  
in that of the beginning of the         
universe1 is not absolutely excluded    
from the essence and operations of the  
,godhead1 at least of the living and    
personal ,god of revelation4 ,on this   
point1 however1 ,i would wish to say no 
more than this3 here is the decisive    
point--two distinct1 opposite1 or       
diverging paths lie before us1 and man  
must choose between them4 ,the          
clear-seeing spirit1 which1 in its      
sentiments1 thoughts1 and views of life1
 would be in accordance with itself1 and
 would act consistently to them1 must in
 any case take one or the other4 ,either
 there is a living ,god1 full of love1  

even such a one as love seeks and yearns
 after1 to whom faith clings1 and in    
whom all our hopes are centered 7and    
such is the personal ,god of            
revelation71 and on this hypothesis the 
world is not ,god1 but is distinct from 
him1 having had a beginning1 and being  
created out of nothing2 or there is only
 one supreme form of existence1 and the 
world is eternal1 and not distinct from 
,god2 there is absolutely but one1 and  
this eternal one comprehends all1 and is
 itself all in all2 so that there is    
nowhere any real and essential          
distinction2 and even that which is     
alleged to exist between evil and good  
is only a delusion of a narrow-minded   
system of ethics1 or of conventional    
prejudices1 that man allows to pass as  
such1 and holds externally in honor1 but
 which intrinsically1 and as tested by  
the rigor of science1 has no real and   
substantial import4 ,now1 the necessity 
of this choice and determination presses
 urgently upon our own time1 which      

stands midway between two worlds4       
,generally it is between these two paths
 alone that the decision is to be made1 
since all the doubts and opinions which 
branch off between them are nothing more
 than the still unsettled oscillations1 
assuming in appearance a fixed          
scientific shape1 or a vague mixture of 
narrow and imperfect views1 which are   
just as far from having taken any       
precise form or determination4 ,but the 
choice between them must be perfectly   
free4 ,no one's conviction can be forced
 to adopt either one or the other4 ,for 
that which is to constitute the inmost  
sentiment and thought of a man1 or the  
first1 last1 and deepest foundation of  
all his sentiments1 does not admit of   
being imposed upon him extrinsically as 
the condition of controversial defeat1  
without his own internal consent and    
agreement4 ,it can not enforce his      
assent as easily as a mere process of   
calculation4  ,but now1 if eternity is  
nothing else but time1 vitally full1    

illimitably perfect1 and blissfully     
complete1 who1 we may ask1 first of all 
caused or produced this earthly1        
fettered1 and fragmentary time1 which   
seems but the great bond-chain of the   
whole world of sense--and what1 then1 is
 this time itself8 ,i might answer this 
latter question by the words of the     
poet1 that it 8is out of joint40#ff ,for
 although originally employed of a      
particular period of history1 they      
admit1 ,i think1 of a more extensive and
 universal signification1 and possess an
 entirely metaphysical application4 ,and
 what1 in short1 is metaphysics1 or what
 do we name metaphysical1 but that which
 transcends our ordinary nature and the 
earthly and limited world of sense8 ,and
 man can not abandon or get rid of all  
hopes1 all prospects of eternity1 in    
short1 the thoughts which1 partly1 at   
least1 outrun these narrow limits4 ,for 
if so1 he must at the same time be      
willing to cease to be a man1 in the    
full1 and true1 and highest sense of the

 word4 ,consequently1 as often as he    
adventures a bolder flight of thought   
and inquiry into that elevated region1  
then his words and phrases must also    
transcend the familiar sense and        
ordinary use of language4  ,i would not1
 however1 be understood as asserting    
that the language of philosophy1 in its 
descriptions of supersensuous things and
 ideas1 should anxiously avoid all      
living expression and every thing       
lifelike 774 ,for1 in strict rigor this 
is neither possible nor practicable1 and
 in any case would lead to a mere       
abstract nothingness4 ,on the contrary1 
the more vivid1 the more striking1 and  
apparently startling1 the more boldly   
figurative and rare are the terms or    
forms of expression employed1 the more  
pertinently and clearly do they often   
convey our meaning1 and the more happily
 chosen and to the point do they appear4
  ,in proof and confirmation of this    
assertion1 ,i would appeal to the       
language of ,holy ,writ4 ,most1 if not  

all its descriptions of matters         
belonging to the invisible world1 and   
the supersensuous regions of thought1 or
 metaphysical subjects1 if we could     
still recall or still experience the    
first fresh impression1 would at once be
 confessed to be the boldest that       
language has ever ventured upon4 ,long  
familiarity1 however1 has made them seem
 ordinary and tame4 ,and it is necessary
 to contemplate them long and intensely1
 if we would revive their original      
fullness and peculiar significancy4 ,in 
a very recent epoch of science1 there   
prevailed a somewhat similar view of    
this subject4 ,in ,lessing especially it
 is traceable4 ,for1 as often as he     
entered this region of inquiry1 he for  
the most part designedly employed a free
 and bold style of language1 similar to 
that which occasionally ,i have         
attempted myself to adopt4 ,now1 if it  
be allowable in this way to apply to    
time poetical phrases1 similar to the   
one above quoted of 8,time out of       

joint10 giving them at the same time a  
more universal and entirely metaphysical
 sense1 ,i would1 in the further        
consideration of the whole question as  
to time1 advance the following remarks4 
,if eternity is essentially nothing else
 than the fullness of time1 which       
consequently is in itself complete and  
blissful1 then the time which is 8out of
 joint10 the deranged and distracted    
time of sense1 is naught but eternity   
fallen or brought into a state of       
disorder4 ,here1 then1 the further      
question presents itself1 8,who can have
 plunged it into disorder1 and          
perpetrated this jarring interference   
with the primeval harmony1 disturbing   
the inner pulse of the world's universal
 life1 which was originally so sound80  
,according to one of these two views    
which ,i so lately spoke of as lying    
before men to choose between1 all this  
is but a deception--a mere illusion1    
produced by the imperfection of our     
senses4 ,even pain and misfortune1      

equally with what is called evil1 exist 
only for the poetical purpose of        
creating1 by the skill and spirit with  
which they are treated1 transient1      
overpowering impressions1 which are     
ultimately to give place to more        
elevating emotions4 ,but in the other   
view1 which is here adopted as our      
fundamental conviction1 the answer is   
easily found4 ,or1 rather1 it is one    
long since given1 and generally known4  
,since all the elementary forces and    
original powers in creation can only be 
regarded as spiritual1 therefore the    
power or might which threw both time and
 existence1 universal life and the whole
 world1 into disorder1 could have been  
no other than the spirit of absolute    
negation which rose in revolt against   
the primary source both of itself and of
 all4 ,the power and influence of this  
spirit of eternal contradiction and     
endless destruction1 which in another   
place ,i designated the inventor of     
death1 can not be rightly deemed either 

slight or insignificant1 if he be with  
justice entitled 8the ,prince and ,ruler
 of this world40 ,by this term we can   
not understand any so-called 8spirit of 
the age40 ,not1 at least1 in the        
ordinary sense of the term1 in which it 
signifies the spirit which has          
originally arisen out of the age itself1
 and in its sphere brilliantly          
predominant1 but which at the same time 
transcends in some way that sphere1     
either blending itself with some equally
 great1 if not still more exalted1 past1
 or with some new and future era4 ,for  
with all its excellence of greatness1 it
 is still perhaps partial and narrow in 
its views2 and in any case1 so soon as  
the particular age shall be over1 it too
 will finally pass away and decline with
 it4 ,it is1 rather1 the very spirit    
that originally introduced the whole of 
that disjointed time4 ,it is1 therefore1
 the author of this fallacious world of 
sense--the supreme ruler and universal  
king of all the several periods and eras

 which belong to it1 and are so linked  
together1 that as one succeeds and      
passes into the other1 all of them in   
succession are finally absorbed in the  
general abyss of eternal nothingness4   
,consequently is it the supreme lord2   
all these so-called spirits of the times
 which are derived from the primary and 
supreme spirit of the age1 being1 so to 
speak1 his absolute subjects and        
ministers4 ,now1 the belief in such a   
spiritual power of evil1 and even the   
idea of it1 simply and nakedly as in    
other times it is presented to us1 is   
almost wholly lost sight of in the      
present day4 ,the expressions of a      
former faith for what it is now the     
fashion to call 8the spirit of the age0 
have become antiquated1 and make but    
little impression1 being for the most   
part scarcely even regarded1 or else    
ingeniously explained away1 if not      
derided from the height of a superior   
enlightenment4 ,amid the killing        
monotony of a sleepy skepticism into    

which men's views of the world and      
things had fallen1 and as contrasted    
with a philosophy1 neutral from its     
origin1 and finally indifferent to every
 thing1 the celebrated ,english author  
of ,cain makes a gratifying exception by
 his vigorous and vivid language1       
giving1 at least honor where honor is   
due1 and calling things by their right  
names4 ,accordingly1 he paints to the   
life the king of the spirits of the     
everlasting abyss and the ruler of this 
world1 in all his majesty of darkness1  
so that we often wonder whence he could 
have derived all the tints and touches  
of truth1 and are almost tempted to ask 
whether this striking portrait1 thus    
executed with a genius and fidelity     
surpassing all similar poetical         
delineations1 does not owe much if not  
all its truth to a personal             
acquaintance4  ,but1 however1 this      
deadly spirit of absolute negation1     
though the name be now scarcely ever    
heard except in poetry1 has not         

therefore lost1 as yet1 his dominion    
over this world of time and the science 
thereof4 ,on the contrary1 in the       
baseless and arbitrary systems which the
 philosophy of the day propounds1 he is 
acknowledged more than ever1 though it  
be with an unconscious reverence4 ,as   
the idol of absolute rationalism1 most  
highly is he lauded1 not to say deified4
 ,it is1 in fact1 remarkable that1 in   
many of the most extreme systems of     
absolute reason1 the whole section of   
theology is exclusively confined to the 
negative view of the divine truth4      
,almost the whole of it1 if only a few  
slight changes be made in the more      
important phrases1 may far more         
consistently apply to the primal        
antagonist of eternal love and of       
revelation1 than to that beneficent     
,being himself4  ,and even in those     
systems of rationalism which are less   
spiritually perverse and less           
extravagant1 but still equally          
subversive of a right knowledge of the  

highest truths1 the divine nature is    
frequently if not always confounded with
 that nothing out of which ,he has      
created the world4 ,or1 perhaps1 in some
 more tragic view of the universe1 that 
rigid law of time which operates on the 
world of sense1 and which gives it up as
 a prey to misery1 is1 at least         
poetically1 deified as the blind fate of
 an iron necessity4 ,now1 if eternity is
 in itself and originally nothing more  
than the living1 full1 and essential    
time1 which is still invisible771 and if
 our earthly shackled and fettered time 
of sense is but an eternity 8out of     
joint10 or fallen a prey to disorder1 it
 is easily conceivable that the two do  
not stand apart and have no mutual      
contact4 ,on this hypothesis they may   
possess many a common point of          
transition from one sphere into the     
other4 ,at least such a point of        
transition is in general experience     
afforded us by death1 which is mostly   
looked upon and regarded in this light4 

,trivial as may sound the sentiment so  
commonly uttered of the dead1 that they 
have changed time for eternity1 still we
 can not well question the correctness  
of the notion on which the expression is
 founded4 ,now1 these questions about   
time and eternity nearly concern1 and in
 many ways interest1 every thoughtful   
mind1 not only by their connection with 
life and death1 but generally with all  
existence and consciousness4 ,i can not1
 therefore1 approve of the wish to      
exclude them entirely from the          
philosophy of life1 as lying beyond the 
ordinary range of the practical         
intellect1 and1 therefore1 with all     
similar matters of unprofitable         
disputation1 to be abandoned to the     
theologian and the student4 ,on the     
contrary1 ,i have felt it to be most    
agreeable to the position which ,i have 
taken up1 and the view which it opens   
out1 to hazard at least an experiment1  
and to try whether it be not possible to
 express these subjects1 and to set them

 forth in language at once appropriate  
and generally intelligible4  ,religious 
people often speak of death1 sometimes  
generally as a 8return10 at others with 
a further addition as 8a return home40  
,such modes of speaking1 ,i admit1      
merely as such1 and especially when they
 are uttered as so many empty phrases1  
unaccompanied with real feeling1 and    
repeated without discrimination1 in     
season and out of season1 are not1      
perhaps1 calculated to make a very deep 
impression4 ,still a very beautiful but 
grave meaning is1 nevertheless1         
contained in them1 and one which throws 
out very strongly the purely spiritual  
aspect of the matter4 ,but here1 then1 a
 difficulty immediately presents itself4
 ,the question arises1 how can we be    
said to go back or return to a place    
where1 in fact1 we never were before1 or
 how can that be rightly called our     
home1 which in our present life we first
 seek1 and are to find and learn to     
consider as such4 ,in short1 the        

difficulty recurs in the same manner as 
the somewhat similar questions which are
 involved by ,plato's notion of an      
anamnesis1 so long as it is conceived1  
not 7as we would understand it7 as a    
recollection of eternity1 but quite     
literally as that of a former state of  
things4 ,but if1 agreeably to a vivid   
conception of time and eternity1 a less 
absolute distinction prevails between   
these two ideas1 and many points of     
contact and transition from one to the  
other may be found1 of which death is   
one1 all the difficulty is removed1 and 
every thing in our view and hypothesis  
becomes easily intelligible and         
self-evident4 ,it is1 at least1 one     
aspect of death1 and a cheerful one too1
 which exhibits it as a transition from 
time into eternity1 or out of a fettered
 and distracted time into that which is 
true1 perfect1 and blissful4 ,in truth1 
however1 much more is involved herein4  
,for death1 in general1 is no simple    
event1 but a very complicated           

phenomenon4 ,no doubt that feature which
 stands out most fearfully in the whole 
event1 throwing into the shade and      
obscuring its other higher and more     
spiritual elements1 is the sufferings of
 disease1 which are often so            
agonizing--the pang of dissolving and   
decaying organization in the last awful 
struggle of nature1 as it tears itself  
so reluctantly from life4 ,but even in  
the midst of all this1 occasionally1 at 
least1 another and a better state       
intervenes4 ,a cessation of all physical
 pain seems suddenly to occur1 and to be
 followed by an almost joyous1 or1 at   
least1 composed state1 which may be     
often regarded as the harbinger of      
approaching dissolution4 ,medical       
experience1 moreover1 has recorded many 
special cases 7the explanation of which1
 however1 ,i leave to others7 of idiotcy
 and madness1 which had arisen either   
from sad defects and derangement of the 
thinking faculty1 suddenly disappearing 
at the approach of death1 and of the    

full1 perfect consciousness returning   
with extraordinary clearness in the few 
brief moments which precede the instant 
of decease4 ,there is yet another       
remarkable element or feeling in death2 
and it is one totally independent of the
 organic pain of dissolution in its     
various modifications1 or the striking  
phenomena which may be observed in      
individual cases4 ,i allude to the      
feeling which shrinks at the thought of 
the decisive transition and forcible    
passage into an entirely new sphere1    
which1 however1 must not be confounded  
with an unmanly fear of death4 ,in many 
instances1 too1 it has no connection    
with any troubled thoughts or anxious   
cares for near and dear ones to be left 
behind1 nor yet with any inward doubts  
of a restless and disturbed conscience4 
,by no such feelings alone by themselves
 can it be interpreted or explained4    
,all this is entirely distinct from that
 which ,i have at present in my mind1   
and which may very simply be termed a   

slight mental shrinking before a wholly 
unknown state of being1 which is1 at    
least1 natural to all men1 and affects  
every one1 more or less1 if the change  
comes upon them in the full possession  
of their faculties4 ,but in those whose 
contemplations have long been directed  
to this closing event of life--in whom a
 profound and deep acquaintance with the
 thought of eternity1 and the sublime   
enlightenment of a confiding faith1 have
 taken the place of a dark uncertainty1 
and who also1 between the last struggle 
of organic life and the final pang of   
dissolution1 enjoy for a brief interval 
the last quickening breath of the       
departing energy of nature1 there death 
is seen in its bright aspect4 ,for such 
it unquestionably does possess4 ,how    
often1 on the very countenance of the   
departed1 does a calm and beautiful     
death like this leave its touching trace
 behind6 ,how often do we see with      
astonishment a sweet smile1 like that of
 a sleeping child1 lingering on the     

well-known face1 but in whose very      
sweetness is mingled a slight though    
scarce perceptible trace of some faint  
recollection of previous suffering4 ,he 
who has once seen some dear friend or   
acquaintance so die1 or beheld the      
beloved countenance after such a death1 
will assuredly cherish forever the      
remembrance of this soothing expression4
 ,nothing less than a blissful          
presentiment of eternity seems to have  
preceded or impressed itself on the     
dying features1 breaking through the    
shackles of time before its full course 
was ended4 ,and it is only in this light
 that ,i have mentioned it as being one 
of the points of contact or moments of  
transition which facts clearly establish
 between time and eternity1 since this  
final crisis of our consciousness forms 
an important element for the            
psychological and perfect comprehension 
of the human intellect and its          
development4  ,but even during life     
itself there also occur many phenomena  

and occasions in which1 for the brief   
continuance at least of such moments of 
intense existence1 the limits of time   
seem to be broken through or removed4   
,to this class belong those brief       
intervals of rapture which are enjoyed  
in the midst of deep and earnest        
devotion--or of proper ecstasy1 which1  
so far as it is genuine and real1 we can
 not but consider as an interval of     
eternity in the midst of time1 or as a  
fleeting glance into the higher world of
 full and unchecked spiritual life4     
,even the inward worldless prayer1 in so
 far as it is preceded by a real emotion
 of the heart1 profoundly agitating its 
inmost feelings1 is1 as it were1 a drop 
of eternity falling through time into   
the soul4 ,genuine ecstasy1 in so far as
 it is real and actual1 is often on its 
organic side accompanied by a beginning1
 which indeed is little more than the   
appearance1 though a highly delusive    
feeling1 of dying away1 which precedes  
the higher gleam or echo from the world 

beyond the grave4 ,such phenomena1      
however1 require attentive examination  
before we can draw from them any precise
 inference4 ,the general idea of them   
may be distinctly traced in the human   
consciousness4 ,the recognition of their
 existence is therefore essential to a  
full knowledge of the latter4 ,it is1   
however1 often very difficult to form a 
judgment of individual instances1 which 
are often more or less doubtful4 ,on    
this account it will be sufficient in   
this place if1 without entering deeply  
into these necessary distinctions and   
manifold doubts to which all of such    
phenomena are liable1 we simply notice  
the fact1 as forming one of the most    
intimate points of association at which 
time and eternity come in contact and   
mutually intermingle4  ,of such points  
several still remain to be noticed4 ,one
 of the least astonishing1 and one which
 in its operation on the soul is no less
 universal and beneficial than it is    
generally intelligible1 is that which is

 found in true art and the higher kind  
of poetry4 ,for here also1 even beneath 
the earthly shell of sensuous phenomenon
 and the temporal incidents of          
figurative poetry1 the eternal brightens
 over all4 ,and it is on this mighty    
influence of the eternal1 which gleams  
through its external investiture of     
ornament1 that the exalted dignity and  
distinctive charm of true art and the   
higher branches of poetry depends4 ,even
 here1 however1 as elsewhere1 a strict  
distinction must be made between the    
true gold and the worthless sthetical   
tinsel and mere mannerism of fashion4   
,for such a distinction is necessary in 
every case where the heavenly and       
eternal comes into close contact with   
the earthly and transitory4  ,that      
recollection of eternal love1 which is  
implanted1 communicated1 or innate in   
the human mind1 and which here swells   
out from its hidden depth 7and this is  
the true original subject-matter of     
,plato's notion of the anamnesis1 which1

 as ,i have endeavored to show1 thus    
cleared from all foreign admixture and  
corrupting additions1 is quite          
unexceptionable71 is not merely a       
principle of the higher life4 ,rather is
 it one of the great vital arteries of  
true poetry and art1 of which1 however1 
there are many others equally essential 
and no less rich and prolific4 ,such1   
for instance1 is the longing after the  
infinite1 whose hopes and aspirations   
are directed more to the future than is 
the case with that remembrance of       
eternal love1 which1 as such1 clings    
more closely to the past1 and is often  
also lost and absorbed in the historic  
perception of some actual past4 ,on the 
other hand1 the true inspiration1 both  
in art and in life1 is exclusively      
devoted to a something divine in the    
present1 which may be either real or    
what is at least held to be such1 being 
most intimately bound up with a feeling 
of such a divine presence1 and with a   
belief therein4 ,thus1 then1 these three

 forms of the highest sentiment in man's
 nature1 as it yearns after the infinite
 or swells forth from the eternal       
source1 and longs to receive the divine1
 are in their different tendencies tied 
again1 not unnaturally1 to the three    
times1 or rather1 the different         
categories of our earthly-divided time4 
,the recollection of eternal love1 as   
far as regards its influence on art1 is 
in truth nothing but a feeling or an    
inborn idea1 if some will so call it4   
,and yet its influence may be universal1
 and extend itself over the whole field 
of man's consciousness4 ,for all other  
sentiments of the inner man1 all the    
thoughts1 conceptions1 and ideas of the 
thinker1 and even all the images1       
shapes1 and forms--in short1 the whole  
ideal of the artist--are now forthwith  
imbued with this one fundamental feeling
 of eternal love1 being1 as it were1    
bathed in a sea or stream of higher     
life1 spiritually refined1 and exalted  
and transformed into a purer and higher 

degree of beauty and perfection4 ,and   
thus it is that this ideal view of the  
world becomes at once conceivable and   
perfectly clear1 to all at least who can
 enter into and sympathize with         
,platonic sentiments and ideas1 and     
especially in its close relation to     
science and the plastic arts4 ,and thus1
 understood in this correct sense1      
within its proper limits1 and in that   
place of the human consciousness to     
which it really belongs1 may well be    
admitted1 and even extended to a wider  
application4  77 ,in order1 however1 to 
be able to assign their fitting place in
 the whole consciousness to those other 
two exalted feelings which are implanted
 in man's breast as so many suggesters  
of eternity1 the longing1 viz41 after   
infinity1 and a vitally energetic       
enthusiasm1 it will be necessary still  
further to prosecute and complete our   
psychological review1 so as to take in  
the whole range of faculties belonging  
to it1 and to exhibit their mutual      

relations4  ,in my sketchy outline of   
man's spiritual life and consciousness1 
,i set out1 you will remember1 with the 
four elementary faculties1 understanding
 and will1 reason and fancy1 as the four
 opposite and extreme poles of the inner
 world4 ,as conscience and memory       
presented themselves to our             
consideration in the progress of our    
inquiries1 they were characterized as   
mediate and collateral faculties of the 
reason1 since the conscience stands     
midway between reason and will1 and the 
memory between reason and understanding4
 ,in a similar way ,i would now attempt 
to explain man's instincts1 especially  
in that peculiar form in which they     
belong only to man1 as distinct from the
 brutes1 and subsequently become        
passions4 ,afterward ,i shall proceed to
 explain why1 in those instances when   
they appear to be exaggerated into      
passions1 they must1 to preserve analogy
 with the view hitherto maintained1 be  
held to be nothing else than movements  

of the will1 or as a will which has     
yielded itself to the illimitable range 
of fancy1 and thereby lost its inner    
equilibrium1 and finally all liberty1 or
 at least its actual exercise4 ,this    
intermediate position of the instincts  
between will and fancy1 and the fatal   
and pernicious influence which both     
these fundamental powers exert in that  
height of passionateness and sensuality 
which constitutes them faults of        
character1 are also especially manifest 
in what are properly the natural        
instincts1 as enjoyed by man in common  
with the brutes1 and the evil of which  
arises always1 or at least principally1 
from their excessive indulgence and     
undue excitement4 ,it is often possible 
for this excess to reach such a height1 
and to become so deadly injurious1 as to
 destroy the health1 corrupt the whole  
soul1 and to debase the mind to such a  
degree that it is felt to be almost     
injustice to compare such a human being1
 thus degraded by his own fault1 with   

the nobler animals1 whose simple        
instincts and their gratification       
alternate almost as regularly as day and
 night or the rising and setting of the 
stars in heaven4 ,in such cases1        
however1 we may easily discover what was
 the first cause of such aberrations4   
,in the better case1 at least1 the      
corruption1 i4e41 of what was previously
 a noble disposition1 it is invariably1 
in the first instance1 some false charm 
of fancy or imagination which has       
overmastered the mind with magical      
power1 and subsequently carried it away 
captive to its will4 ,in every case1    
however1 it is some perverted           
apprehension1 or illusory power of the  
infinite1 which causes a man who has    
once fallen a prey to any strong passion
 to devote all his energies1 thoughts1  
and feelings to the one object1 or to   
surrender himself1 heart and soul1 to   
the despotic tyranny of some ruling     
habit or favorite pursuit4 ,how else    
could there ever have been any talk of  

the delusions of fancy1 which1 however1 
exercise so wide and fatal an influence 
on human life1 and generally in the     
world1 unless a distorted fancy had lent
 a hand and co-operated therein8 ,even  
such emotions and impulses as fear and  
anger1 which are not directed merely to 
the gratification of the wants of       
nature1 but to self-preservation and    
defense1 and which1 consequently1 belong
 equally to the brutes--these also admit
 of being carried1 by unrestrained      
indulgence1 to the height of            
passionateness4 ,this is especially the 
case with anger4 ,wherever long         
indulgence has made it a ruling habit1  
and if1 moreover1 it is associated with 
envy1 hatred1 and revenge 7which1       
indeed1 are not properly natural        
instincts1 and in this form can scarcely
 be ascribed to the brutes1 but rather  
faults of character in a demoralized    
rational being71 its outbreaks of       
passion are fearfully violent4 ,under   
their combined influence the wild       

outbreaks of man's evil principle often 
run into fury and madness4 ,but even in 
avarice itself1 it is also some false   
and strangely-perverted charm of fancy1 
which in its highest degree approximates
 very closely to the nature of a fixed  
idea1 that furnishes the first ground   
and deepest root of this unblessed      
passion for the earthly mammon4 ,and    
here1 again1 in this insatiable love of 
riches1 we meet with a false force of   
the infinite1 and one which can never be
 satisfied4  ,a further ethical         
investigation into these erring         
instincts does not lie within my present
 limits4 ,the context of our            
psychological inquiries only brought    
them before us for a limited            
consideration1 with a view to determine 
the position they occupy in the whole   
consciousness4 ,and here1 as in my      
former instances of comparative         
psychology1 ,i do not wish to cast my   
glance downward longer than is          
necessary1 but rather1 as quickly as    

possible1 to raise it upward again4 ,in 
the present case this can easily be     
done4 ,for1 for our present purpose1 the
 simple remark will suffice1 that the   
power of infinity in itself1 and the    
pursuit of the infinite1 is properly    
natural to man1 and a part of his very  
essence4 ,all that is wrong in it1 and  
the source of all its aberrations1 is   
simply and entirely boundless excess4   
,above all1 we must blame that quality  
of absoluteness1 which in every time and
 place exercises a fatal and destructive
 influence1 both on thought and         
practice1 or1 perhaps1 the fault may be 
laid to a false direction of this       
pursuit toward the sensible and material
 objects of this earthly and transitory 
existence1 which1 for the most part1 are
 utterly unworthy of it4 ,for man's     
natural longing after the infinite1 even
 as it still shows itself in his        
passions and failings1 can not1 wherever
 it is still genuine1 be satisfied by   
any earthly object1 or sensual          

gratification1 or external possession4  
,when1 however1 this pursuit1 keeping   
itself free from all delusions of sense1
 and from the fettering shackles of     
earthly passion1 really directs its     
endeavors toward the infinite1 and only 
to what is truly such1 then can it never
 rest or be stationary4 ,ever advancing1
 step by step1 it must always seek to   
rise higher and higher4 ,and this pure  
feeling of endless longing forms1 with  
the recollection of eternal love1 the   
heavenward-bearing wings on which the   
soul raises itself upward to the divine4
 ,this1 indeed1 has been felt and       
perceived by ,platonic thinkers in all  
ages4 ,from the earlier centuries to the
 present many a deeply-significant      
sentence might easily be selected and   
quoted on the idea of this longing after
 the infinite4 ,and this testimony is   
not confined merely to the comparatively
 modern philosophy of ,europe and the   
,west4 ,the sacred writings1 also1 of   
the ,hebrews contain a beautiful        

sentence on this head4 ,thus a certain  
prophet1 as endowed with more than      
ordinary power1 as chosen for a high and
 divine destination1 or mission1 is     
expressly called a man of longing       
desires1#fg as by a title peculiarly    
suited to him1 and most clearly         
indicating the natural preparation for  
all higher spiritual and divine         
avocations4 ,and1 in a sense borrowed   
from1 if not exactly identical with1 the
 above1 a somewhat similar title has    
been given to the richest and           
profoundest of his works by a ,french   
philosopher of our own days1 to whom1   
while ,i can not adopt unconditionally  
all his principles and sentiments1 ,i   
must concede the highest praise for the 
zeal with which1 in all his writings1 he
 has maintained and promulgated a high  
and lofty tone1 both in intellectual and
 divine things1 and that1 too1 in the   
midst of revolutionary times1 when the  
prevailing tone of thinking was         
decidedly material1 and1 indeed1 had    

assumed a thoroughly demoralizing and   
atheistic tendency4 ,at a former epoch1 
now more than twenty years ago1 when ,i 
attempted1 in ,french1 to set forth to a
 friendly audience the principles of the
 ,philosophy of ,life1 so far as ,i at  
that time comprehended it1 ,i thought   
that it was indispensable to make this  
pure idea of an exalted longing the     
primary position from which the whole   
view of life must be developed4 ,this1  
however1 was too exclusive1 and1 for    
that reason1 unsatisfactory4 ,it is1    
therefore1 my present wish to embrace   
all higher elements of conscience1      
however manifold they may be1 and       
however different in kind they may      
appear1 and1 taking a comprehensive view
 of them1 to unite them in a whole4     
,even for poetry and art there is more  
than one such primary fountain or vital 
artery of higher sentiment4 ,if1 then1  
the recollection of eternal love must be
 recognized as one of these1 who can    
well doubt that the pure longing after  

the infinite1 which holds so deep and   
firm a root in man's bosom1 also forms  
another8 ,in poetry1 the former is      
distinctly traceable under the form of  
elegy--at least in the first simple     
poesy of fancy's earliest and youthful  
days4 ,it sounds forth here a mournful  
recollection of a faded world of gods   
and heroes--as the echoing plaint for   
the loss of man's original1 celestial   
state1 and paradisaical innocence1 or1  
lastly1 in a still more general and     
higher sense1 as the faint and dying    
notes of the happy infancy of the whole 
creation1 ere yet the spiritual world   
had been divided by dissension1 and     
before the first outbreak of evil1 and  
the consequent misery of nature4        
,viewing it in this light1 and          
designating poetry in general           
analogically to an expression which we  
before made use of1 we may term poetry  
the mind's transcendent recollection of 
the eternal4 ,for the first and most    
ancient poetry1 as the common memory of 

the human race--its higher organ of     
remembrance--passes on from century to  
century1 and from nation to nation2 and 
though ever dressing itself in the      
changing fashion of the day1 yet1       
through all time1 it refers us back to  
the primary and eternal4  ,music1 on the
 other hand1 is eminently an art of     
longing4 ,to this it owes all its       
ravishing enchantments--its magic and   
irresistible charms4 ,in music1 however1
 as in every other form of art1 the     
higher and the earthly--the soul1 as it 
were1 and the body--the heavenly longing
 and the terrestrial are often blended  
together in the same note and tone1 so  
as scarcely to be discriminated4 ,it is 
this mingling of feelings and           
emotions--where from amid the           
half-unconscious earthly longing a      
higher and more heavenly aspiration     
gleams out1 that in youth1 when man's   
sensibility is first developed and      
expanded1 gives to newly-waking love its
 peculiar magic charm1 the inner grace  

of the youthful soul contributing as    
much if not more than even the bloom of 
corporeal beauty4 ,the question1 indeed1
 whether in this youthful longing really
 a higher love of eternal duration1 as  
an inner light1 which is continually    
purifying and perfecting itself1 be     
inclosed within the earthly             
veil--whether this first love of youth  
be even the true love1 or whether all   
may have been nothing more than the     
transient and flickering flame of a     
delusion--this question can be alone    
determined from its results2 in other   
words1 by the life which proceeds and   
follows from it4 ,it must be proved by  
the unwavering truth and fidelity--,i   
might almost say1 the inward truth of   
the heart and the outward character of  
the whole life2 and1 in short1 of a     
higher love in its every species1       
whether human or divine4  ,now this     
longing holds a most important place in 
man4 ,not only is it the crisis of      
transition from childish1 shall we say  

consciousness or unconsciousness1 into a
 more mature development--not only is it
 the threshold under which youthful     
expectation enters on a fuller and more 
perfect life2 but also still surviving  
uninterruptedly to the end1 it ever     
remains the first1 strongest1 and purest
 impulse of the inner man4 ,the light of
 its never-dying flame1 growing purer   
and stronger1 lights him on his way to a
 higher and better existence4 ,it seems1
 therefore1 not out of place to add here
 the remark1 how deeply hope1 which is  
so closely associated with this longing 
aspiration1 is interwoven into the very 
being of man1 so as almost to form the  
characteristic peculiarity of his inner 
life and whole state4  ,the lost        
spirits1 we are told1 8believe and      
tremble40#fh ,love1 too1 is the         
essential property of ,god1 and even his
 very essence1 and in a certain sense1  
also1 it is common to all beings created
 by eternal love4 ,even in the hidden   
veins of life1 through all animated     

nature1 beats this pulse of universal   
love4 ,hope1 however1 can not be        
ascribed to ,god1 for in ,him all is    
full and perfect4 ,nature can only sigh 
and bemoan itself2 and even though it be
 not hopelessly wretched1 yet1 properly1
 it can not hope for aught1 by its own  
power1 at least4 ,to man1 above all     
other created beings1 belongs the       
prerogative of hope4 ,we might almost   
call him an immortal spirit1 subjected  
to the condition of hope4 ,and so1      
before the rest of creation1 he is      
destined and chosen to be the evangelist
 of divine hope4  ,as the third of the  
inner life-springs of true art and      
higher poetry1 ,i spoke of a true       
enthusiasm and inspired feeling of the  
divine4 ,now1 among the various arts1 ,i
 would especially appropriate this to   
the plastic art--in that widest and     
justest sense of the term1 in which it  
comprises1 also1 the higher             
architecture4 ,for1 in enthusiasm and   
inspiration1 the divinity with which it 

is imbued is not viewed and contemplated
 in the remote distance either of the   
past or the future4 ,it is embraced at  
once as something actual and present4   
,and this holds good both of the        
enthusiasm of art1 and also of that     
which1 in moral and political life1     
often creates for itself an epoch1      
shaping and bringing forth whatever is  
truly new and original4 ,now1 the divine
 in beauty must be actually present to  
the mind1 at least1 of the artist4 ,it  
must have stood vividly before his      
mental eye before it could have come    
forth in outward and visible form4      
,since universally the perfection of art
 depends on some antagonism and the     
artist's triumph over it1 it is         
self-evident that even here the most    
exalted enthusiasm must be associated   
with a thoughtful sagacity and          
persevering steadiness of execution1 if 
any great and perfect work is to be     
produced4 ,moreover1 it can scarcely be 
necessary to remind you that the arts1  

even though1 perhaps1 in each of them   
there is a predominance of some peculiar
 kind of higher feeling1 or some spirit 
of higher life swells out in it1 are    
not1 therefore1 rigidly limited on all  
sides and irrevocably confined within   
these narrow limits4 ,on the contrary1  
one branch of art often passes over into
 the domain of another4 ,and this       
interference is not always a            
misconception1 owing chiefly to some    
confusion of essential matters1 and1    
therefore1 in the highest degree        
erroneous and prejudicial4 ,poetry1     
especially1 often springs up indigenous 
in other domains of art1 being the most 
universal of all4 ,and if in poetry     
itself those ancient and primitive poems
 or epic songs of sublime recollections 
occupy the first place1 who1 therefore1 
would exclude from it the deep1 inner1  
ardent longing--the oracular faculty of 
divination for exalted love and eternal 
hope1 with all its music of the         
feelings1 forming1 as it does1 the      

spiritual contents1 the animating       
principle and distinctive essence of the
 lyrical art8 ,who1 too1 would dare to  
censure poetry1 because1 striving to    
give another and a newer expression to  
all that1 in these divine remembrances  
and longing anticipations1 constitutes  
its inmost soul1 it attempts1 by        
dramatic representation1 to portray the 
essential features of its inmost being1 
with all the vivid reality and distinct 
completeness of the present8 ,for does  
it not1 in this respect1 approximate1 so
 far1 at least1 to the plastic arts1 and
 begin to assume many points of affinity
 with them8  ,it is1 however1 necessary 
to guard here against a possible        
misunderstanding4 ,not without good     
cause1 ,i believe1 before all things is 
the rigid discrimination insisted on    
which must separate true poetry from a  
spurious semblance4 ,poetry which       
condescends to minister either to the   
passions or to fashion1 or even to      
prose1 or any mere prosaic ends1 can not

 deserve the name4 ,but it is another   
thing when the poet works his poetical  
view of things 7and this is that which  
constitutes the poet1 and not the mere  
outward form of poetry alone7 into the  
prosaic reality of some present time1 or
 some historical subject4 ,so1 too1 is  
it when in some consistent and artistic 
imitation of life he takes for his theme
 the maze of human passions1 by no means
 for the purpose of prolonging it1 and  
still less of inflaming it1 but rather  
because he clearly sees through its     
complications1 to unfold and disentangle
 them4 ,this we might call--employing a 
term belonging to the mathematical      
sciences1 though in a different but     
still analogous sense--mixed or applied 
poetry2 and to this class belong many of
 the highest productions of art in      
different ages and nations4  ,the       
different arts1 or1 rather1 the         
different directions of one and the same
 art1 in the several epochs and ages of 
the world1 or among nations variously   

divided by language and manners1 as well
 as by the style and character of their 
thought and intellect1 may be considered
 as merely so many varying dialects of  
one and the same language1 which have a 
common origin and are nearly related4   
,for they possess a common meaning1     
which1 interpreted by a profound and    
noble perception of art1 will be found  
to pervade all centuries and all people1
 uniting and enchaining them all by this
 soul-binding tie of a loving and       
love-kindled fancy4 ,these eternal and  
fundamental feelings of the human       
breast1 the remembrance of eternity1 an 
innate longing and high-soaring         
aspiration1 stand in the most intimate  
connection with each other1 even though 
we can not take a full survey of it1 and
 often feel it profoundly rather than   
are able perfectly to explain it4 ,they 
are like so many stem-words and radical 
syllables1 and form together1 as it     
were1 one common language4 ,and if1 as  
,i before remarked1 we should in vain   

seek for that common and original       
language1 from which all those now      
spoken on the face of the earth can be  
derived1 both ethnographically and      
geologically1 may we not still find in  
art a universal language intelligible to
 all men8 ,is not this language 7as ,i  
may term it7 thus enveloped in the garb 
of art1 through which1 however1 a       
profound significance gleams brightly   
forth1 an original language of a higher 
and intellectual order1 and at the same 
time intimately akin with our own       
nature8 ,do not its echoes1 however     
faint and broken1 when reawakened by    
true art and sublime poetry1 strike a   
chord of unison in every human breast8  
,,lecture ,v4   ,the general notion of  
the inner life formed the point from    
which we started in this attempt to     
portray the whole spiritual man4 ,i     
maintained1 you will remember1 that the 
philosophy of life proceeds on the      
simple assumption of this inner life4   
,now1 in the preceding discourses it has

 been my endeavor to unfold this general
 idea into a more fully-developed and   
more definite conception of human       
consciousness1 both in its several      
principles and total coherence4 ,and    
this almost completes the first division
 of our whole sketch4 ,for fully to     
complete a knowledge of ourselves1 and  
of life in general1 a few particulars   
only remain to be added1 and a          
comprehensive review of the whole once  
more to be taken4 ,and this1 in the     
natural order of this simple development
 of thought1 forms the next subject of  
our labors4 ,by reason of the close     
vital connection which subsists between 
thought and speech1 language served in  
the first instance for an external basis
 of comparison1 which in the next place 
art enabled me to carry still farther1  
inasmuch as the latter may also be      
regarded as an inner language4 ,for1    
however fragmentary and incomplete may  
be our collection of languages and the  
science thereof1 notwithstanding all the

 enlargement it has received from modern
 observation and research1 it is still  
possible1 by a rigorous distinction of  
the derivatory and mixed offshoots from 
the more ancient and purer branches1 to 
gain at least an insight into the       
history and progress of language1 and   
thence to trace the probable course of  
its development1 even while its origin1 
no less than the equally                
incomprehensible phenomenon of its first
 exercise1 remains veiled in            
impenetrable obscurity4 ,and when we    
called art a language1 we did not mean  
this merely in the same sense that      
poetry has been styled--and indeed has  
even herself assumed the title of--a    
divine language1 on account of the      
ornamental figures of its external form2
 neither was it because of the          
allegorical shapes and allusions1 nor of
 the symbolical garb which plastic art  
so often puts on4 ,the so transiently   
advanced metaphor was intended to convey
 the idea that art in general1 not      

merely in its outward form1 but in its  
inmost essence1 and in all of its forms 
and species alike1 is a language of     
nature of a higher and spiritual kind1  
or1 if the term be preferred1 an inward 
hieroglyphical writing and original     
speech of the soul1 which is immediately
 intelligible to all susceptible        
natures1 and to every one whose         
sensibilities a taste for any form of   
art has rendered open and accessible to 
its appeal4 ,for the key to it lies not 
in any arbitrarily established          
principle1 as is the case with that     
ingenious and beautiful1 but still      
merely conventional invention of the    
,east--the symbolical language of       
flowers1 but in the feeling and the soul
 itself4 ,for the eternal and           
fundamental feelings of the soul are    
awakened1 or1 rather1 reawakened1 in    
these inner-soul words of true art1     
which1 in the same sense that we speak  
of the riddle of life or of the world1  
making its solution the object and aim  

of philosophy1 we may likewise term a   
riddle of hope--of that hope1 in truth1 
which is eternal and divine4 ,but high  
art1 like life and the world1 remains a 
riddle1 and must ever appear to us as   
such1 simply because in reality1 or at  
least for the greater part1 it is only a
 few detached notes1 without the full   
and coherent air1 that it allows to     
reach us4  ,there is1 then1 an intrinsic
 connection between thought and speech1 
between language and consciousness4     
,moreover man1 to judge of him by the   
collective sum of his characteristic and
 essential properties1 is nothing else  
than the created word1 the faint echo   
and very imperfect copy of the uncreated
 and eternal1 and stands amid the rest  
of creation1 midway between the world of
 nature and that of spirits4 ,for these 
reasons1 then1 in the further exposition
 of his inner life ,i shall invariably  
make use of the idea of language1 and   
even many of its characteristic         
properties or peculiarities1 as the     

external basis of a comparison          
calculated to throw light upon much that
 in the inward thought of man it is     
otherwise difficult to express and to   
make clear by words4 ,for1 indeed1      
generally1 living thought and the       
science thereof1 can not well or easily 
be separated from the philosophy of     
language4  ,the general idea of the     
inner life was1 ,i said1 the basis of   
all the previous development of ideas1  
and this was the only hypothesis which a
 philosophy of life stands in need of1  
or can venture to assume4 ,an objection 
may1 it is true1 be here started4 ,in   
the various digressions into which1 in  
the further development of this one     
fundamental thought1 ,i have been led by
 my wish to expand it to a full and     
complete idea of the consciousness1 it  
may be said that much besides has been  
supposed or taken for granted1 if not   
expressly1 yet tacitly2 not indeed      
arbitrarily1 but still as the result of 
a merely personal conviction1 however   

positive and deliberate4 ,to this       
objection1 so naturally to be expected1 
,i can only reply1 that if occasionally 
,i may not have expressed myself        
hypothetically enough1 it was1          
nevertheless1 my intention so to do4    
,consequently all hypothetical          
positions1 with the exception of the    
fundamental one of the inner thought and
 life1 hitherto assumed by me1 are to be
 regarded here simply in such a light4  
,they are advanced only for the nonce1  
and provisionally1 until they can       
receive a further and completer         
analysis1 without in anywise            
anticipating the proof1 nor1 by a hasty 
decision1 assuming the truth1 as if it  
were independent of argument4  ,now1    
since doubt is a necessary and          
inevitable property and an essential    
principle of the whole man in his       
present state1 we are brought by the    
regular course of our analysis to the   
problem which is furnished by the       
thought at issue with itself4 ,to this  

subject1 which now forces itself        
immediately on our attention1 we must   
devote an entire section of our labors4 
,the object of the first portion was to 
advance the simple and general thought  
of the inner life 7as being in this     
simple generality too vague and         
undefined71 or to raise it1 step by     
step1 to a full1 complete1 and          
comprehensive1 but at the same time     
rightly divided conception of the human 
mind4 ,in the same way1 in the next     
division of my speculations1 the        
essential subject and proper aim will be
 to carry that feeling1 call it as we   
will1 whether of pure love1 or inner    
life1 or higher truth1 whose existence  
we have1 we think1 clearly established1 
through the crisis of doubt1 to a       
determinate judgment of profound        
certainty and unwavering conviction1 or 
at least to a rigorous distinction      
between that which is certain and that  
which must forever remain uncertain4    
,now1 to render in any degree complete  

that characteristic of the human mind   
which it has been our object or endeavor
 in the previous ,lectures to sketch in 
detail1 we were obliged to take in also 
those higher elements which by many are 
called in question1 and by some         
positively denied to exist4 ,and herein 
lay the natural ground and the occasion 
for our introducing the mention of them1
 at least as facts of consciousness     
generally acknowledged by the           
common-sense of mankind4 ,not that we   
thereby meant to exclude them from a    
profounder investigation1 or to guard   
them against the intrusion of that doubt
 which knows no limits to its           
skepticism4 ,we only reserved them to   
their appropriate place in the natural  
course of our development of living     
thought4 ,some there are1 we know1 who  
hold even a higher and genuine sense of 
art to be a mere fancy either of genius1
 devoted to and displaying its          
excellence therein1 or of the mere      
dilettanti4 ,others again1 and even     

celebrated writers1 have explained      
conscience and its still1 small voice1  
by the acquired or instilled prejudice  
of education1 or as the delusive effect 
of custom4 ,how far more numerous1 then1
 must be the doubts which such a system 
of abnegation of all that is good and   
exalted would raise against the         
,platonic doctrine of a recollection of 
eternal love1 or that idea which ,i have
 labored to establish1 of a pure longing
 after infinity6 ,if1 again1 many       
question the freedom of the will1 they  
deny1 in fact1 the will itself2 for a   
will that is not free ceases to be will4
 ,if1 moreover1 others refuse to        
recognize in all human thought1         
fictions1 and inventions1 any thing     
creatively new and peculiarly original1 
seeing therein nothing but repetition or
 fresh combinations of external         
impressions1 consequently denying to the
 human mind all power of invention1 then
 must fancy be denied to be one of the  
mind's fundamental powers4 ,for1 in     

truth1 in such a case1 it is nothing    
more than memory1 or1 rather1 it is     
memory fallen into delirium4 ,others1   
again1 would refer even reason itself   
and the essential rational character of 
man simply to a more delicate sensuous  
organization than is possessed by the   
most highly-endowed among the brute     
creation4 ,all such special and         
eccentric opinions form but so many     
subordinate chapters of our second part1
 which has for its theme reason and     
doubt1 and the state of doubt1 which are
 natural to man4 ,to it1 therefore1 they
 must be reserved for investigation4 ,we
 can not anticipate the period of their 
discussion in the present place1 where  
our first object is1 by a development of
 the simple thought and the general     
ideas of the inner life1 to sketch a    
perfect outline of the human mind1 which
 shall take in all its higher elements  
and capacities1 as well as the earthly  
and inferior ingredients which are      
blended with them4  ,the thought or     

conception1 as the general manifestation
 of the inner life1 is in its nature and
 form indefinite1 but still a           
cogitation1 which even at this step is  
already referred to a particular object1
 and so in its contents limited thereto4
 ,an idea or notion1 however1 is a      
conception mathematically proportioned  
by number1 measure1 and weight2 i4e41   
according to the number of its several  
constituents it is carefully divided1   
and its subordinate genera enumerated2  
measured according to its extent1 and   
according to its internal value and     
comprehension1 and also its relation to 
other kindred notions of a higher or    
lower order carefully weighed and       
pondered2 in short1 a conception        
complete and perfect in itself4         
,hitherto1 therefore1 it has been       
properly but a single notion that has   
engaged our attention1 and formed the   
subject-matter of our whole             
speculation--the notion1 viz41 of the   
human consciousness4 ,for it is not     

merely philosophy to link together in a 
never-ending chain its own self-derived 
and arbitrary ideas1 by some specious   
rule of necessary connection4 ,the duty 
of philosophy is rather originally to   
combine facts--and1 in truth1 all the   
given facts of a certain kind1 and      
within a certain range1 in one clear1   
intelligible1 and perfectly vivid       
notion1 and it has generally to do with 
very few ideas4 ,two or three ideas1 in 
short1 such as that of consciousness1 of
 science1 or of man himself1 are quite  
sufficient for its purpose of solving1  
if not fully and completely1 yet at     
least to the full extent of what is not 
merely possible and allowable1 but also 
wholesome and profitable1 the three     
riddles of life1 of the universe1 and of
 a divine hope1 which lie before the    
whole human mind1 and thereby to arrive 
at some abiding conviction with regard  
to them4  ,now1 in concluding our       
development of the human mind1 and      
adding to it all that is still wanting  

to its completeness1 ,i shall observe   
the same method of exposition as ,i have
 hitherto followed4 ,leaving for the    
nonce unmooted1 the grave questions     
whether there be any such thing as      
truth--and1 if so1 whether man is       
capable of recognizing and attaining to 
it in any degree--and reserving them to 
their appropriate place where they will 
naturally arise1 ,i shall adopt into the
 outline of the general notion of the   
consciousness all those facts of it     
which are acknowledged by the           
common-sense of mankind4 ,i shall1 as   
such1 allow them all and no more than   
their due weight4 ,occasionally1        
however1 when any such phenomenon       
appears somewhat questionable1 ,i shall 
add a word or two of explanation1 in    
order to guard against the possibility  
of misconception1 or an overhasty       
inference1 setting down the facts purely
 as such1 and so far as they are already
 apprehended1 for further investigation 
and inquiry4  ,the four opposite poles  

or extremes of man's divided and        
discordant consciousness are1 ,i said1  
its four fundamental faculties or       
powers1 understanding and will1 and     
reason and fancy4 ,with regard to the   
two first1 every one may1 both from     
internal experience of his own self and 
from observation of his fellow-men1     
easily arrive at a conviction that they 
seldom work together in perfect harmony1
 and that the discord is often the most 
violent when either one or both of these
 two faculties possess more than        
ordinary strength4 ,the marked          
opposition between reason and fancy     
reveals itself but too plainly1 both in 
private and public life4 ,the men of    
mere taste and imagination1 artistic and
 poetical natures 7to which category1 in
 a somewhat loose sense1 very many      
really belong1 though the happy         
exceptions of true genius be indeed     
rare71 on the one hand2 and on the      
other1 the men of practical reason--the 
utilitarians1 who limit their views1    

more or less1 to the public advantage to
 be derived from this quality of        
practical reason1 and look with distrust
 to every higher flight of fancy or     
feeling1 form two hostile classes of    
men1 who with difficulty comprehend each
 other4 ,at least they are seldom in a  
position to understand one another's    
feelings1 and rightly and fairly to     
appreciate them4 ,still more rare are   
the exceptions1 where both these        
faculties and mental characters are     
found united in one and the same        
individual4  ,after these four          
fundamental faculties of the first      
order1 come certain accessory functions 
of the second order1 derived from or    
compounded of the former4 ,of these1    
conscience and memory1 and after them   
the instincts and passions1 have been   
described as movements of the will1     
passing over into the illimitable region
 of the fancy1 and consequently holding 
an intermediate place between will and  
fancy4 ,we have now to add a word or two

 concerning the external senses1 and    
therewith to complete our sketch of the 
human consciousness in its present      
divided and distracted condition4 ,but  
previously to entering upon this topic1 
,i would1 with reference to this        
last-mentioned characteristic of        
instinct1 call your attention to a      
particular species of it1 which is not  
unimportant1 but rather belongs         
essentially to a complete picture of    
this part of the human consciousness4   
,it will1 moreover1 furnish a new       
instance1 to show how in nature herself 
there lies a cause1 or at least a first 
occasion for many parallels of          
comparative psychology1 similar to those
 which have already presented           
themselves4 ,i am alluding to the       
artistic instincts displayed by some of 
the more sagacious animals1 and         
especially some of the industrious      
members of the insect tribe4 ,these     
present a remarkable affinity to human  
art1 in which all1 at least1 is not the 

effect of teaching4 ,in the lower but   
still beautiful degrees of artistic     
talent1 there is much that seems        
instinctive in its operation1 and1 as it
 were1 unconscious and innate4 ,true and
 lofty genius of art can not be here    
included4 ,it belongs1 on the contrary1 
to a different sphere4 ,for in it the   
unconscious creative faculty is not     
narrowly restricted to one rigid path or
 definite form1 but has rather for its  
essential basis a productive power of   
imagination1 of universal range and     
fullness1 and which1 as it were1        
travails in birth with the infinite4    
,now this notion1 thus borrowed from    
natural science1 for the purposes of a  
comparative psychology1 seems well      
applicable to that pure feeling of      
infinite longing which is the most      
exalted of all man's aspirations4       
,according to that idea of it which ,i  
have labored to establish1 we can name  
this profound inward longing1 which     
nothing earthly can ever satisfy1 man's 

instinct of eternity--an instinct which 
often long remains1 and at the first    
always is perfectly unconscious of a    
higher vocation and divine destiny4     
,the external senses are in one respect 
the faithful organs and instruments of  
the understanding in the material world1
 with which it makes its experience or  
observations therein1 and draws         
therefrom its experimental science4 ,in 
another point of view1 they may not     
improperly be termed an applied or      
practical fancy1 which for a definite   
direction exercises itself on the       
individual phenomena of the material    
world1 for the copying and reproduction 
of external impressions on the organs1  
as1 e4g41 of the visible form or reduced
 image in the eye1 is in any case       
nothing but an inferior species or a    
collateral branch of the general faculty
 of productive imagination4 ,but that   
new and spiritual sense of higher       
potency1 which in the purely material   
can only develop itself as an exception1

 or may appear to be veiled therein--,i 
mean the keen appreciation by the ear of
 musical tones1 and the eye for         
picturesque beauty of form in the       
plastic art--can only be regarded as a  
lightning-spark of fancy passing along  
and operating through this external     
medium and conductor4  ,one remark seems
 of importance in connection with our   
whole subject2 at any rate it will not  
be superfluous1 as confirming our       
assertion that the threefold principle  
of human life in general is found       
repeated in its single members2 and     
though on a smaller scale1 is still     
manifested in the same relation4 ,we    
observe1 therefore1 that whatever       
physiological1 or1 it may be1 anatomical
 reasons physiologists may have for     
counting five senses--and they may be   
perfectly sufficient and adequate for   
the requisitions of physical science1   
still1 psychologically1 it is far more  
accurate and also simpler1 in a         
philosophical sense1 to limit their     

number to three4 ,no doubt1 in the      
sensation of taste1 not only a          
mechanical contact occurs1 but there is 
also a chemical decomposition of the    
tasted matter1 by which the sensation of
 sweet or bitter is produced4 ,so1 too1 
in smell1 although no visible           
evaporation takes place1 still it is a  
fact that ariform floating particles are
 thrown off from the sensible body1 and 
actually taken in by the sentient4      
,still these are far from being adequate
 grounds for making of them two         
independent senses4 ,even in the inner  
organic perception of one's bodily      
health and ease1 and in the opposite    
case of pain1 it is something more than 
the mere mechanical contact from without
 that is therein sensuously perceived4  
,but are we disposed on this account to 
agree with those who propose to divide  
still further the single sense of       
material touch1 and increase the number 
of the senses8 ,we feel at once that    
this would be superfluous1 since all    

these proposed divisions are1 at least  
in a psychological point of view1 to be 
regarded simply as modifications--as    
branches or lower species of one and the
 same sense4 ,and by the same analogy1  
then1 we may reckon all these material  
senses for one4 ,thus1 then1 we have in 
all but three senses1 presenting in this
 smaller and meaner sphere an accurate  
correspondence to the triple man1 and   
the three elements which make up his    
whole being--body1 soul1 and spirit4    
,of the outer senses1 the eye is        
incontestably the most spiritual4 ,the  
ear1 whereby we are sentient of sounds1 
words1 and voices1 and melody1 and all  
music1 corresponds to the soul2 while   
the sense of material feeling1 which is 
also destined to be the ministering     
organ and guardian of the health and    
welfare of the body1 is corporeal1 and  
corresponds to the principle of organic 
life4 ,after the loss both of sight and 
hearing1 the body may both be and long  
continue healthy and vigorous2 whereas a

 defect in the sense of feeling1 so     
soon1 at least1 as it became general and
 total1 would be the commencement of    
death1 or at least appear to be so1     
since diseases temporarily take this    
form4 ,however1 this third and corporeal
 sense of feeling is not always entirely
 external and grossly material4 ,it may 
develop itself1 at least by way of      
exception 7since the sense of art in the
 eye and ear is not universal71 as a    
sort of intellectual perception1 though 
still a physical feeling of kindred life
 and of the inner light1 which often    
gives rise to a peculiar and remarkable 
immediate natural sense 7not to call it 
an instinct7 for the invisible1 which is
 enshrouded within the outward phenomena
 of life4 ,and though some would fain   
deny the reality of this capacity1      
still1 inasmuch as its existence is a   
matter of fact1 adequately confirmed by 
experience1 as great1 if not greater    
error may be committed in the opposite  
direction4 ,because this acute natural  

sense does unquestionably often arrive  
in a most wonderful manner at a just and
 right conclusion--or this instinct make
 most remarkable divinations--we must   
not1 therefore1 exalt it at once into a 
kind of invisible1 infallible1 and1 as  
it were1 omniscient oracle4 ,for such is
 not to be met with in the path of      
psychology1 nor in the whole circle of  
faculties which belong to man as man1   
and least of all in that critical point 
of transition out of the ordinary       
perception of consciousness into a      
complete state of unconsciousness1 and  
from this again into a clear and bright 
consciousness2 which point1 even on this
 account1 seeming to stand midway       
between light and shade1 exhibits here  
and there a strong resemblance to the   
world of dreams4 ,such1 in general1 is  
the limitation of the human intellect1  
that reason1 as has been already often  
remarked1 can never be regarded as an   
unerring oracle and infallible organ of 
truth2 neither is the clearest          

understanding and the most experienced  
artistic sense1 even in its own peculiar
 sphere1 always unerring4 ,still less   
can either the will or the fancy make   
such a claim4 ,even the inner voice of  
conscience1 although its name alludes   
directly to an inward knowing1 and the  
certainty thereof1#fi is not always and 
universally recognized as such an       
infallible guide--otherwise many a      
thinker and writer on the subject would 
not have set up1 as necessary to explain
 at least some cases1 the idea of a     
mistaken conscience4 ,it appears1 then1 
that this natural sense1 even where it  
exists in the greatest strength and     
clearness1 must be always regarded as an
 entirely individual and peculiar gift1 
and can only be understood and judged of
 as such4 ,this remark involves1        
perhaps1 the most important             
consideration1 which1 in judging of it1 
we must always keep in view4 ,moreover1 
even where it really and decidedly      
exists1 whether in a state of complete  

or half-consciousness1 or in full       
conscious wakefulness1 it always        
requires the closest observation and the
 most watchful care before it can attain
 to its full perfection2 for its        
development must be extremely slow and  
gradual4 ,in this respect it must       
resemble the expansion of that high and 
spiritual sense of art which forms a    
bright and luminous point within the    
material organ of the ear or eye--which 
lies enshrouded in the external organ   
like a spiritual germ1 or--as we may    
justly term the artist's vision as      
compared with that of other men--an eye 
within the eye4  ,we have now taken a   
general view of the whole human mind1   
finding it to comprise four great       
fundamental faculties of the first      
class1 and then certain secondary       
ones--viz41 memory and conscience1 with 
the appetites and external senses1      
which1 at least in the psychological    
point of view1 appear to be mixed forms 
or derivatives of the former4 ,the four 

first are occasionally found combined   
together in due proportion4 ,when this  
combination is the natural endowment of 
genius1 they attain to their noblest    
energy1 and even by a lively and careful
 development1 they often attain to a    
most exquisite unity of operation4      
,mostly1 however1 we meet with a decided
 preponderance and exclusive ascendency 
of some one1 which in its external      
effects is only limited and checked by  
the fact that it is thus isolated4 ,the 
four rarely co-operate together2 and1   
for the most part1 by their dissension  
they prove checks and hindrances to each
 other4 ,but not merely in the          
individual and his personal life and    
conduct do these four fundamental forces
 display such strength and vital energy 
in the grand development of the whole   
human race2 and in its history we may   
also observe the same fact4 ,among the  
,greeks we recognize1 distinctly and    
clearly1 a profound and ingenious       
intellect predominating in life1 no less

 than in art and science2 in the        
,romans1 an irresistible and sovereign  
force of will1 reducing the world to its
 subjection1 and often no less          
gloriously imposing laws on itself2 in  
the ,christian middle ages1 the lovely  
devices of fancy giving its bold shapes 
to life itself as well as to art2 and   
lastly1 in modern times1 reason squaring
 every thing to the measure of its own  
mind and laws1 coupling often1 and      
associating1 or1 by its middle terms1   
equating together the remotest elements1
 and not less frequently exercising a   
destructive energy against all1 and even
 against itself4 ,thus this             
ground-scheme of human consciousness1   
which formed the first result of the    
psychological investigation of our own  
selves1 meets us here also on a grander 
scale as a part of the world's history1 
and in the large dimensions of          
successive ages and centuries1 as the   
first striking result in the history of 
man's civilization during the           

twenty-five centuries which1 as lying   
nearest to our own times1 we are best   
acquainted with4 ,much as may be wanting
 to fill up1 both in the commencement   
and the middle--much1 in short1 as it   
would be necessary to add or more       
closely to define1 if it were our object
 to draw a universal sketch of the four 
historical epochs and ages of the       
civilization of the world within the    
limits best known to us1 yet for our    
immediate object these mere hints are   
sufficient2 for they prove how1 even in 
history1 in its place each of these four
 fundamental powers of man developed    
itself in the most decided form and     
displayed a marvelous and uncontrollable
 energy4 ,here1 too1 we see that an     
intrinsic equilibrium between these     
several powers forms in general but the 
rare and happy exception1 while on the  
whole it is mostly wanting4 ,indeed the 
absence of a complete vital union and   
co-operation is but too painfully felt  
and perceived in the history of the     

world4  ,quite different1 however1 is   
the case with the mixed and mediate     
faculties of the second rank1 which are 
derived from the former4 ,to these may  
be applied the remark we lately made on 
the ,american tribes and languages1 in  
relation to that degradation of the     
human race so especially noticeable in  
them1 and its still advancing degeneracy
 and dismemberment4 ,the external       
senses1 whose meager powers of cognition
 are but a sorry make-shift for man's   
mind1 which in its thirst of knowledge  
would embrace all existence1 the        
,godhead1 and the universe1 are narrowly
 restricted to the material world       
immediately around him4 ,from such      
slight and unpromising beginnings1      
science is no doubt occasionally able to
 evolve many a great and noble truth4   
,and even in the external senses        
themselves a feeling of art or a clear  
and pure sense of nature gleams forth at
 times1 like a little spark of purer    
light4 ,still even here many and great  

impediments affect them and their sure  
application4 ,memory1 too1 is on the    
whole little more than a mechanical     
readiness1 with difficulty acquired1 and
 soon weakened and blunted4 ,the        
appetites or instincts are liable to    
numberless aberrations and passionate   
excesses4 ,as to conscience1 there is   
but too much reason to fear that it is  
for the most part in a state of weakness
 and apathy1 dwarfed and mutilated in   
its powers and operations4 ,at least1   
the remark is no very strange one that  
conscience1 which has an ear as well as 
a small1 still voice1 does not always   
hear very quickly1 and often fails to   
hear very much that it might and would  
do well to listen to4 ,whether there are
 not men who in this respect may be     
considered perfectly deaf1 is a question
 which can only be answered by an       
accurate and specific history of human  
crimes1 or by those whose calling it is 
to study this sad and gloomy side of the
 picture of human life4 ,such complete  

moral deadness as this1 however1 which  
happily forms a rare exception in       
humanity1 may1 perhaps1 be rightly      
regarded as a kind of moral imbecility  
for all higher and moral sentiments1    
even though it is frequently accompanied
 with great clearness of intellect and a
 high degree of instinctive shrewdness  
or cunning4 ,on the other hand1 the     
cases are probably rare1 where the      
delicate moral sensibility or inward    
perception of right and wrong among     
nobler natures1 is developed in such    
purity and strength1 and carried to such
 a height of perfection and stability1  
as the musical ear and artistic delicacy
 is by great musicians and amateurs of  
the art4 ,probably1 too1 it is more     
suitable1 and also more profitable1 for 
human nature in its present degraded    
state1 that its higher senses and organs
 for the invisible should not manifest  
themselves in us in all their extreme   
and overpowering energy1 and for the    
most part should but shine with a       

subdued light1 or1 as it were1 gleam    
through some shrouding envelope4 ,even  
of the conscience this is true4 ,at     
least1 it admits not of denial that a   
few moments' brief enjoyment of a truly 
bright and clear-sighted conscience     
would be enough to tear the soul forever
 from its present indifference1 and to  
plunge it into an abyss of unspeakable  
grief1 for which earthly language       
possesses no adequate expression1 and   
for which the human bosom has no        
suitable notes of lamentation and       
mourning4 ,it is1 therefore1 only the   
greater proof of beneficence if the     
invisible world1 and the mysteries of   
eternal woe which await the lost        
spirit--in comparison with which every  
earthly pain and all earthly suffering  
are as nothing--is in mercy shrouded    
with a veil1 which only seldom and on   
rare occasions may lawfully be lifted4  
,now1 generally1 it is at the uttermost 
confines of error1 in the very depths of
 degradation1 and the lowest level of   

narrow-mindedness1 that the first higher
 impulse and beginning of happier times 
exalts itself1 opening out the way of   
return to a newer and better life4 ,the 
same probably may be the case in our    
present shackled and distracted         
consciousness4 ,those very gross        
mistakes and aberrations to which the   
limited and discordant faculties are    
liable1 may furnish the common basis for
 the growth of another vitally complete 
and harmonious co-operating             
consciousness4  ,for now that we have1  
by the enumeration of these eight       
faculties1 made a complete sketch of the
 human consciousness1 the question may  
arise1 naturally enough1 8,which is the 
common center of this sphere1 or what is
 there found or demonstrable in this    
center80 ,it was with a view to this    
question that ,i attempted to give a    
refined interpretation of the ,platonic 
idea of the anamnesis1 taking it to mean
 the recollection of a higher love1 not 
so much in a former existence as of and 

from eternity4 ,we explained it1        
consequently1 to be a species of        
transcendental memory4 ,and in this     
sense we justified it1 demonstrating at 
the same time1 in that other region     
which is formed of man's instinct and   
desires1 the existence of the pure idea 
of infinite longing as the highest      
effort of the human soul4 ,the sense of 
art1 and profound feeling of natural    
beauty1 which belong to true artistic   
genius1 are recognized as being in their
 sphere extraordinary endowments4 ,in   
the same way no one will wish to deny   
that the moral feeling1 as the natural  
expression of the inner voice of        
conscience1 constitutes in social life  
the fundamental condition and the surest
 foundation for all lofty and noble     
sentiments4 ,thus feeling is that center
 which we were in search of1 of the     
otherwise divided and distracted        
consciousness4 ,i might call it the     
moral feeling1 only then it would not be
 of so universal an application as it   

really is4 ,for the moral aspect        
constitutes only a single view and      
energy of the whole1 since the feeling  
of art1 and every other kind of higher  
sentiment1 belongs equally to it4 ,with 
much greater propriety ,i might term it 
the inner1 by way of distinction from   
the external and material sense of      
feeling4 ,less clear than the           
understanding1 and not so decided or    
definite as the will1 with more vitality
 and life than the reason1 but at the   
same time more narrowly limited than the
 fancy1 the immediate sphere of         
individual existence--feeling1 occupies 
the central space between the four      
fundamental faculties1 as well as       
between the four intermediate faculties 
of the second order4 ,it is the         
apparently indifferent1 but in truth the
 full and living center of              
consciousness1 where every vibration of 
all the other isolated powers meet and  
cross1 either neutralizing each other1  
or combining together into new life and 

harmonious co-operation ,it admits1     
indeed1 of the most various degrees of  
development and of every kind of        
progression1 from the simplest1 almost  
indifferent1 and passive sense of mere  
existence1 up to the highest and        
self-sacrificing enthusiasm1 which heeds
 no form or phase of death1 or up to    
that highest state of rapture which     
loses itself on the very verge of       
unconsciousness4 ,in this respect we    
might well say1 with the poet1 8,feeling
 is all40 ,it is the center of life1 and
 the heart of the whole1 each single and
 individual faculty1 in and by itself1  
being1 as compared with it1 but 8noise1 
powder1 and smoke10 8shrouding the      
bright empyrean40 ,and yet this center  
of the consciousness is not1 however1   
such as to be able1 by its inherent     
force and activity1 to organize and     
regulate the whole1 holding in union all
 those otherwise isolated powers and    
states of the human mind4 ,in this      
respect it is1 on the whole1 passive4   

,indeed1 viewed in a more accurate      
light1 feeling is not so much an        
individual and peculiar faculty as an   
entirely formless and indefinite1 but   
still vitally moved and frequently      
excited1 condition of the consciousness1
 which is to form the point of          
transition from its present state of    
fourfold division1 into the living1     
perfect1 and harmonious co-operation of 
its triple state4 ,when reason and fancy
 have ceased to be divided1 being       
restored to oneness by the living       
feeling1 but are blended together in the
 thinking and loving soul1 we have the  
basis on which a restoration of the     
consciousness to harmony and perfection 
must in every case be commenced4 ,when  
the great faculty of the understanding  
no longer stands aloof by itself1 coldly
 inactive2 when the strong will ceases1 
by its blind obstinacy1 to impede its   
own efforts2 when the two have now grown
 together into an effectual potency of  
the life-enlightened spirit1 in which   

every thought is at once an act1 and    
every word a power 7a state which is    
only possible and attainable in this    
center of a higher love7--we have then  
the second step on the path of return to
 the original perfection of the         
consciousness4  ,but before ,i attempt  
to add to this scale of progression the 
last term which is yet wanting1 ,i must 
episodically introduce and discuss      
another question4 ,it relates to the    
phenomenon of judgment1 which as yet has
 not had its place assigned to it in the
 consciousness4 ,is it to be considered 
as an independent faculty of the soul1  
and in what relation does it stand to   
the other mental powers8 ,now1 by       
judgment1 in the merely logical sense1  
nothing more is understood than the     
connecting of a predicate with a        
subject4 ,for instance1 in the complete 
syllogism1 8,all men are mortal3 ,caius 
is a man1 therefore ,caius is mortal10  
the minor premise1 where the middle or  
general term is specially applied1 and1 

consequently1 predicted of an           
individual1 alone forms such a judgment4
 ,now1 since it is the reason that      
logically connects thoughts together1 it
 is not easy to see why this one act1 by
 which the predicate and subject are    
connected1 should be separated from all 
others and set up and regarded as an    
independent and especial faculty4 ,for  
by so doing nothing is explained1 and an
 unnecessary addition is made to the    
subdivisions 7already too numerous7 of  
the human mind and its thinking powers4 
,quite otherwise1 however1 is it with   
another class of judgments1 which1 in   
fact1 are highly deserving the name4    
,for these in their proper sphere       
actually decide4 ,and their decisions   
are generally regarded as authoritative 
because they are based on natural       
talents1 a practiced eye1 a multifarious
 and extensive experience1 a long study 
of the matters they are concerned about1
 which in practice render them more or  
less certain and trustworthy4 ,in this  

case the act of judgment is no simple   
function of the thinking faculty4 ,it   
is1 rather1 the sum of the manifold     
elements and spiritual perceptions on   
which it exercises itself1 and which it 
presupposes4 ,for the most part it is   
the highly complicated and composite    
result of many fundamental premises4 ,we
 can not1 however1 reckon this higher   
function of judgment in any particular  
sphere as a peculiar mental faculty1    
since in such a case a special one must 
needs be assumed for every one2 for a   
right discrimination in any one sphere  
does not by any means imply equal       
certainty in another4 ,moreover1 the    
several species and branches of the     
general gift are found to exist quite   
separately and distinct from each other4
 ,since1 then1 the general notion of an 
independent faculty does not afford a   
satisfactory explanation of the         
phenomena of judgment1 we must seek it  
in some other direction4 ,and here a few
 examples will greatly tend to          

illustrate the whole matter4 ,how much1 
for instance1 is comprised in a genuine 
artistic judgment6 ,it is compounded of 
a multitude of observations1            
impressions1 reflections1 and emotions4 
,and yet the opinion resulting from all 
these is simply one1 and definitely     
comprised in one simple sentence4       
,suppose the opinion pronounced to be1  
that this or that beautiful and ancient 
painting is not from the master to whom 
it is commonly ascribed1 but belongs1   
rather1 to this or that other school4   
,of course ,i am not supposing the case 
where such an assertion can be proved   
historically by documentary evidence4   
,in such a case the decision would turn 
on a matter of fact1 and not on         
judgment--at least1 not on true artistic
 judgment4 ,the judgment in question    
must principally1 if not entirely1 be   
drawn from the work itself--from the    
style of the handling1 and similar      
indications1 by a practiced and almost  
infallible tact4 ,so various1 in short1 

and manifold are the observations on    
which such an artistic judgment depends1
 that they often furnish matter for a   
whole book1 or1 at least1 for an essay4 
,whenever1 however1 it is really        
artistic discernment1 and not merely    
historical knowledge1 that is involved1 
we invariably meet with some one point  
or other which does not admit of        
mathematical demonstration1 and on which
 the ultimate decision must be left to  
each man's personal judgment1 or that   
immediate perception which forms a      
feeling of art4 ,most justly1 therefore1
 does our language closely connect the  
two expressions4 ,for a true artistic   
judgment ,kunsturtheil is itself nothing
 else than this intuitive feeling of art
 ,kunstgefuhl applied to a special case 
or subject1 and brought out in perfect  
clearness and comprised in a definite   
shape4 ,just so it is in the sphere of  
social life with regard to the judgment 
on what is proper--the feeling1 in      
short1 of propriety4 ,here1 for         

instance1 it is no uncommon question    
whether this or that word1 spoken in    
some delicate posture of affairs1 was   
really necessary1 exactly what was right
 to be said and thoroughly suitable1 or 
altogether ill-chosen and unseasonable4 
,or with regard to some step still in   
contemplation1 it may be disputed       
whether such or such a method be the    
best and the most appropriate4 ,how many
 little niceties and delicate           
considerations are here involved1 which 
a fine feeling can alone enter into6    
,what various and intricate             
contingencies1 for which it is often    
difficult to find words sufficiently    
expressive1 must such a judgment take   
into account1 in its deliberation on    
such matters6 ,and in social converse on
 such instances1 is not the             
casting-voice generally left to the     
acute sensibilities and quick tact of   
woman8  ,for in all such cases the      
decision invariably depends upon an     
immediate feeling of propriety1 which1  

though first called forth and developed 
by the social intercourse of life1 is in
 truth original and innate4 ,such1      
indeed1 it must ever be4 ,for where it  
does not exist naturally1 it can never  
be learned nor artificially acquired4   
,the original want of this inward       
feeling can never be replaced by any    
varnish of external culture1 however    
brilliant4 ,and the case is also the    
same even in the sphere of science2 for 
instance1 in the shrewd1 searching      
glance by which the skillful physician  
takes his diagnosis of disease2 or in   
the clear1 perspicacious sagacity which 
enables the judge1 in some highly       
complicated suit or doubtful criminal   
trial1 to seize the right point on which
 truth and justice hinge4 ,for in       
judicial cases1 with much that admits of
 demonstrative proof1 or which1 as      
matter of fact1 is unquestioned1 there  
is still more where nothing but this    
psychological penetration1 long         
practiced in such matters1 and to which 

past experience has given confidence in 
itself1 can immediately see through all 
the sophistical wiles not only of the   
pleadings and the skillful advocate1 but
 also of the litigant parties           
themselves1 or of the crafty criminal4  
,the same remark applies also to a      
sphere1 apparently1 indeed1 related to  
the one last mentioned1 but1 in fact1   
essentially different and widely remote 
from it4 ,i allude to the unerring tact 
of the experienced statesman1 by which  
he not only penetrates1 through his     
knowledge of mankind1 the political     
designs of others1 but is also enabled  
to read the great events of the world   
and their tendencies1 and infallibly to 
seize the right moment for action4  ,in 
all these instances 7and many others    
might easily be added7 it is upon an    
immediate perception or feeling of what 
is right that the decision finally      
turns4 ,and this fact is almost         
confessed by such expressions as a      
8penetrating glance10 an 8unerring      

tact10 and many similar ones to be found
 in our own and other highly cultivated 
languages4 ,such a judgment may1        
therefore1 not inaptly be termed an     
intellectual feeling2 for it implies the
 existence of intellect4 ,and this not  
only as an inborn natural talent1 for   
the special domain within which the     
judgment is to be exercised1 but1       
moreover1 a certain development of the  
understanding1 strengthened by long     
practice1 and confirmed by varied       
experience in the particular province4  
,but still1 with this intellectual      
element there is invariably mixed a     
feeling1 or immediate perception1 of    
what is right and just4 ,it is this1 in 
short1 that properly decides and makes  
the opinion ultimately expressed to be a
 judgment4 ,on this account ,i can not  
attribute the act of judgment           
exclusively to the understanding1 for   
the former involves something more than 
the simple intellection of a single     
object4 ,it comprises1 at the same time1

 a rigorous distinction between two     
objects1 or a decision between yes and  
no4 ,perhaps1 therefore1 the best and   
most perfect explanation of judgment    
would be to call it an intelligent      
feeling of a correct discrimination1    
comprised and expressed1 and also       
communicated to others1 in a general    
form4 ,the last-mentioned quality1      
however1 does not always belong to the  
judgment1 since it often remains merely 
internal2 at least1 it does not form an 
essential or necessary part of it4      
,thus1 then1 this digression 7though1 in
 truth1 it is not properly a digression1
 since the question concerning the      
faculty of judgment1 and the position it
 occupies in the whole soul1 is         
essentially connected with the          
consideration of the latter7 has again  
led us back to feeling1 as the living   
center of the entire consciousness1     
where all its extreme tendencies        
converge and reunite4 ,here it is that  
the dull and unpromising state of calm1 

contemplative indifference meets        
together with the highest excitement of 
energetic activity1 the lowest and most 
insignificant states of consciousness   
being found there1 as well as the most  
exalted and most sublime--the enthusiasm
 that carries all before it1 no less    
than the clear self-possession in the   
spirit's feeling of a discernment of    
truth1 or1 as ,i called the judgment1 an
 intelligent perception of what is right
 and just4 ,in this advance of feeling  
in the mind or spirit geistigen up to   
that height of self-possession and      
clearness at which it receives the name 
of judgment1 the former bears the same  
relation to the latter as the mere      
thought1 in its first vague generality1 
does to the notion which ,i have defined
 to be a thought perfectly divided into 
its organic members1 and mathematically 
measured both inwardly and              
outwardly--both1 i4e41 as to extent and 
comprehension4  ,now1 this inward       
feeling1 taken in the full comprehensive

 sense of the word1 is the same as what 
,i previously called sense1 when ,i     
spoke of the human consciousness as     
consisting of spirit1 soul1 and sense4  
,in these places1 however1 you will     
remember1 ,i reserved to a future       
opportunity the further and closer      
determination of the relation in which  
this general sense stands to the other  
two elements of the mind4 ,but inasmuch 
as the notion of sense always carries us
 back to a special kind of sensation1   
limited and only open to a special      
sphere of objects1 the expression of an 
inward feeling seems far more strictly  
appropriate to the third element of the 
mind4 ,for the term feeling1 by its     
vague generality1 comprises all objects 
of consciousness1 or1 in other words1   
all kinds and species of a higher sense4
 ,now1 this higher and all-embracing    
internal feeling is the starting-point  
from which we must set out if we would  
hope to arrive at the complete reunion  
and living co-operation which marks the 

consciousness in its original threefold 
state4 ,it is not1 however1 the         
key-stone of consummation4 ,it is simply
 the foundation on which all the rest   
must be built1 or it is the deep        
fountain out of which rich nourishment  
springs up on all sides for the other   
two elements of the mind1 viz41 the soul
 and the spirit4 ,the latter two1 in    
fact1 constitute the whole essence of   
the inner man4 ,now1 since the spirit is
 an active faculty1 while the soul1     
though possessed of a creative vitality1
 is on the whole mostly passive1 their  
undivided union and constant            
co-operation may1 by way of figure1 be  
designated as an inner intellectual     
union or marriage in the consciousness4 
,indeed1 we might not inaptly explain   
man's essence as consisting in the      
spirit being wedded to its soul1 and in 
the soul being thereupon clothed with an
 organic body4 ,but1 to pursue the same 
metaphor3 this marriage between spirit  
and soul is not always a happy and      

harmonious union4 ,whenever the soul1   
drawn off by every external impression  
and attraction1 loses itself in the     
manifold ways and by-ways of the        
material world1 or wanders to an unsafe 
distance with fancy1 as she roams at    
liberty amid the things of sense2       
whenever the spirit1 trusting to its own
 inherent powers1 follows their dictates
 alone1 and recognizes nothing above1   
and disregards all that is without1     
itself1 then this marriage is invariably
 distracted by passionate discord and   
unquiet4 ,here1 perhaps1 as well as in  
the external world1 the words apply3    
8,what ,god hath joined together1 let no
 man put asunder40 ,a complete and total
 divorce is indeed scarcely conceivable1
 such is the coherence of the living    
consciousness4 ,by death alone is it    
possible to be brought about1 or perhaps
 also by that flaming sword of the ,holy
 ,word1 which it is said pierces to the 
bone and marrow1 dividing soul and      
spirit4 ,where the first bond of union  

was given by ,god1 it must be maintained
 and continually strengthened by        
recurring to this supreme center1 if it 
is to be permanent and to look finally  
for perfection4 ,this is only possible  
where the spirit recognizes a divine    
standard above itself1 and where1 in all
 its thoughts1 works1 and deeds1 it acts
 upon this exalted principle1 and where 
also the soul seeks before all things   
this eternal center of love1 and is ever
 reverting to it4 ,in such a case both  
soul and spirit are united in ,god1 or  
at least are ever yearning for such a   
union4 ,and1 in truth1 nothing more is  
required of man than what has always and
 every where been required of him1      
though1 alas6 this requisition has      
seldom been fully realized4 ,god1 then1 
is the keystone which holds together the
 whole human consciousness2 and this is 
the point to which our investigation    
has1 step by step1 been leading us4 ,and
 now our notion of the whole scheme and 
delineation of the human mind is        

complete4  ,its general basis and       
outline1 such as we find it within      
ourselves1 is formed by the four        
fundamental faculties first described1  
together with four others of a lower and
 secondary order4 ,feeling--i4e41 the   
inner feeling1 comprising every higher  
form thereof1 is its center4 ,it is that
 by which we first are awakened to its  
present existence1 and also at the same 
time the point at which we pass into a  
higher state1 wherein its operation will
 be more vivid and its union more       
harmonious4 ,but as to the threefold    
life of the inner man1 it consists in   
spirit1 soul1 and ,god1 as the third1 in
 whom the first two are united1 or at   
least must seek their union4  ,in       
proportion1 therefore1 as this key-stone
 is removed from the human mind1 it     
falls a prey to discord and the         
isolation of its several powers2 nay    
more1 the latter sink continually lower 
and lower1 and fall from one depth of   
degradation to another4 ,and when       

occasionally1 as in the might and       
strength of genius1 there occurs a      
preponderance of some one faculty1 it   
exercises for the most part a           
destructive tendency against the harmony
 of the whole1 checking1 if not         
suppressing altogether1 the free        
developments of other powers as         
necessary and as essential as itself4   
,,lecture ,,vi4   ,according to that    
outline of the human mind which we have 
just sketched1 its whole alphabet1 so to
 speak1 consists but of twelve letters  
or primary elements4 ,these are formed  
first of all into the stem-syllables or 
radicals of higher truth and knowledge1 
out of which again1 in the inner        
language of true science1 entire words  
and connected propositions are          
constructed4 ,and these again must      
further combine into one universal key  
and all-embracing fundamental word of   
life4 ,in this internal alphabet of the 
consciousness1 however1 there is one    
point on which a few words of further   

explanation are necessary to a right    
understanding4 ,and it is one of the    
very highest consequence1 since it      
concerns the final aim or even the first
 foundation1 being nothing less than the
 center of life and perfection of unity4
 ,god1 it is said1 must form the        
key-stone in the arch of the whole      
consciousness2 and no other real point  
of union can be found4 ,but now ,god is 
without1 or1 rather1 above1 the human   
mind4 ,how1 then1 are we to designate   
that by and through which this center of
 unity1 which we feel and acknowledge to
 be raised far above us1 is to be seized
 and retained1 so that it may livingly  
operate within us8 ,i know no other way 
of indicating it than by the word       
idea--the idea1 viz41 of the divine and 
of the ,divinity ,himself4 ,as1 then1   
feeling forms the common center of life 
for the lower and ordinary consciousness
 of man and its eight elementary        
faculties1 so it is this idea that1 as  
the third internal principle1 makes up1 

together with spirit and soul1 the      
higher threefold living consciousness4  
,but by this idea we mean not a merely  
speculative or abstract and dead idea1  
but an effectually operative and living 
idea of a ,god1 who1 having life in     
,himself1 is the source from which all  
life proceeds4 ,in its outward form1 and
 as compared with the other functions of
 the consciousness or acts of the       
thinking faculty1 this idea is a notion4
 ,at the same time1 however1 it is also 
a figure or a symbol4 ,for it is only   
figuratively that that which is not so  
much inconceivable1 as rather transcends
 conception1 being far above and beyond 
all possible notions1 can be at all     
indicated4 ,it is by symbols alone that 
such can be conceived or comprehended4  
,indeed1 the word idea1 in its original 
,greek sense1 alludes to some kind of   
visible figure and figurative shape     
lying1 as it were1 within the notion    
itself4 ,all that is highest of every   
species can only be apprehended by such 

a mode of thinking as is at the same    
time both logical and symbolical--in    
which the logical thought of reason and 
the symbolical of imagination--the      
scientific1 viz41 or of that which in   
cognition is the inward productive      
faculty1 are once more in unison1 being 
thoroughly combined or wholly blended   
together4 ,the idea1 however1 is not    
merely a conception1 which is a notion1 
and yet1 at the same time1 as properly  
transcending all notion1 a figure or    
symbol2 but looking to the inward form  
of the consciousness1 rather than to the
 object itself1 it is a conception which
 is also a feeling4 ,indeed1 without the
 supposition of the latter it can not   
exist1 and1 strictly speaking1 is not   
even conceivable4 ,that this is the     
case1 the following instance will fully 
show3 ,how could we1 if we wished it1   
suggest the idea of true love1 or make  
it clear and comprehensible to one who  
had never felt any thing of the kind1   
and was1 in short1 totally incapable of 

such a feeling8  ,properly1 however1 and
 in scientific rigor1 there is only one 
idea truly so called4 ,and that is the  
one idea of the ,godhead4 ,all else that
 we call ideas1 whether in this higher  
signification1 or in a kindred and      
similar sense--like the innate ideas1   
without number1 of which the ,platonic  
philosophy speaks1 or that idea of true 
love which ,i lately alluded to 7having 
previously made frequent use of such    
expressions1 and intending to do so     
again whenever they appear calculated to
 lead to accuracy of distinction or     
vividness of indication7--all such can  
only be called ideas in a certain sense 
and analogy4 ,such a mode of speech1    
however1 is allowable whenever we are   
treating of such notions and conceptions
 as stand in any relation to the higher 
and divine4 ,for1 contemplated from this
 spiritual center of the divine idea1   
they shine in a new light4 ,being       
purified in its flame1 they seem to be  
elevated and brought many degrees nearer

 to this one supreme idea of the living 
,god1 in all ,his perfection and beauty4
 ,in all its fullness and completeness1 
however1 this idea can not truly be said
 to be innate in the human mind4 ,at    
most there are there only the elements  
of it1 viz41 the remembrance of eternal 
love 7which ,plato's doctrine of the    
anamnesis1 when purified1 amounts to71  
the infinite longing1 the voice of      
conscience2 and then1 completing the    
number1 as the fourth element1 comes the
 genuine and exalted enthusiasm for art 
and natural beauty4 ,all these higher   
elements1 however1 of the divine in man1
 form but a weak echo of the whole4     
,they are1 as it were1 but so many faint
 dying notes1 or the first infantine    
lispings of this one divine idea1 which 
in its full force and brightness must be
 given1 imparted1 and revealed2 while   
that which is thus given and            
experienced1 and indeed personally      
experienced1 can only be embraced1      
understood1 and retained by faith       

through love4  ,he who has never had any
 feeling or experience of ,god1 who is a
 stranger to love1 and incapable of     
faith of any kind1 to such a one1 so    
long as he remains in this state1 it    
would be lost labor to speak of ,god1 or
 of the divine idea1 with all that flows
 immediately from it4 ,this idea may    
indeed exist as a rational notion       
necessarily emanating from our own      
cogitations4 ,but in this form1 as the  
creature of our own conception1 but not 
as a given and revealed1 it is little   
better than the fixed reflection of     
ourselves--the objective projection of  
our own ,me4 ,for such in all purely    
rational systems it ever is--emptied and
 utterly void of all effectual living   
power1 and of all truth and reality4    
,but when the idea of ,god has been     
received by a higher experience 7and    
thus only can it be vitally imparted71  
then may we in truth call it divine4    
,for it is no longer the barren1        
unfruitful idea that it is in all other 

cases1 but it contains in itself an     
effectual living and life-giving energy4
  ,the fundamental elements of the human
 consciousness are1 then1 twelve in     
number4 ,the first universal basis is   
formed by the eight special faculties1  
with love as their living center4 ,to   
these must be added the three principles
 of the higher inward life--soul1       
spirit1 and the idea of the divine--such
 as we have accurately defined and      
characterized it4 ,these together ,i    
have called the alphabet of the         
consciousness4 ,and this alphabet1 like 
a fixed and established logical notion1 
,i shall henceforth adopt in this       
precise shape and number1 making it1    
without any essential variation1 the    
basis of my subsequent remarks4 ,it is1 
no doubt1 of great advantage1 and even  
necessary for the elucidation of any    
matter1 rigorously to separate the      
several elements of the general notion1 
duly arranging them1 and accurately     
preserving their number4 ,still we may  

be overanxious in this respect4 ,and1   
indeed1 language itself is not always   
very precise in its designations2 and   
the different dialects of human speech1 
with their fluctuating phraseology1     
often assign a different rank and       
position to the parts of the same whole4
 ,much1 for instance is set down as an  
independent faculty1 which1 more        
correctly regarded1 is but a state--or  
even only a passage from one state into 
another--or it may be merely a natural  
talent2 or1 perhaps1 some such happy    
coincidence and harmonious co-operation 
of several powers of the soul as        
constitutes true genius4 ,an instance of
 this kind gave rise to that question   
which so lately engaged our attention1  
whether the judgment is rightly to be   
considered a special faculty2 and1 if   
not1 how is it in strictness of truth to
 be designated8 ,and in a similar       
respect1 ,i now find occasion to say a  
few words on wit1 as being nearly       
related to judgment 7if the latter be1  

as ,i have explained it1 an intelligent 
feeling71 and as holding an intermediate
 position between judgment and genius4  
,for now we have given a complete sketch
 in outline of the whole consciousness1 
it is desirable to fill in1 as          
completely as possible1 all the lesser  
and nicer features4 ,in other words1 it 
is expedient to assign their proper     
place in the entire consciousness to    
those properties of soul and spirit     
which are not so much simple or first   
principles as complex phenomena of a    
secondary order1 and compounded of      
several distinct elements4 ,now wit1    
like judgment1 is an intelligent        
feeling1 marked1 however1 with the      
qualities of immediateness and          
pertinency4 ,but it is not1 like the    
judgment1 associated always with a      
special knowledge and insight4 ,on the  
contrary1 wit often arises from a       
certain nave ignorance of the entire    
province to which belongs the object on 
which it exercises itself4 ,we might    

almost say that the disposition to wit  
consists in a universally intelligent   
feeling1 for its quickness of perception
 is confined to no particular department
 of life1 but exercises itself on life  
in general1 and finds therein its proper
 arena4 ,but this describes rather the  
notion of what is commonly called 8sound
 sense10 or 8natural intelligence10     
which1 in itself1 is not wit1 and is    
often found existing totally            
unaccompanied with the latter4          
,nevertheless1 this at least is         
manifest1 that if an individual be said 
to be entirely devoid of judgment--which
 is nearly the same as saying that he   
possesses no intelligent feeling in any 
species or form--it would be in vain in 
such a person to look for much1 if any1 
wit4 ,that1 moreover1 which forms the   
chief characteristic of wit1 and        
essentially distinguishes it from       
judgment1 is its unconsciousness4 ,on   
this very account children even1 if they
 be at all lively1 are often witty4     

,and1 indeed1 this childish wit forms1  
perhaps1 one of the most graceful of its
 many forms and kinds4 ,to prove how    
greatly this childish wit depends on its
 very unconsciousness1 we may appeal to 
a fact1 which1 moreover1 will teach us  
at the same time not to lay too much    
stress on the fact1 if children1 even at
 an early age1 appear very clever and   
witty4 ,it is no unfrequent observation 
that when children1 by the development  
of their understandings1 attain to      
greater clearness of consciousness1     
their wit suddenly ceases1 and their    
character assumes a touch of dry1       
solemn1 but still childish earnestness4 
,that genial unconsciousness which ever 
remains the property of true wit1 both  
of social conversation and of poetry1 at
 once forms and attests its affinity    
with genius4 ,but1 still1 wit alone is  
not a complete creative power4 ,by      
itself it rarely gives birth to aught4  
,it is but a single element1 which is   
added as the last finishing grace to all

 the creative productions of fancy1 and 
to every other work in which a fertile  
and original mind gives utterance to its
 thoughts4 ,on this account it manifests
 itself in the most varied and opposite 
forms4 ,it is not limited to social     
conversation1 or to art and poetry1 but 
even in philosophy--and the ,socratic   
especially--assumes a peculiar and      
important place as the essential        
ingredient of irony4  ,now the variety  
of forms in which wit so richly displays
 itself is a further point of           
resemblance between it and judgment4    
,still this common property has a       
different cause in each4 ,the immediate 
judgment1 or intelligent feeling1       
presents so great a variety of forms1   
because the human mind is not equally   
conversant in every province of thought1
 being generally familiar with some one 
in particular4 ,but in the case of wit1 
it is its very versatility1 by which it 
suits itself to and insinuates itself in
 every object of intellectual attention1

 that is the source of its manifold     
diversity4 ,but that it would carry us  
far beyond our present limits1 it would 
be highly instructive in a scientific   
point of view to take a survey of all   
the several forms in which this mental  
quality gushes forth in all the rich    
fullness of genius4  ,but now1 since our
 exposition of the human mind has been  
hitherto carried on by means of a       
parallelism with the idea of language1  
it will not be out of place to make a   
few remarks here on the real alphabet1  
or the elementary letters of different  
languages1 as bearing a relation to what
 we have called the alphabet of the     
consciousness4 ,for the former presents 
more than one remarkable analogy with   
the higher principle of the inward life1
 and its whole organic framework4       
,properly1 syllables1 and not letters1  
form the basis of language4 ,they are   
its living roots1 or chief stem and     
trunk1 out of which all else shoots and 
grows4 ,the letters1 in fact1 have no   

existence1 except as the results of a   
minute analysis2 for many of them are   
difficult1 if not impossible1 to        
pronounce4 ,syllables1 on the contrary1 
more or less simple1 or the complex     
composites of fewer or more letters1 are
 the primary and original data of       
language4 ,for the synthetical is in    
every case anterior to the elements into
 which it admits of resolution4 ,the    
letters1 therefore1 first arise out of  
the chemical decomposition of the       
syllables4 ,but the results of this     
analytical process are very different in
 different languages1 as is proved by   
the difference of results in the variety
 of alphabets4 ,while in our own we     
reckon four-and-twenty letters1 in many 
others the number is far greater4 ,in   
those oriental languages nearest akin to
 our own1 they amount to more than      
thirty2 while the ,indian family counts 
as many as fifty4  ,it forms no easy    
problem to indicate most of these by our
 ,european characters2 and to pronounce 

them requires the organs of speech to be
 more than ordinarily flexible4 ,on the 
other hand1 profound and philosophical  
inquires into language1 by rejecting all
 mere modifications of harshness or     
softness in the same sound1 and whatever
 is manifestly a mere variation of the  
same letter1 or a mere compound of      
simpler tones1 have reduced the whole   
alphabet to ten primary elements4       
,according to this system1 which has not
 been established without great         
acuteness1 so much at least is evident1 
that properly there are but three       
vowels1#gj instead of five1 as we       
usually count them1 the ,e being a      
softened ,i1 and ,u a deadened or faint 
,o4 ,the diphthongs1 and other tones    
intermediate between the simple vowels1 
in which the ,german is so rich1 are    
evidently to be considered but as so    
many musical transitions from one to the
 other4 ,we may here appeal to the      
,hebrew1 as being in its system of      
letters1 notwithstanding its other      

ancient oriental features1 highly simple
 and profoundly significant and         
coherent4#ga ,its two-and-twenty        
characters may be divided into two      
orders4 ,the first and higher1 as ,i    
would term it1 contains the three       
vowels1 the aspirates 7of which more by 
and by71 and then the simplest and      
softest 7they might almost be called the
 child's7 consonants1 ,b1 ,d1 ,g4 ,the  
twelve letters of the second contain all
 the other grosser1 more                
corporeally-sounding consonants4        
,usually1 indeed1 all letters1 and      
especially consonants1 are classed into 
labials1 linguals1 and dentals1         
according to the organs principally     
employed in their utterance1            
distinguishing1 on the same principle1  
certain nasals and gutturals4 ,but      
however correct this classification may 
be in an anatomical point of view1 and  
physiologically considered1 still1 for  
that parallel1 which is grounded in     
nature itself1 between speech and       

thought1 and for the analogy which      
subsists between man's inward and       
outward language1 it is both            
unsatisfactory and uninstructive4 ,for  
it looks exclusively to a single aspect4
 ,the ordinary grammatical division also
 of letters into vowels and consonants1 
is at least incomplete4 ,it would be far
 more correct to associate with them a  
third class of aspirates4 ,for the      
latter may be distinguished from the    
former by many a characteristic         
property1 even though they are indicated
 by signs which resemble those of the   
other class and often pass into and may 
be resolved into them4 ,in the various  
alphabetical systems the aspirates stand
 out most individually4 ,they assume the
 most diversified forms1 even in their  
mode of notation1 and it would almost   
seem as if the ethereal breathing which 
floats around them refused to be        
corporeally fixed and confined with as  
much easiness as the other elements of  
language4 ,in some languages1 as the    

,greek1 for instance1 according to the  
extant system1 which belongs not to the 
earliest period of its development1 the 
principal aspiration is not denoted by a
 letter1 but is indicated in the same   
way as an accent4 ,in the oriental1 and1
 generally1 in all ancient languages1   
the aspirates1 according to the         
different forms into which they enter1  
hold a very important place4 ,it almost 
seems that the more aspirated a language
 is1 the nearer it is to its original   
state4 ,it is also remarkable1 that     
wherever this element appears in        
undiminished vigor1 it gives to the     
whole language a character of antiquity 
and grandeur1 and lends to it a         
pervading tone of spiritual gravity1    
such as has been observed in the        
,arabic1 and prevails also in a high    
degree in the ,spanish2 though1 indeed1 
an undue prevalence of this high and    
solemn note1 unrelieved by others1 is   
apt to degenerate into monotony4 ,in our
 own ,german the aspirates were         

originally far more numerous than they  
are at present4 ,and1 generally1 the    
more a language is softened down and    
refined by daily use and conversation1  
the more it loses this impress of       
antiquity4 ,and it even happens with    
some1 as with the ,french1 for instance1
 that the aspirates cease to be         
articulated1 even though they are still 
marked4  ,now1 while the aspirates form 
the spiritual element in the whole      
system of elementary sounds1 in the     
vowels1 on the other hand1 predominates 
the soul-full voice of song4 ,these1 in 
short1 form the musical ensouling       
principle of language4 ,the less a      
language is overladen with consonants1  
and the more fully the simple vowels    
sound out1 the better adapted is it for 
music and songs4 ,the consonants1 on the
 other hand1 which only in part imitate 
sound1 make up the material element of  
language4 ,they are1 no doubt1 necessary
 to the richness of a language1 and its 
variety of expression2 nevertheless1    

when they greatly predominate1 they     
render it corporeal and heavy4  ,now    
this remarkable analogy between this    
division of the alphabet into aspirates1
 vowels1 and consonants1 and the triple 
principle of human life and operation1  
as consisting of spirit1 of soul1 and of
 body1 or of bodily exterior1 ,i could  
not but notice in passing1 and throw out
 as distinctly as possible4  ,but now   
this analogy and parallel between speech
 and consciousness presents another view
 of the matter1 which it appears        
desirable to consider4 ,in the alphabet 
of the human consciousness1 which       
furnishes the several elements out of   
which syllables and then words are      
framed1 which again form the first      
elements of all man's higher knowledge1 
,i would pre-eminently consider as its  
vowels those eternal feelings of the    
,godlike which have their foundation in 
the very nature of man4 ,now it is usual
 to designate these fundamental feelings
 of man as faith1 hope1 and love        

7charity74 ,but1 however customary it   
may be to class the three together1 the 
intrinsic connection between them is not
 easily pointed out4 ,and yet1 perhaps1 
if we have recourse to another analogy  
with the visible world1 it will help us 
to trace this bond of union4 ,this      
method will probably be both easier and 
simpler than a direct refutation of     
erroneous views on the subject1 or any  
critical enumeration of elements which  
in the psychological apprehension are   
incorrectly associated with them4 ,now1 
these three feelings or properties1 or  
states of the consciousness1 may be     
regarded as so many organs for the      
cognition or the perception1 or1 if the 
term be preferred1 for the suggestion of
 the divine4 ,in this respect1 then1 and
 relatively to their different modes of 
apprehension1 we may compare them with  
the external senses and their organs4   
,thus love1 in its first soul-exciting  
contact1 abiding attraction1 and finally
 complete union1 strikingly corresponds 

to the external sense of feeling4 ,faith
 is the inner ear of the spirit which is
 open to1 catches up1 and retains the   
imparted word of a higher revelation4   
,hope1 however1 is the eye1 whose clear 
vision discerns1 even in the remote     
distance1 the objects of its profound   
and ardent longing4 ,the latter brings  
us to a thoroughly vivid idea 7or1      
rather1 presupposes the existence7 of   
faith1 according to which it is no      
arbitrary and artificial idea1 but one  
real throughout and vital4 ,although    
intelligent and spiritual1 it is still a
 feeling1 and ultimately rests also on a
 feeling1 that1 viz41 of love1 out of   
which1 as its root and foundation1 it   
arises4 ,indeed1 faith is nothing else  
than love1 through a pure will1         
maintained with consistency of          
character2 and this applies to it even  
in its nobler relations among human     
things1 and does not apply to it merely 
in a higher and divine reference4  ,in  
the last age 7if it be not also in the  

present71 the notion of faith was taken 
in a very different sense1 and the      
phraseology arising from that view is1  
in part1 at least1 still prevalent4 ,on 
this account a few explanatory words are
 necessary for the sake of caution and  
distinction4 ,the following is the      
historical occasion or scientific origin
 of this other notion of faith4 ,at a   
late period of so-called enlightenment1 
in the midst of which1 however1 many    
grave misconceptions prevailed1 reason  
was set up as the sole authority4 ,as   
the highest and greatest of man's       
endowments1 it was almost deified1      
whatever did not appear at once and     
easily explicable by reason1 being      
forthwith and indiscriminately          
pronounced a prejudice1 and1 as such1 to
 be got rid of with all diligence4 ,in  
this state of things1 modern ,german    
philosophy commenced its career with    
attempting to show that this sovereign  
reason1 which had set itself forth as   
the first and highest in man1 is        

extremely defective1 and comes far short
 of the requisitions both of science and
 life4 ,the position was honestly and   
earnestly maintained1 and the proof     
worked out with tolerable completeness4 
,subsequently1 however1 its validity has
 been questioned1 or only admitted under
 many limitations and qualifications4   
,but even this modified praise can not  
be bestowed on the scientific remedy    
with which men hoped to supply the      
defects of reason1 and to cure the old  
and universal evils of rationalism4     
,for1 in fact1 the method by which they 
sought to get rid of this great and     
manifest deficiency was simply by       
suddenly opening an unlimited credit for
 the reason1 which going beyond all     
actual need1 and based either on        
arbitrary assumption1 or a confiding    
generosity1 should be sufficient for all
 emergencies4 ,but this expedient1 in   
the existing state and panic of the     
rational market1 could not remove the   
evil2 it only exaggerated it4 ,in a     

word1 it was the same old reason which  
7its claim to supersensible honors      
having been rejected7 had been just     
thrust out of the temple of science by  
the front entrance1 that1 under the     
disguise of faith1 was now being        
smuggled in by the postern4 ,it was but 
a mere arbitrary substitute for reason  
that had assumed this new name4 ,now    
such a faith as this requires to be     
carefully distinguished from that living
 faith which springs from and is founded
 on love4 ,for this purpose ,i have     
attempted to show1 from the very outset1
 the great difference between the two4  
,now1 if occasionally ,i have felt      
myself called upon to set bounds to and 
to protest against the illimitable      
requirements and assumptions of reason  
in science1 my remarks have been        
directed1 not against reason itself1 but
 chiefly against that absoluteness with 
which it pretends to reign paramount4   
,in our ,german tongue--and since the   
comparative parallel of thought and     

language is a part of the general plan  
of our present exposition1 this trifling
 but not insignificant philological     
remark will not here be                 
inappropriate--in our vernacular tongue1
 the close limitation of the thing is   
furnished by the term itself4 ,for as   
understanding ,verstand comes from the  
verb to understand verstehen1 and       
implies the existence of an object which
 stands before the mind1 to be          
penetrated and searched through by it1  
so reason ,vernunft implies a           
,vernehmen1 a perception or             
apprehension1 and is itself nothing else
 than the organ of spiritual perception1
 which is threefold3 #ast1 of a higher  
law and rule above us and given to us2  
#b;d1 of the inward voice of conscience 
and the pure self-consciousness within  
us2 and1 #c;d1 of other rational thought
 around and beside itself4 ,now it is   
only against that reason which is       
unwilling to perceive any thing1 or1 at 
least1 any thing beside or above itself1

 that all my objections are directed4   
,for when the reason refuses to         
acknowledge aught above itself1 but     
absolutely rejects it1 then will it     
estimate but little whatever is beside  
itself4 ,at any rate it will never be   
eminently successful in its attempts to 
comprehend or understand it4 ,in this   
case1 it will continually make the      
greatest mistakes and blunders in its   
views and conceptions of that even which
 it really finds and perceives1 or at   
least believes to discover within       
itself4 ,reason1 in itself1 and in its  
due limits1 is1 indeed1 but one of man's
 various fundamental powers2 still1 in  
the present state of his divided and    
discordant consciousness1 it is a highly
 essential faculty4 ,like all the       
others1 consequently1 which severally do
 but present so many different aspects  
of man's external and internal life1    
reason1 when it oversteps its due       
limits1 is liable to great1 nay1 the    
greatest of aberrations4 ,but it might  

here be asked1 are not the possible     
aberrations of fancy still more         
dangerous8 ,we must answer1 ,without    
doubt they are2 and this is the only    
answer we can give to the question put  
thus generally4 ,but in the special     
reference to our own age1 there is far  
greater and more frequent occasion to   
call attention at present to the evils  
produced by the errors of reason1 than  
to warn men anxiously against the       
possible abuses of fancy4 ,and this for 
the simple fact1 that of all the powers 
of the human mind1 which1 when isolated1
 are1 more or less1 destructive in their
 action1 reason has1 in the later ages1 
and in our times1 especially1 been      
decidedly predominant4 ,consequently1 we
 have on all sides before our eyes      
obvious and instructive examples of the 
mazes and abyss of error1 fatal no less 
to science than to morals1 into which   
reason not only falls herself1 but      
hurries all that come within her        
influence1 when1 having once started    

from a false position1 she has followed 
out this wrong tendency with full rigor 
of consequence4 ,we see in it the cause 
of all the catastrophes of the age1 and 
the fearful struggle of party4 ,the     
dangers which might arise from the      
exclusive ascendency of fancy are1 in   
our generation1 less likely to be       
general1 and they are less threatening1 
less urgent4 ,and the explanation of    
this fact is equally simple4 ,the       
occurrence of lofty and genius-gifted   
powers of imagination is extremely rare2
 and1 at any rate1 many instances are   
seldom met with at one and the same     
time4 ,here1 therefore1 it is often a   
false alarm2 the threatening clouds     
quickly disperse1 the blue heavens again
 shine forth1 and the wide horizon of   
the all-spanning reason once more       
becomes bright1 and even clearer than we
 had ever known it before4 ,and if      
occasionally an overabundance of        
genius-gifted power does manifest itself
 in the domain of fancy1 the general    

effect that results from it is1 at most1
 a recognition of its excellence1 which1
 however1 only slowly and with          
difficulty gains possession of men's    
minds4 ,this feeling may1 no doubt1     
sometimes amount to a profound          
admiration1 whose language1 sparkling   
with the exquisite ornaments and flowery
 tropes of exaggeration1 may seem to    
border closely on a deification of its  
object2 still this feeling1 however     
great and universal it may appear1 is   
very far from that height of enthusiasm 
which wholly engrosses and carries the  
mind along with it4 ,indeed1 for the    
most part1 it carefully avoids and keeps
 aloof from such a state4  ,in short1   
however much any particular age may     
admire or even worship great powers of  
genius or art1 it is very rarely indeed1
 if ever1 carried away by its partial   
and erroneous tendencies1 or its        
arbitrary and quaint peculiarities4 ,at 
least1 the same party zeal is not to be 
witnessed here that divides both science

 and life between the rival systems of  
absolute reason4 ,however1 the          
consideration of the prejudicial effects
 of the despotic ascendency of the      
reason has1 almost of necessity1 brought
 before us the somewhat connected topic 
of the hinderances which art may        
occasion to the pursuit of the highest  
truth and certainty4 ,we will1          
therefore1 now examine the evils which  
arise whenever art1 as the executive    
power in the region of fancy1 usurps an 
undue authority over the rest of the    
consciousness1 and when1 in its judgment
 of things1 taking an undue position in 
some merely poetical or artistic view1  
it assumes a reality that belongs not to
 it1 and dreams of finding in itself the
 final cause and firm basis of all      
existence4  ,for the right exposition of
 that notion of faith1 hope1 and love1  
which we made the foundation of the     
knowledge of all higher truth1 it was1  
above all things1 necessary that we     
should carefully and accurately         

discriminate between the true living    
faith which is grounded on and springs  
out of love1 and that spurious faith    
which reason arbitrarily devises to     
cover its own weakness and deficiencies4
 ,in the same way it remains for us to  
point out the true end of hope1         
establishing the internal foundation of 
its idea1 and making out1 at the same   
time1 its intimate relation to art1 as  
it arises from its connection therewith 
and with time4 ,now1 as all high hope   
stands in close union with man's inmost 
character1 and forms a principal element
 of his being1 his whole life and       
activity being based on hope1 so        
likewise in art--so faithful a mirror is
 it of human nature--man's holiest hopes
 form the chief aim and the animating   
soul of its representations4 ,a         
perfectly faithful1 though artistically 
expressed1 imitation of a love higher   
than any actual manifestation of the    
feeling 7of whatever nature it be71 may 
simply1 of itself1 constitute a work of 

art1 and1 indeed1 is its natural        
object-matter4 ,but still1 isolated and 
by itself1 it would furnish but a       
fragmentary feeling for the fancy1      
without a true beginning1 and without   
end or aim1 or proper conclusion4 ,faith
 is but1 as it were1 a straight         
line--the rule of sentiment for this    
life1 of expectation for the other4 ,but
 now1 in the mind of man1 above every   
actual love and every definite faith1   
there is a superabundance--if we may so 
speak--of feelings1 thoughtfully        
forecasting1 ardently loving1 and       
hoping1 even beyond hope itself--of     
thoughts1 dreaming1 at least1 of a      
higher truth than is to be met with on  
earth4  ,and this divine superabundance 
in the human soul1 if ,i may be allowed 
this bold expression1 is properly the   
sublime matter1 the invisible object and
 spiritual essence of true art and      
poetry4 ,not that this inner soul1 this 
vital breath of high art and poetry1    
must1 even in the outward form1         

invariably express itself 7as it does in
 music generally7 as a feeling of       
longing4 ,neither must it in its        
definite direction to the future1 always
 manifest itself externally in the form 
of hope2 and1 consequently1 speak only  
in lyrical strains1 as the music of     
enthusiasm4 ,such a limitation would1   
indeed1 have a most monotonous effect4  
,on the contrary1 even in a             
highly-finished picture of some actual  
and present scene1 this idea of hope1 as
 the soul which animates the whole1 may 
be present1 and like an invisible thread
 of higher life1 be interwoven in it4   
,and this envelopment1 or1 rather1 this 
veiled manifestation and indirect       
revelation of spirit1 is often to be    
found1 not only in creations which are  
permanently artistic1 but also in those 
that are profoundly poetical and        
enthusiastic4 ,even the sorrowful       
remembrance of a by-gone foretime of    
infantine innocence1 and of sublime     
grandeur1 is properly nothing but a     

reflection of this divine hope1 and1 in 
a free and comprehensive sense1 which   
thus combines poetry and art1 may be    
even counted as a part of it4 ,and if   
ancient art and ancient poetry          
especially1 with their mournful         
back-glances at the olden majesty long  
past and gone1 come over us with        
emotions something like those of        
eventide1 when the last parting gleam of
 the brilliant sun is fast setting      
behind the distant hills1 so in their   
opposite aspect1 as hope1 turning its   
bold1 enthusiastic eye toward the       
future1 they may smile upon us as the   
rosy dawn which runs before the rising  
sun of truth1 and that new time which is
 to shine and glow in its beams--or as  
the first beautiful ray of enthusiastic 
promise4 ,such1 in all probability1     
seems the position most suitable to art 
in our own days4 ,now1 with respect to  
this peculiar position of art relatively
 to hope1 and their intimate affinity1  
and their relation to the present age   

and to the two other elements of the    
harmonic scale of human life1 viz41 love
 and faith1 the frequent and expressive 
sentiment of a poet whose intimate      
friendship it is my privilege to enjoy1 
will convey most forcibly the conclusion
 which ,i would wish to enforce upon    
your minds4 ,although his remark with   
regard to the harmony and union which   
ought to prevail between the true       
elements of higher feeling was addressed
 primarily to the present generation1 it
 admits of application to every age4 ,he
 asks--      8,the age has neither faith
 nor love2      ,how1 then1 for such    
should hope remain80#gb  ,this voice    
first sounded forth in fateful days1    
when danger and alarm were so instant   
and threatening as almost to cut off and
 extinguish hope2 but the storm so dark 
and menacing passed away4 ,a new        
prospect has since opened upon us1 and  
all is changed4 ,as a just estimate of  
our own times1 however1 it appears to   
me1 in its present unqualified form1 too

 sweeping and severe4 ,the age is not so
 entirely without hope as the poet here 
asserts4 ,no doubt we have been somewhat
 lukewarm1 inconstant1 and unsteady in  
this respect4 ,or1 more correctly to    
express the real state of the case3 in  
itself and in that faith in itself      
which1 as it was overhastily embraced1  
was set up without limit or condition1  
and generally in all faith1 from its    
highest degree down to that lowest grade
 of it which moves within the ordinary  
pursuits and relations of life1 it has  
been somewhat confused and wandering2   
nay1 at times it has proved somewhat    
forgetful1 not only of the old and      
transitory1 but also of what is modern1 
and even what was most recent and within
 its own experience4 ,accordingly1 to   
the eye of the observer1 it appears1 on 
the whole1 to be devoid of all ruling   
principle1 and to be still in search of 
some regulative standard within itself4 
,if1 in this search after faith1 some   
few have taken up too quickly1 and      

rested satisfied with that arbitrary    
expedient and device of a faltering and 
meager reason1 this was1 no doubt1 a    
symptom of a partially sickly state1 but
 by no means such as to justify us in   
passing a sweeping sentence on the whole
 age1 as totally unsound and diseased4  
,for in all human affairs and relations1
 such a profound longing as this1 when  
it is lasting1 and generally whenever it
 does not proceed solely and entirely   
from some want or defect1 invariably    
presupposes some natural disposition and
 capacity1 though it may be one which is
 neither rightly cultivated1 nor as yet 
expanded to full vigor and stability4   
,and as little1 or rather still less1   
would it be just to deny to the age all 
love--if1 at least1 an enthusiasm which 
readily and cheerfully makes the        
greatest sacrifices be a part of love4  
,consequently1 ,i can not concur with   
the opinion which will not concede to   
the age in which we live the least spark
 of hope4 ,even though many of its      

expectations--as being at least         
precipitate or wholly immaterial--as    
being founded1 in short1 on naught--have
 terminated in naught1 and even in their
 desired fulfillment1 must have ended in
 a nullity--still we dare not1          
therefore1 throw aside all higher1      
holier1 and diviner hope4 ,for in this  
we feel every earthly expectation1 so   
far as it is real and well-grounded1    
will receive its final accomplishment1  
being realized to a degree surpassing   
all that we had ever ventured to look   
for4 ,and even if dark clouds are again 
gathering on the horizon1 and if to many
 an observer1 whose position in the     
political world affords him a wide and  
distant prospect of society1 the dangers
 menacing our own generation seem still 
more fearful and terrible even than     
those which have but scarcely passed    
away2 still there is no need of despair4
 ,rather1 taught by past experience in  
like fearful circumstances1 and         
recognizing in this lesson of experience

 a teaching higher than man's1 we will1 
even though our fears be fulfilled in   
the worst and most awful form1 regard it
 all as probably forming1 if not a      
necessary1 yet certainly a most salutary
 crisis of transition to a higher state 
of divine hope4 ,to this divine hope it 
is sufficient for me thus briefly to    
have alluded4 ,for whatever ,i have at  
any time in my past life attempted--it  
may be feebly and inadequately--to give 
expression to1 and all that it is my    
object to convey to my present respected
 auditory1 and all that hereafter ,i    
shall have to say in this world1 has had
 and will have no other end or object   
than to point to and to preach this     
sacred and eternal hope of a true1 not  
merely earthly1 but profoundly new era1 
and of a spiritual life advancing in it 
toward the perfection of majesty and    
glory4 ,to gain a full assurance for    
such a hope1 and to establish it to the 
best of my power firmly and immovably   
among the actuating motives of life1 has

 ever been and will always be my first  
and dearest wish4  ,but still1 though   
the poet's distich1 in its immediate    
reference to our own days1 requires to  
be greatly qualified1 ,i would1         
nevertheless1 venture to apply it to    
art4 ,at least1 it admits of such an    
application2 though in this case        
likewise it must undergo some           
restriction and limitation4 ,as passed  
even on the present condition of art1   
the sentence is harsh1 if not unjust4   
,if1 however1 there ever was or should  
be a time of which1 if not strictly and 
absolutely1 yet generally and on the    
whole1 it could with truth be asserted1 
that the existing condition of art 8had 
neither faith nor love10 then might we  
go on confidently to add the inference1 
8,how then should hope remain for it80  
,i must once again repeat it3 such a    
sentence1 if applied to ,german art in  
our own days1 would be both harsh and   
unmerited4 ,if1 however1 art--which     
itself is nothing but the significant   

hieroglyphics1 the deeply-moving and    
elevating song of eternal hope--should  
have for its basis1 instead of a true   
and unwavering faith1 one merely        
artificial and self-imposed1 or at best1
 the unreal faith of feeling1 fugitive  
and transitory1 and unable to stand the 
fiery trial--if1 too1 love1 instead of  
being deep-felt and profound1 be but the
 cuckoo-note of a fashionable           
admiration1 unthinkingly caught up and  
repeated without nature2 then the harsh 
sentence we have just quoted1 together  
with its sad inference1 finds a due     
application4 ,at least1 it is so far    
applicable as it is true that in this   
sad deficiency of living faith and      
earnest love1 we can alone discover an  
explanation of what otherwise seems so  
strange in the history of art within the
 recent century4 ,if1 after many a truly
 noble beginning1 the further           
development and result corresponded but 
little and most imperfectly with the    
expectations that had at first been     

excited--if1 with truly great talents   
and rare endowments of genius1 so much  
has fallen to the ground1 like imperfect
 blossoms1 without maturing any useful  
and lasting intellectual fruits--it was 
simply because art was deficient in this
 its firmest basis4 ,and partly it was1 
also1 because she mistook and was unable
 to take her proper position in the     
times1 or even if she did understand1   
was too weak to retain it by an abiding 
feeling of love4 ,for the true position 
of art must not be misunderstood1 nor   
the natural order of things reversed1 if
 it is truly to flourish1 and the age   
itself is not to be deprived of1 or     
checked and disturbed in1 its true      
enjoyment of it4 ,true art and poetry   
are the beautiful crown1 the promising  
blossoms1 yea1 the very flowers of hope1
 on the nobly-grown tree of humanity1 as
 it widely expands itself in rich and   
marvelous intellectual development4 ,but
 it can not also be its root2 and if any
 where it pretends or desires to be     

such1 there assuredly some strange      
perversion must exist1 or some profound 
and essential defect must have led to so
 singular a pretension4  ,we hear1 no   
doubt1 in horticulture1 of inverted     
trees1 whose heads being placed in the  
ground1 strike root and grow1 while the 
natural root freely develops itself into
 branches and leaves4 ,the experiment so
 successful with plants can not be      
imitated in mental matters without      
fearful peril4 ,here the blossoming     
crown1 if reversed1 will not take root1 
and never bear real and genuine fruit4  
,no6 an absolutely sthetic foundation is
 insufficient even for this life1 and   
much more so1 then1 for the next4 ,of   
the origin of life and the world1 a mere
 poetical view of things can give but a 
specious and cleverly-evasive account2  
but as good as none of that of hope1 of 
which1 in such a case1 it must wholly   
have lost the clew4 ,if1 then1 that     
which is at most but the bright morning 
tint of hope should seek to keep back   

the sun1 or would set itself up for the 
true luminary1 then--supposing it for a 
moment to be possible--it would itself  
soon lower into dark clouds1 and instead
 of the longed-for splendor of the full 
and glorious daylight1 a dull1 gray sky 
would cover the whole earth4 ,this      
intrinsic weakness often betrays itself 
in poetry 7and frequently1 also1 in     
other spheres of human invention71 by   
what at any rate appears to be an       
inflated display1 which1 instead of     
concealing1 does but create a suspicion 
of a deep internal hollowness4 ,what ,i 
allude to may take two forms4 ,sometimes
 it manifests itself in an excessive    
luxuriousness--often we might call it a 
very deluge--of the most unintelligible 
exaggerations of sacred feelings1 such  
as ,i regret occasionally to observe in 
our modern school of poetry4 ,at other  
times it comes forward in an equally    
lavish and boundless prodigality of wit 
and raillery2 sometimes1 too1 a serious 
humor lurks in the wit1 while a mocking 

parody makes sport with the very humor1 
or a still loftier tone of irony1 from  
its height of spiritual exaltation1     
soars above both wit and humor1 and the 
whole work itself--nay1 above all       
besides1 and even the very universe4 ,it
 is in this one-sided preponderance1 and
 in the absoluteness with which reason  
or fancy is allowed to take a decided   
but exclusive direction1 that the first 
cause lies of that alienation already   
mentioned as subsisting between men of a
 purely sthetical temperament and       
poetical nature1 who on the one side    
judge of every thing by the rules of    
taste1 and the men of practical reason  
on the other1 whose only standard is    
utility4 ,this estrangement is only too 
apparent in real and actual life1 where 
in the degree which we have supposed1   
and by the methods ordinarily pursued1  
it is utterly irreconcilable4 ,they     
stand1 indeed1 as fully estranged from  
each other1 and as hostile1 as two      
wholly different races4 ,and in this    

light a well-known savant1 at the close 
of the last century1 seems really to    
have regarded them1 since1 on the whole 
face of the earth1 he saw only two      
races--noble-minded1 elegant1 and       
tasteful ,celts1 and dull1 ordinary1 and
 stupid ,mongols4 ,here1 however1 ,i    
must repeat my previous remark1 that1 in
 these days at least1 by far the greater
 danger is to be apprehended from an    
absolute ascendency of reason4 ,for the 
rationalizing system of thought which   
results from such one-sidedness1 is not 
confined merely to the schools and their
 scientific theories1 but it too often  
extends its pernicious consequences1 and
 its fatal and debasing influence1 over 
the whole range of public and social    
life4 ,on the other hand1 the slight    
aberrations of taste1 or 7if they most  
be accounted such7 the little           
extravagances of genius1 may always be  
easily and promptly reduced within due  
limits1 especially in an age like our   
own1 so thoroughly pervaded with a      

correct feeling of art4  ,to give a     
solid basis to the whole of life1 a firm
 internal conviction is necessary4 ,it  
must be a deeper feeling than any that a
 mere aspiration1 however beautiful1 or 
any poetical visions of enthusiastic    
hope1 or even that irony which exalts   
itself above both1 can ever give4 ,now1 
for the attainment of this inward       
certainty and irrefragable science of   
life and truth1 pure thought1 though it 
does not form the only road1 is1        
nevertheless1 in every case a necessary 
agent1 whose co-operation is            
indispensable4 ,in the further          
prosecution1 therefore1 of our pursuit  
of the science of life1 as deducible    
from the very notion of the             
consciousness1 according to that theory 
of it which we have been developing1    
thought1 in and by itself1 must now1 as 
we hinted in our first sketch1 form the 
subject of a special inquiry4 ,but here 
the principal thing to be guarded       
against is1 the delusion that philosophy

 must aim at the rigor of mathematical  
certainty1 and a mode of proof derived1 
on such an hypothesis1 from that        
science1 by a servile copying of its    
method2 for1 often as this has been     
attempted1 it has never as yet led to a 
felicitous result4 ,this misconception  
in the domain of science is something   
like to what it would be if in poetry1  
from an undue consideration of music1   
the mere play of tones--the rhyme and   
rhythm--which do indeed contribute to   
the ornateness of its figurative        
investiture1 should be held to be the   
very essence of the art4 ,or1 to take   
another illustration1 it is much the    
same as if1 with some of the more recent
 ,english poets1 we should wish to make 
picturesquely descriptive poetry to be a
 peculiar species2 whereas in truth it  
forms1 or has a tendency to degenerate  
into1 a mere faulty mannerism4  ,you    
will remember that ,i explained a notion
 to be a conception completely          
determined1 both inwardly and outwardly 

7i4e41 in extent and comprehension71    
according to the mathematical dimensions
 of number1 measure1 and weight4 ,but   
this1 perhaps1 is the only mathematical 
formula that in the domain of philosophy
 is universally applicable4 ,and even as
 such it only applies to the notion as a
 standard and fundamental idea by which 
we may judge of the correctness of its  
formation1 and the completeness of its  
division into its several organic parts1
 or lower genera and species4 ,it is no 
use further for the combination of the  
several notions into entire scientific  
periods and conclusions2 for we may     
regard every complete system of science 
and speculative thought as some such    
perfect period and syllogism4 ,but with 
regard to the notion and its object1 it 
is unquestionably of the highest        
importance to determine whether it be   
absolutely simple or compound4 ,if the  
latter1 it may suggest many questions4  
,if double1 it may fall into an         
intrinsic contrariety1 or be involved in

 a twofold want of harmony4 ,if it      
numbers three constituents1 we may have 
to inquire whether in its triple energy 
it enjoys a living unity of operation2  
or if possessed of four opposite        
directions1 it may be involved in binary
 contrarieties and double discord2 or1  
again1 we might have to inquire whether 
the essential accession of some fifth   
element forms the living center to hold 
together and reunite the four which     
otherwise are divergent and apart2 or   
whether the whole in triple couplets1 or
 a double trine1 forms a six2 or whether
 seven arise from the union of a trine  
and quartain1 either in the world of    
thought1 or the realities of life and   
outward experience2 and again1 eight may
 be a double square in the one or the   
other relation2 or yet once more1 we may
 have to inquire whether in the still   
advancing inward reckoning and          
development of life1 nine arise from a  
thrice repeated triple energy4 ,and     
lastly1 whether all these first         

elementary numbers are in various ways  
perfected and combined together in the  
decade4  ,rightly understood1 the       
,pythagorean theory of numbers--however 
unintelligible its single statements may
 appear1 when detached from the general 
context--is perhaps as little devoid of 
foundation as the ,platonic doctrine of 
anamnesis4 ,the latter ,i have          
endeavored to justify1 by explaining it 
in a better sense than it is ordinarily 
taken2 the former1 however1 from a      
deficiency of original and genuine      
historical authorities1 it is far more  
difficult to judge of correctly and     
impartially4 ,in the first place1 the   
,pythagoreans as a body stand very far  
indeed above the ordinary standard of   
the ,grecian intellect and              
enlightenment2 for ,plato was but a     
single great mind1 and stood almost     
alone even in the ,socratic school4     
,the degradation of the female sex1     
though founded on the habits as well as 
political institutions of the rest of   

,greece1 was decried by these earnest   
and deep-thinking men1 who1 in their    
reform1 adopted quite an opposite       
sentiment4 ,and if in their measures for
 its removal something seems still to be
 desiderated1 and even something to be  
blamed1 both defects arise chiefly from 
their having fallen into the other      
extreme of error1 by proposing to give  
to woman a culture too decidedly        
masculine1 and seeking to establish it  
as the rule of their new society4 ,women
 were concurrent and co-ordinate members
 of the governing body of the           
,pythagorean league1 and an essential   
element of the splendid aristocracy of  
merit in this new model of life and     
society2 which1 however1 as clashing too
 directly with the inveterate habits of 
their countrymen1 soon provoked a       
revolution1 and was entirely overthrown4
 ,it was1 however1 from this source that
 ,plato1 and also ,socrates1 chiefly    
derived their respect for highly-gifted 
women and their general view of the     

female sex2 which in a degree1 though   
very imperfectly1 anticipated the purer 
,christian notion both of it and human  
nature1 possessing on the whole a right 
but vague notion of the true dignity of 
both4  ,with respect to the theory of   
numbers in this ancient philosophy1 and 
its true and simple sense1 we have the  
following remarks to make4 ,there is1 we
 know1 a certain chronological feeling  
by means of which the skillful physician
 strives1 with acute and often happy    
conjecture1 to determine the impending  
crisis of disease and its probable      
termination4 ,there is also a similar   
tact which enables the experienced      
politician to measure the under-current 
of the rapid flow of mundane events--to 
feel the pulse of life as it beats in   
its thronging and quickly-passing       
incidents4 ,in both cases1 however1 we  
feel that it is no infallibly certain   
and perfectly omniscient oracle--for    
none such is to be found in the whole   
range of the human mind4 ,neither is it 

any prophetical forecasting--not to     
speak of any pre-destined necessity4 ,it
 must be regarded as a delicate and     
sensitive tact1 which may deceive1 but  
whose perceptions subsequent results    
most frequently prove to be correct4    
,now1 of somewhat similar nature to     
this1 there is a kind of immediate1     
searching1 arithmetical glance into the 
internal and essential numerical        
relations of things in general1 and also
 of all the objects of nature and       
phenomena of life1 which does           
unquestionably form an essential element
 in every innate talent for scientific  
thinking4 ,in some such simple sense as 
this we may understand the ,pythagorean 
doctrine of intrinsic life-numbers in   
things and their manifold relations4    
,under such limitations we may adopt it1
 or at least allow its validity4 ,and at
 any rate we must admit that it was an  
advance 7or at least the first step     
thereto7 in scientific thought1 to be   
able1 by this way of regarding things1  

to count1 in the analysis of them or    
their notions1 up to ten1 or even to    
fifteen or more4  ,thus1 then1 as       
regards the general notions 7but only in
 regard to these71 the mathematical view
 and method may be profitably applied to
 philosophy4 ,in any case it is highly  
important1 and indeed essential1 for the
 correct formation of notions 7and also 
for the complete division of them into  
their organic members1 whatever may be  
the sphere to which they belong71 that  
we should be able to determine the true 
inner number1 both of them and their    
objects1 since on this number the right 
quantity and weight of any one notion   
relatively to others1 whether kindred or
 distinct1 and especially to the whole1 
most intimately depends4  ,the          
combination1 however1 of single notions 
into propositions1 or complete systems  
of science1 can not1 in philosophy at   
least1 follow a mathematical or any     
similar principle4 ,for philosophy1 we  
have seen1 is a science of a higher     

life1 derived from an internal          
experience4 ,it rests1 therefore1 on the
 triple basis1 inasmuch as the latter is
 given from within1 from above1 and from
 without4 ,consequently1 the great      
object here is1 naturally1 not1 as it is
 in mathematical science1 to link       
together1 in apparently rigorous        
connection1 the several phenomena of    
these higher data1 or 7if1 as some will 
have it1 there be only one7 its single  
momenta1 and manifoldly to concatenate  
them as so many pure schemes and formul4
 ,the essential point is rather to gain 
a pure apprehension of the imparted data
 of this higher life2 and rightly       
understanding them1 to clothe them      
correctly in words1 and by giving these 
again in correct grammatical coherence1 
to express them clearly and forcibly4   
,but this would imply that the method of
 thought in this self-cognition of life1
 thus expressed in words1 is of a       
thoroughly grammatical nature2 and then 
the higher logic--if we must so speak1  

and isolate and detach the latter1 as an
 elementary science1 from its connection
 with the living whole--the higher logic
 would consist simply of the rules for  
this inner language1 and be nothing but 
a correct grammar of living thought4    
,and1 in truth1 ,i for my part do       
believe that it ought so to be treated4 
,and it is from this point of view1 and 
according to the idea thus advanced of  
such a higher grammatical correctness of
 thinking1 that ,i shall proceed1       
whenever any point connected with the   
form of thought and the right method of 
science comes into question1 or requires
 to be noticed in passing4 ,an instance 
will place clearly before our mind the  
different points of view taken by these 
two modes of judging and doctrinal      
methods4 ,in compliance with a          
similitude which accurately enough      
corresponds to the truth1 let us        
consider a system of philosophy as a    
whole period of higher thought1 or as a 
perfect proposition of science4 ,now1 in

 that estimate of a period of this kind 
which observes the usual requisitions of
 mathematical certainty and mode of     
thinking1 it would be said3 8,this      
system is wonderful1 and quite perfect1 
for all its positions are rigidly       
demonstrated40 ,but even supposing the  
system were thus rigorously             
demonstrative in all its parts1 still   
the whole system might be radically     
false2 for it might originally have     
started from an erroneous principle1 or1
 being devoid of any truly real and     
abiding subject-matter1 be based on some
 empty phantom of scientific            
imagination1 or the unsubstantial       
absolute of the reason4 ,but the same   
system or period of thought being judged
 from the opposite position of what ,i  
have called a higher grammatical method1
 will be thus spoken of3 8,it is all    
empty words1 without worth or substance1
 for nothing in it is taken from actual 
life1 and nothing of the kind has ever  
been felt in man's experience40 ,when1  

however1 the subject-matter is real1 and
 furnished by the realities of the inner
 life1 there1 in the special details1   
much may be wanting1 here and there a   
word may be missing1 the structure of   
the periods of the whole system may not 
be perfectly distinct1 and the general  
arrangement not sufficiently lucid3     
occasionally also a faulty and          
inadequate expression may be met with1  
and yet the whole work may1             
nevertheless1 constitute a great advance
 on the road to higher knowledge1 and   
furnish a valuable contribution to      
truth4 ,with the exception of the case  
of the total inanity and perversity of  
view1 our judgment must never be        
indiscriminate or rigorous4 ,scientific 
thought in general1 and especially in   
philosophy1 consists of notions1        
intuitions1 and judgments1 if only the  
latter term be taken1 in its usual      
logical sense1 to signify the combining 
together notions or intuitions4 ,now1 of
 the true mathematical mode of          

proceeding with notions according to the
 pure and simple acceptation of the     
,pythagorean mystery of numbers1 and1   
secondly1 of what in its inmost essence 
is a grammatical method--their          
combination in methodical thought--we   
have already spoken4 ,as to the inward  
intuitions that we enjoy of that higher 
something which is in three ways        
imparted to us1 the mathematical mode of
 procedure is plainly inapplicable to   
them4 ,even the grammatical one ceases  
to be fruitful here2 at least it is     
unsatisfactory4 ,natural science1 which 
is itself pre-eminently based on        
intuition1 will perhaps most readily    
furnish a comparative illustration1     
calculated to throw light on and explain
 that perception of a higher something  
from which philosophy sets out4 ,and    
this illustration will be best borrowed 
from those experiences in natural       
philosophy which appear to seize the    
fundamental phenomena of nature and her 
inmost life2 even though the experiment 

itself set before our eyes these        
wonderful phenomena1 and the secrets    
which are brought to light therein1 in  
the greatly-diminished proportions of   
scientific abbreviation4 ,extremely     
trifling as the imitation of lightning  
by our electrical apparatus may appear1 
still that little spark has kindled a   
great and universal light in the domain 
of physical science4 ,the magnetic      
needle1 which at first sight was looked 
upon as an insignificant marvel of      
nature1 taught man first of all to fix  
his position on this earth and to find  
it again after quitting it--and so1 by  
leading him on to the discovery of the  
,new ,world1 founded thereby a great    
epoch in the history of the human mind4 
,not merely does it point to the        
terrestrial north-pole1 but it also     
guides the thoughtful observer to the   
inmost center of nature1 where1 in this 
mystery of living attraction1 the       
universal key of interpretation seems to
 lie hidden4 ,and who would mock or     

despise the thoughtful naturalist who   
delights1 by the prismatic analysis or  
division of the elementary colors of    
light1 to produce or copy in miniature  
the rainbow which spans the heavens8    
,now1 in these first simple and         
elementary phenomena1 external nature1  
as it were1 spontaneously presents to us
 beautiful emblems for still higher     
phenomena belonging to another and      
internal region4 ,they enable us        
metaphorically to express the divine    
phenomenon of truth1 and its vivid      
apprehension and intrinsic adoption1    
till it becomes a fixed and imperishable
 knowledge1 and to narrate intelligibly 
the intrinsic genesis of truth and true 
knowledge4 ,for the following is1 if we 
may so speak1 the history of the growth 
of living science in the human mind1    
whenever the latter is capable of it1   
and is raised or raises itself to the   
height thereof4  ,the beginning is made 
by the first kindling spark of truth1   
which works like the electric shock--by 

the first ray of knowledge1 which       
afterward gradually expands into the    
nourishing flame of love4  ,the second  
step of further progress is formed by   
the magnetic attraction of the soul1    
which from the first contact to the     
ultimate union1 strives still to        
penetrate more profoundly1 and more     
accurately to investigate the object of 
its love4 ,in this remark1 ,i proceed on
 the hypothesis 7which hereafter will   
still oftener be spoken of7 that no     
living cognition is possible or actual  
without a previous vital contact and    
union between the knowing and the known4
  ,when1 lastly1 the moment of          
completion arrives1 then the close of   
this pursuit of a highest knowledge will
 be made by that full expansion of      
divine light which often1 like a        
heavenly token of peace and             
reconciliation1 shines forth in the very
 midst of the clouds of discontent1 and 
dissolves all doubts before it4 ,but now
 philosophy1 according to the original  

sense of the beautiful ,greek word1 does
 not by any means signify the highest   
wisdom1 the everlasting truth itself1 or
 the perfect science4 ,it denotes rather
 the pure longing1 the love of a genuine
 knowledge of divine truth1 which       
spiritually conquers and triumphs over  
every difficulty in the way of its      
attainment ,this1 then1 implies that    
this science does and must set out from 
love as its basis4 ,for the indication  
of this foundation of true knowledge1 in
 its characteristic features at least1  
natural science has furnished us with   
the adequate symbols4     ,,lecture     
,,vii4   8,feeling is every thing10 ,i  
would again repeat2 in words only does  
there lie a possibility of              
misconception4 ,when philosophy sets out
 from the false semblance of necessary  
thought1 it must always have a similar  
result4 ,it can not extricate itself    
from its own subtile web of scientific  
delusion4 ,abstract phrases1 i4e41 words
 deprived of their living significance  

7if ever they possessed any7 and reduced
 to empty1 lifeless formul1 are easily  
found1 or1 rather1 have long since been 
found1 for this seeming knowledge1 which
 as such does1 in truth1 remain ever    
identical with itself4#gc ,and if1 from 
time to time1 it changes its expressions
 and assumes quite a different          
terminology1 this is only done for the  
sake of appearing new1 whereas          
fundamentally it is still the old error 
which continues to be propagated in a   
changed form and dress4 ,sometimes1 no  
doubt1 it is done with an honest        
intention1 under the persuasion that    
truth and science will1 perhaps1 in the 
new magical form be more easily seized  
and comprehended than was possible in   
the old one1 whose unintelligible       
obscurity and intricacies were deeply   
felt1 and which it is hoped are avoided 
in the somewhat altered arrangement of  
the ideas4 ,but the unintelligible      
obscurity lies1 not in the words and    
phrases or the terminology1 however     

strange and barbarous the latter may    
sound4 ,it arises entirely from a       
defective point of view1 and the        
perversion of thought involved in the   
very theory of identity2 and no         
phraseology or skill of composition1    
however unparalleled1 will ever be able 
totally to remove it4 ,quite otherwise  
is it when philosophy sets out from the 
feeling of that which it desires1 and   
which from the very first it has        
propounded and sought as its proper     
object4 ,in this case the difficulty    
does not lie in the thing itself1 or in 
the view on which it is based4 ,for the 
latter1 inasmuch as it results from life
 itself1 and man's inmost feelings and  
experiences1 is as obvious and          
intelligible as the visible shape and   
phenomenon and as the pure consciousness
 of life itself4 ,at least it is        
sufficiently clear for all the purposes 
of life1 and sufficiently intelligible  
for the kindred feelings on which it    
rests4 ,but in this1 as in every other  

case of profound internal emotion1 it is
 extremely difficult to find the very   
right word for it1 the exact appropriate
 term which happily seizes and vividly  
expresses its essential character4      
,accordingly1 in philosophy--so long1 at
 least1 as it proceeds from this        
fundamental principle of life and a     
living feeling--,i think it best not to 
shackle our thoughts and notions by the 
fetters of a rigidly-fixed and          
unchangeable terminology4 ,for such     
sciences as are distinctly limited to a 
particular sphere1 this method may be   
profitable and salutary4 ,indeed1 it may
 not only appear but actually be        
indispensable4 ,but in the present case 
it would be inappropriate4 ,we must     
seek1 on the contrary1 the greatest     
possible variety of expression1 availing
 ourselves of all the riches of language
 in the copious diversity of scientific1
 and even of poetical and figurative    
diction1 and not refusing to borrow the 
terms of society or any sphere of life4 

,for our first endeavor must be to keep 
our exposition vivid throughout4        
,continually advancing with a living    
movement1 we ought to avoid1 above all  
things1 that propensity to using stiff  
and dead formularies1 which almost seems
 to be inborn and hereditary in rational
 science4 ,for as the living philosophy 
is a higher and clearer consciousness1  
or self-conscious knowledge--a sort of  
second consciousness within the ordinary
 one--it requires for its indication and
 exposition1 as it were1 a language     
within language2 only the latter can    
never be a system of lifeless formul1   
but must even be in the highest degree  
vivid and flexible4 ,the philosophy of  
life may1 in short1 borrow its terms    
from every sphere1 but principally from 
life itself2 and even1 the fugitive     
terms and evanescent forms of           
conversational language will often      
supply it with the happiest and most    
pertinent modes of expression4 ,such1   
too1 it may occasionally borrow from all

 the subordinate sciences4 ,even the    
obsolete and cumbrous terminology--the  
barbarous school phrases of a recent    
,german philosophy--might furnish many a
 valuable contribution to that rich     
copiousness of expression which is      
indispensable to the philosophy of life4
 ,an occasional phrase or term borrowed 
from this source1 but differently       
applied1 or employed in quite a new     
sense--and thereby for the time rendered
 intelligible1 may often serve to       
express most happily and most           
pertinently what before seemed to be    
almost inexpressible and to elude all   
the powers of language4  ,but1 above all
 things1 we must remember that its      
exposition must not be a mere dead      
framework of fixed terms--a system of   
empty formularies4 ,this is a point     
which appears to me to be most          
intimately connected and mixed up with  
the very essence and spirit of          
scientific truth4 ,on this point my     
feelings are so strong1 that if1 in that

 attempt which for some years ,i have   
been making to give a new development of
 philosophy1 ,i could consider it       
allowable to adopt the course which has 
so often been followed in ,german       
literature and its several              
school-systems1 of detaching some single
 notion from its general connection1 in 
order more rapidly to gain for it1 like 
small coin1 a wider circulation1 even   
though by so doing its peculiar stamp of
 intrinsic truth is quickly abraded and 
lost--if1 ,i say1 ,i could bring myself 
to adopt such a course1 ,i should       
confine myself to opposing1 and using   
every means to counteract1 this killing 
of the spirit by words which in and by  
themselves have no signification4 ,if it
 were possible1 nothing would give me   
greater pleasure than to see all the old
 and customary terms rejected and       
dropped1 and new and different ones     
found for the same theme4  ,the         
philosophy of life--one1 i4e41 which    
sets out in its speculations from life  

itself and the living                   
consciousness--neither can nor desires  
to be all-comprehensive2 not at least in
 the same sense that that philosophy    
does which proceeds from the assumption 
of a necessary connection of thought4   
,it does not presumptuously suppose that
 it possesses the power of measuring the
 whole sum of all that is conceivable or
 possible1 and of setting it down as an 
unalterable result forever4 ,it does not
 arrogate to itself such omniscience4   
,but in one sense the philosophy of life
 may justly be called an                
all-comprehensive science2 and that is  
in so far as1 keeping in contact with   
the center of life1 and1 consequently1  
of thought also1 and of knowledge1 it   
attempts to seize and rightly to        
apprehend them4 ,and so long as it does 
not lose sight of this center1 but is   
constantly returning to it1 it may be   
allowed many liberties4 ,around this    
center it may revolve in circles1 now   
narrower now wider1 with the view of    

contemplating it more advantageously1 so
 long as it does not rest too soon in   
any definite focus of thought4 ,while it
 refuses to confine itself to any fixed 
form of language1 it may1 with          
unshackled choice1 select from the whole
 range of life and thought whatever     
expressions appear the most significant 
and happiest for indicating that        
fullness of feeling which is so         
difficult to give words to1 and which   
indeed can never be adequately comprised
 in language4 ,nor in such a case will  
it ever be made an objection if1 in the 
succession of its ideas and its         
manifoldly varied turnings1 it avails   
itself of the same liberty1 frequently  
coming back to the same starting-point1 
though always presenting it in some new 
light and relation4 ,the test of the    
scientific correctness of a true method 
of thought1 which must ever be living   
and vivid1 is an internal one4 ,it is   
independent of all such little and      
external matters1 and it can even exist 

unimpaired alongside of many apparent   
irregularities4 ,here the case is nearly
 the same as with actual conversation4  
,in both alike1 when we would express   
ourselves on any grave point of feeling1
 and clothe it in such language as is   
likely to gain the concurrence of       
others1 or1 by making it clear1 to      
enforce it upon the general conviction1 
we feel it perfectly allowable to follow
 whatever course may seem most          
convenient4 ,at one time we             
preliminarily advance some question more
 or less remotely bearing upon it1 or we
 take up a narrative or simile which    
will serve to introduce it4 ,or1 it may 
be1 by explanation we try to clear away 
some possible misconception1 or1        
perhaps1 to limit and determine some    
preconceived opinion on the matter1 in  
the hope of removing or solving some    
apparent or troublesome difficulty4     
,some or all of these means we freely   
make use of in order that the desired   
result of our discourse may finally     

stand out clear and distinct before the 
mental eye of our auditors4 ,i shall1   
therefore1 ,i think1 be justified if ,i 
follow the same course in these         
,lectures which it is my wish should    
leave on your minds the impression of an
 internal dialogue4 ,in the seemingly   
rhapsodical flow of its thought ,i shall
 assume the same liberty4 ,far from     
abstaining from episodical matters1 when
 they suggest themselves1 ,i even think 
it essential often to introduce them2   
and by frequently recurring1 under many 
a variation of expression1 to the same  
leading idea1 it will be my endeavor to 
place it in a still clearer light4 ,by  
this course1 in spite of its seeming    
tediousness1 ,i shall be able           
ultimately1 in a few simple ideas1 to   
set the whole matter more distinctly and
 intelligibly before you4 ,and1 at the  
same time1 ,i trust that the rules of   
internal language for the correct       
composition of the whole1 the right     
arrangement of the words 7if ,i may so  

call it71 that internal grammatical     
order of living thought1 of which ,i    
previously spoke1 will be found to be   
duly observed1 even though in the       
details many a term may appear imperfect
 and inadequate1 and many a happier     
expression might have been found4 ,the  
most vivid diction1 even the best and   
most felicitous1 falls always far short 
of feeling4 8,feeling is every          
thing0--the full center of the inner    
life1 the point from which philosophy   
sets out1 and to which it invariably    
returns4 ,we might call it1 if such an  
every-day expression would not sound and
 strike us as strange1 the quintessence 
of the consciousness4 ,however1 in its  
original sense 7which1 in truth1 arose  
out of a very superficial and meager    
view of ancient philosophy71 as used to 
denote the essential fifth over and     
above the four opposite poles of inward 
existence1 or the four divergent        
directions of reality1 which1 like the  
mind1 is also divided into quadruple    

dissension1 the term quintessence is not
 inappropriate for this center of the   
consciousness4 ,for feeling is1         
unquestionably1 such a fifth1 both in   
relation to the four great fundamental  
energies of the inner man1 as the latter
 are manifested to us by experience1 and
 also to the four faculties of the      
second order1 which are composed of or  
derived from the former4 ,but it is not 
only difficult to find an adequate      
expression for the full central feelings
 of the inner life1 but especially to   
indicate accurately in words all the    
more delicate perceptions1 with their   
shades of difference and distinction1   
which spring from it1 and rigorously to 
keep them as distinct in the expression 
as they were in the actual emotion4     
,clearly1 too1 and accurately as the    
inner sense may distinguish between a   
genuine and a spurious manifestation of 
the higher feelings1 it is not so very  
easy in language to keep them separate1 
or so precisely to characterize them as 

to exclude every false accompaniment1   
and to prevent the possibility of       
confounding the spurious and the        
genuine4 ,how great1 for instance1 is   
the difference between the two kinds of 
irony which we meet with in the         
philosophical dialogue1 either as       
introduced by the ,socratic school1 or  
as similarly employed in modern         
dialectic4 ,the one kind1 overflowing   
with skeptical shrewdness1 makes        
illimitable doubt the end of its        
dialogical expositions1 and is that     
acrid and biting irony which is based on
 universal negation4 ,the other species1
 more amiable and benevolent1 is        
intimately allied to a lofty enthusiasm 
for the divine and the true1 being      
almost one with1 or1 at least1          
inseparable from it1 since it arises    
from a sense of its own incapacity to   
comprise in any form of words the       
plenitude of divinity1 as the spirit    
discerns it in truth4 ,and yet1         
notwithstanding such differences in the 

expressions and turns of the dialogue1  
they often border close upon and nearly 
resemble one another2 whereas the inner 
purpose1 the spirit1 the design of the  
line of thought1 is often thoroughly    
distinct in the two cases1 and almost   
directly opposed4 ,in the same way1 true
 artistic genius and its mere imitation 
are even in their external manner and   
productions easily detected by the      
feeling4 ,and yet we often find words   
fail us when we attempt                 
characteristically to indicate their    
differences1 and to pass a              
discriminating judgment upon them4 ,so1 
too--to illustrate this topic by the    
instance of wit--a forced humor1 with   
its wearying repetitions and mannerism1 
or the ceaseless straining and empty    
play of an artificial wit1 is very      
different from the overflowing fullness 
of genuine poetical wit1 in which the   
lively genius of a sportive fancy is    
every where welling forth1 and a        
profound poetical enthusiasm shines     

through the coat of ever-shifting hues  
which its motley humor puts on4 ,but    
still1 even here it is extremely        
difficult to explain one's self1 and to 
distinguish the different impressions   
they make4 ,accordingly1 in a general   
judgment upon them1 many mistakes and   
misconceptions are both possible1 and   
are frequently made4  ,now1 in the      
sphere of feeling1 the mere counterfeit1
 in particular cases at least1 is       
frequently in its language so           
deceptively similar to the true and     
genuine1 that at last the judgment can  
find no other words suitable to itself  
than the simple ones1 8,i feel it to be 
true and profound10 or 8,i feel it to be
 spurious1 intrinsically vain1 a mere   
counterfeit1 and a cheat40 ,again3      
faith1 hope1 and love or charity--7those
 three states of the soul-springs of    
life--those inward organs of the moral  
sense--those decisive acts and          
diversified forms of manifestation of   
one common sentiment1 directed to the   

good and the divine--or by what other   
terms they may be expressed7--this      
sisterhood of spiritual qualities often 
mentioned together1 and1 in fact1       
closely allied and united1 are presented
 to us as forming a complete scheme and 
all-embracing and significant symbol of 
a higher life4 ,when they are felt and  
regarded in this light1 they do1 indeed1
 become such for all higher thought and 
science1 in so far as the latter ought  
to be living and to have their          
foundation in life4 ,too frequently1    
however1 and that not merely in the     
poems of an sthetical piety1 but also in
 many a dull work of edification1 we see
 this triple symbol of a higher life    
degraded into the commonplace of a      
morbid fancy1 which1 in the             
gratification of an idle vanity1 trifles
 with the best and holiest feelings of  
our nature4 ,even here1 therefore1 as   
elsewhere1 a strict separation between  
the genuine and the spurious is very    
necessary1 calling for and claiming all 

our watchfulness4 ,but the              
counterfeiture lies not in the tone of  
solemn earnestness and depth of pathos  
with which men broach these subjects1 or
 generally touch upon them2 on the      
contrary1 the affectation mostly        
announces itself in a certain external  
pomp of word and phrase4 ,but now1 if   
this symbol of an internal religious    
triplet contains at the same time 7so to
 speak7 the fundamental harmony of that 
higher life which is devoted to the good
 and directed to the divine1 then must  
this apply not only to the inner but    
also to the outer life4 ,in short1 this 
scheme of the fundamental moral ideas   
must be again met with in the ordinary  
relations of actual life4 ,in such a    
case it is clearly most agreeable to    
truth to speak of this internal and     
better life simply and unpretendingly in
 a perfectly natural manner1 while a    
holy reverence for what is most exalted 
in humanity is best testified by an     
intrinsic delicacy in the mode of       

treating it1 by the absence of all      
pedantry of sublimity1 or affectation of
 a sentimental formality4  ,with an     
especial reference to the end of        
science1 ,i have1 in the case of these  
three elements of higher consciousness1 
attempted to distinguish1 strictly and  
precisely1 the true and genuine from the
 spurious1 which often runs parallel to 
it1 and the well-founded from that which
 rests on no right basis of reality4 ,in
 the case of faith1 we drew a           
distinction between that intrinsic      
living faith which is based on the      
feelings of personal experience and     
love1 and that counterfeited imitation  
of it which is only externally assumed4 
,in the case of hope1 too1 it has been  
my endeavor to show that1 besides a     
narrow-minded1 egoistic1 and passionate 
and partisan hope1 whose anticipations  
are seldom realized1 but if so1 only to 
their own punishment and disgrace1 there
 is also a higher hope1 which is both   
,godlike and divine4 ,to this hope it is

 that art and poetry owe the magical    
charm by which they win upon us4 ,but in
 actual life also it is the stay to     
which we must resolutely cling4 ,for    
even though she be rightly named        
eternal1 yet at certain particular      
moments and appointed historical epochs1
 after being long looked for in vain1   
she often appears in a far different    
shape from that which expectation had   
lent to her1 and to our surprise stands 
forth unexpectedly in the full majesty  
and splendor of final consummation4     
,all1 then1 that now remains to be done 
in this way is1 in the case of love     
7since the earthly passion is for the   
most part only transitory1 often        
confounded with the phantom of passion1 
and is1 perhaps1 totally blind71 to     
point to a higher and better love1 which
 is abiding and eternal1 and1 at the    
same time1 endued both with sight and   
knowledge4 ,for such alone can be of    
real value for the cognition of truth1  
and the right understanding of life4    

,such alone1 in short1 can contribute to
 the acquisition of that science of man1
 and especially of the inner man1 which 
we are here in search of4  ,but now     
those three principles which constitute 
the grand harmony of that higher        
intelligent feeling which leads to      
science and also to religion1 are at the
 same time1 though in a less dignified  
relation1 the impelling motives and     
ruling influences of actual life4 ,for  
it is almost impossible to take one step
 forward in life without some feeling or
 other of trust and perfect faith in the
 general result4 ,all our proceedings1  
in short1 are based on some confident   
assumption or other1 even though it is  
one which1 perhaps we can not           
mathematically demonstrate1 and which1  
when the moment for action is pressing  
upon us1 we are unable perfectly to     
analyze4 ,and hope1 too1 in some shape  
or form1 is universally acknowledged to 
be the true moving impulse of our whole 
existence4 ,so1 also1 love of some kind1

 true or false--it may be pure and lofty
 or mixed and sordid1 if not altogether 
counterfeit--forms the very sum of life 
and of all enjoyment of it--ay1 even    
life itself4 ,an example or two1        
consequently1 from the ordinary         
relations of actual life1 will enable   
not so much to demonstrate1 indeed1 as  
rather to remind you of the difference  
which subsists even here between a trust
 and confidence that is merely reasoned 
out by logical inference--a faith       
externally assumed1 and one that is the 
result of personal experience and       
confiding love4 ,thus reminding you of  
what in this life is manifest enough1 ,i
 hope to set most distinctly before your
 eyes the difference which subsists also
 in the higher region of faith4 ,let us 
suppose the case of a friend dangerously
 ill or in a state of extreme suffering1
 and we are in search of a physician    
able to relieve and heal him4 ,one is   
recommended to us of great reputation   
for extensive knowledge and of a        

judgment strengthened by long           
experience4 ,we are told that he has    
effected remarkable cures1 that he has  
never been known to lose a patient by   
neglect1 or by mistaking his disease1   
and that withal he is very kind and     
extremely attentive4 ,these1 we are     
aware1 are great recommendations3 but he
 is a perfect stranger to us2 we feel a 
kind of reserve and restraint toward    
him--as yet he has not our perfect      
confidence4 ,how very different is the  
case when we ourselves have experienced 
all this--when we ourselves have        
witnessed his comprehensive view1 the   
number and variety of his remedies1 and 
the penetrating glance of genius in the 
moment of danger--when with grateful    
recollection we feel that we must       
ascribe to him either the preservation  
of some dear one's life1 or our own     
unhoped-for restoration to health and   
strength6 ,such is the difference       
between a reasoning faith on rational   
grounds and a personal faith based on   

our own experience and vivid conviction4
 ,and in truth this simile is not remote
 and far-fetched4 ,it comes very close1 
indeed1 to the matter itself1 if only it
 be true that the soul is often         
diseased1 and that religion presents to 
us no inexorable lawgiver of a rigid    
rule of reason1 no stern judge of severe
 truth1 but a wise physician touched    
with the feeling of our infirmities1 and
 able to save to the uttermost4  ,or let
 us take another case1 which will go    
still more deeply and touch more nearly 
the very root of the social relations of
 life4 ,an individual of high rank1 as  
often happens1 is about to enter into a 
lasting union with one of whom he       
personally knows little1 if any thing4  
,in regard to rank and fortune1 of      
agreeableness of person and manner1 as  
well as accomplishments1 not to say     
mental endowments1 he has the best and  
strongest assurances4 ,but the character
 of youth is generally undeveloped4 ,not
 only may all that is morally beautiful1

 and every great and noble disposition1 
lie therein1 but there may also be      
slumbering within it the violent        
elements of passion4 ,it is only the    
full development of life and love that  
will expand the one or the other4 ,the  
question1 then1 for one contemplating   
such a union is1 can he have such a     
confidence in the character and         
sentiments as naturally ought to precede
 a union which is to last for life4 ,she
 has received an excellent              
education--she enjoys a spotless        
reputation--her whole family stands high
 in the respect and esteem of men--its  
friendship and society are every where  
sought and valued1 not merely for its   
rank and station1 but also for its      
amiable qualities4 ,moreover1 another   
lady of established character for all   
that is good and estimable1 has the most
 favorable opinion of her1 honors her   
with her friendship1 and loves her as a 
younger sister1 or as her own daughter4 
,all these considerations are1 perhaps1 

sufficient grounds and rational warrant 
for an anticipatory confidence in such a
 case4 ,but how widely remote and how   
different a feeling is this from that   
deep trusting confidence which springs  
up after the union--which a wife's      
conduct instils into a husband's        
heart--when1 no longer captivated by    
mere personal charms1 but almost        
entirely forgetting them1 he rather     
rejoices to notice and to contemplate   
those qualities of the inmost soul1     
which1 being most congenial to his own  
tastes and habits1 afford him a sure    
prospect of unbroken harmony and        
felicity in the remainder of their      
wedded life4  ,it is extremely difficult
 to lay down any general rule by which  
in individual cases the boundary line   
may be drawn between a mere reasoning   
faith1 resting on external              
considerations1 and one that is founded 
on personal feeling and experience of   
life1 in its gravest and most decisive  
moments4 ,very often a confidence that  

in its origin was quite arbitrarily     
taken up on a cold calculation of       
reason1 will suddenly receive a full    
confirmation1 and pass into that        
profounder assurance which draws its    
strength from our own feelings and      
experience4 ,and as it is in actual     
life1 so it is likewise in the higher   
sphere of faith4 ,in matters of         
religion1 and of science also1 that     
which originally was merely a belief of 
the cold and abstract reason is         
subsequently transformed by degrees into
 a profound faith1 rising at last into  
an abiding personal feeling1 and even a 
deep intuition of living truth4 ,as a   
first beginning1 then1 and as the       
foundation of a better1 and as the first
 step of a higher and fuller            
development1 a merely rational faith    
requires to be treated with respect and 
judged of with all due allowance4 ,but  
when it is set up as perfect and        
complete in itself1 and challenging the 
most rigorous requisitions of science1  

or when it is put forth as sufficient in
 itself1 then our decision must be that 
this self-devised rational belief is    
only a substitute for1 and not faith    
itself4 ,for this must ever be vivid and
 based on an immediate personal feeling1
 and on this account full of love1 and  
indeed both founded upon and proceeding 
from out of love4  ,properly1 the three 
elements of higher life are inseparable2
 and it is therefore extremely difficult
 to propound any invariable law applying
 to individual cases1 as to the order in
 which these three grades of internal   
development must or ought always to     
succeed one another4 ,essentially they  
are one and indissoluble4 ,as faith and 
hope are based upon love1 so is love    
dependent on both the former2 and this  
is as true of genuine love on earth as  
it is of that which lives in a higher   
domain4 ,if its faith be hostilely      
disturbed1 then it loses its hope also1 
and the very root of its existence4 ,if 
hope is entirely cut off1 it does not1  

indeed1 lose thereby faith itself1 and  
its object1 but it preys on itself4     
,that in which all these three grades of
 feeling are most perfectly united1     
blended1 and fused together1 is         
enthusiasm4 ,all genuine enthusiasm is  
based on some exalted and elevating     
faith2 it is a form and species of the  
higher love1 and involves in itself a   
grand and divine hope4 ,and this is true
 of genuine patriotism1 and of artistic 
enthusiasm1 no less than of the         
religious1 which is most akin to        
scientific1 especially as the latter was
 understood by the ancients1 and        
according to the place it held in the   
,platonic philosophy4 ,but though thus  
combining all three1 enthusiasm is yet  
essentially distinguished from them4    
,enthusiasm is only an elevated state of
 the consciousness1 which1 although in  
capacity it admits of being durable1 is 
generally regarded as transitory4       
,accordingly1 it is of a passing state  
that the term is generally understood4  

,but the three degrees of feelings are  
elements of a permanently exalted       
consciousness--of the mind generally1 in
 its highest state4 ,and this is even   
that triune living consciousness1       
restored again to perfect unity1 and to 
fertile operation4 ,it is even that to  
which ,i have been1 from the            
commencement of these ,lectures1        
continually alluding1 and especially in 
the assertion that it is necessary to   
pass from the existing state of the     
consciousness--which is neither its     
fitting nor original condition--with its
 four parts1 one of which is mostly     
divorced from the rest by its undue     
exaggeration1 and to revert to its      
higher and living constitution2 which   
return ,i spoke of as the essential     
condition of true philosophy1 if not its
 very self4 ,now1 if any should desire  
to give one common name to this higher1 
or1 rather1 highest1 state of the       
consciousness1 inclusive of its three   
elements1 and call it enthusiasm1 it    

would be necessary to add the remark1   
that this enthusiasm is absolutely one1 
universal1 and of the highest kind1     
having for its object the divine itself3
 and that1 moreover1 it is abidingly    
permanent1 and at the same time         
reconcilable and even really associated 
with the most clear-sighted prudence4   
,some such a highly exalted and sublime 
conception of true enthusiasm is to be  
met with1 and1 indeed1 predominates     
throughout the ,platonic philosophy4 ,so
 far1 therefore1 it might be said1 that 
the essential in this harmonic triad    
,dreiklang of ,christian sentiment was  
not wholly unknown to it1 even though it
 knew nothing of the ideas of faith and 
hope in this form or direction4         
,comprising all in one1 it gave such    
especial prominence to love as to make  
it by itself the very basis of          
science--of that science1 at least1 of  
which alone there can be any question in
 the present place1 the science of the  
inner and higher life4 ,for it          

considered such a science as being      
simply a love which has arrived at      
intelligence1 and has thereby become    
firmly fixed1 and1 moreover1 elevated to
 the highest degree of clearness and    
perspicuity4  ,the relation in which    
these three properties stand to spirit1 
soul1 and sense--those three principles 
already mentioned of the consciousness1 
when in its undivided perfection it     
attains to a full1 vivid operation--is  
somewhat of the following nature4 ,faith
 is an act of the spirit1 by which the  
higher feeling1 being distinguished and 
separated from all that is not          
essential1 and being purely and         
spiritually apprehended1 is set forth as
 an intelligent feeling1 and            
consequently as a judgment1 and in this 
light comprised in an imperishable idea4
 ,love is the turning or directing of   
the whole soul toward the higher and    
divine1 that is1 even to ,god ,himself4 
,hope1 however1 is the new life which   
emanates from them both1 and in which   

the divine ideas become actual and      
active2 or1 in other words1 it is the   
internal sense and fruitful             
susceptibility for the divine idea and  
its energies and influences4  ,now1 the 
next problem which properly comes before
 us in this place of our exposition of  
the human mind1 and of the degree of    
certainty which is attainable by it1 is 
accurately to determine and to indicate 
the true intrinsic essence of science4  
,what1 then1 is it to know8 ,how is it  
brought about and accomplished8 ,in the 
next place1 it will be necessary to     
explain the origin of error1 which is   
ever opposing science1 often            
imperceptibly deluding or undermining   
and destroying our convictions4 ,this   
will1 then1 enable us to solve the      
questions and difficulties suggested by 
doubt in general1 after we have once    
ascertained the place which is to be    
assigned to it in the human mind4 ,and  
thus we shall at last be able to        
determine completely1 precisely1 and    

satisfactorily1 the relation in which   
faith and enthusiasm1 love and          
revelation1 stand to science4  ,now1 in 
order to arrive at a full idea of       
science1 it will be essential to        
distinguish its several                 
elements--understanding and             
generalization ,begreifen1 and also     
discernment--the different forms1 too1  
of thinking--the necessary in reason1   
the possible in fancy1 as well as the   
scientific cogitation of what is actual4
  ,but before entering on this field of 
our labors1 ,i would premise one general
 remark4 ,it refers to the nature of    
that certainty which we have to look for
 and may expect in philosophy1 according
 to the idea of it which we have made   
the basis of our speculations1 as being 
the noblest and highest manifestation of
 man's desire of knowledge4 ,and here   
the examination of the words of a great 
and famous thinker1 with regard to his  
own system1 will best serve me for the  
introduction and exposition of my own   

views4 ,the system of ,spinosa--for ,i  
allude to him--is1 it is true1 in ill   
repute for its obscureness and          
unintelligibility4 ,the remark1 however1
 to which ,i refer1 is wholly           
unconnected with his system4 ,it is an  
estimate of his own knowledge1 and is   
quite clear and intelligible to all1 as 
every one will admit when ,i come to    
quote the words4 ,and1 perhaps1 the     
obscurity of his system arises chiefly  
from the matter1 and the position taken 
up1 rather than from the author's       
method1 and the form of exposition4     
,for1 if only we can once bring         
ourselves to allow that the mathematical
 method is suitable to philosophy1 we   
must pronounce ,spinosa's style most    
excellent4 ,it is1 in fact1 remarkable1 
not only for the rigor and precision of 
its definitions and proofs1 but also for
 the structure of its sentences and     
general composition1 so far as          
excellence was attainable in the modern 
,latin of the schools1 to which1        

however1 ,spinosa has succeeded in      
giving a wonderful evenness and         
uniformity of expression1 having handled
 it with a facility never before        
paralleled4  ,as to the system itself1  
and the rank which1 according to the    
position here assumed for the philosophy
 of life1 ought to be assigned to it1 it
 will hardly be necessary to enter into 
a particular review4 ,generally we have 
already expressed our opinion1 and the  
judgment we should pass upon it may be  
deduced from the remarks which ,i       
formerly made when distinguishing       
between the two directions or views     
which1 in its search after truth1       
present themselves to the reflecting    
mind for its choice between faith or    
doubt4 ,one of these views of the world 
and things is based on the idea of the  
living triune ,god1 whom faith embraces1
 love desires1 and in whom all our hopes
 are centered4 ,now1 this hypothesis    
implies1 by a necessary and inevitable  
consequence1 that the world is not      

self-existent1 but1 as we have all been 
taught1 had a beginning1 having been    
created by ,god out of nothing4         
,according to the other theory 7and to  
one of these every profound and truly   
scientific system of philosophy must in 
its essential principles belong71 the   
world had not a beginning1 but is       
eternal1 being one with ,god--or1       
indeed1 speaking absolutely1 all is one1
 and necessary thought and necessary    
existence are not properly and          
essentially distinct1 but only so many  
different forms or aspects of the one   
eternal and necessary essence4 ,now1 of 
the latter system1 according to the     
opinion of all competent judges1 either 
of his own or our times1 the work of    
,spinosa is the ablest and most         
consistent exposition that science has  
ever yet produced4 ,but between these   
two systems and views of the universe1  
the philosophy of life can not long     
hesitate4 ,seeking to arrive at a clear 
insight into all that is divine1 so far 

as it is traceable within the higher    
life and inward consciousness1 and      
adopting and regarding it as an imparted
 fact of an internal1 no less than of an
 external revelation1 she can not be at 
a loss to decide between faith in a     
living ,god and that idea of one        
necessary essence which is at the same  
time both ,god and the world--an idea   
which1 making thought and being         
identical1 proceeds to give to all else 
correspondent arbitrary definitions4    
,indeed1 the question can hardly arise  
for the philosophy of life1 or if it    
does1 it may at once set it aside4 ,now1
 this general observation on all such   
systems of necessity implies1 of course1
 the condemnation of that of this great 
and famous thinker4 ,it too must be at  
once rejected as fundamentally false4   
,such a censure1 however1 does not      
involve any thing of personal           
vituperation4 ,all such feelings need   
not to be mixed up with it4 ,for1 in    
truth1 it often happens that the        

greatest and most richly endowed minds1 
and the most single and straightforward 
characters1 if they once take a wrong   
direction1 fall into the profoundest1   
or1 as they have been termed1 the most  
violent errors4 ,but in every case it is
 but equitable to make a distinction    
between the author and his system1      
however severe may be the judgment we   
pass on the latter4 ,in the case of     
,spinosa1 too1 we must bear in mind that
 he was by birth and education a ,jew4  
,as such1 he was not only without the   
pale of ,christianity1 but even regarded
 it with strong national prejudices4    
,if1 therefore1 his system is not       
consistent with the truths of religion1 
or1 rather1 if it even violently clashes
 with them1 he is scarcely obnoxious to 
reproof4 ,at least1 he is not half so   
much open to censure as those who1 not  
having this palliation to urge1 assume a
 hostile position toward religion1 while
 their animosity is not relieved by any 
splendor of great talents1 but marked   

throughout by the meanness and          
narrowness of their views and the       
ordinary character of their scientific  
theory and system4  ,the expression of  
this great thinker to which ,i have     
alluded1 relates to his own self and the
 object he had in view by his literary  
labors--to his work1 in short1 or       
system4 ,it is contained in a letter to 
one of his most intimate friends1 and   
runs as follows3 8,whether my philosophy
 be the very best1 ,i know not2 at least
 ,i do not wish to decide that point2   
that1 however1 ,i have discovered the   
true philosophy1 ,i have not the least  
doubt40 ,all this sounds modestly       
enough2 and in all probability it       
expresses his real sentiments and       
opinion4 ,it sets up1 however1 a        
pretension which ,i can not by any means
 admit4 ,spinosa here takes the term    
philosophy in a different sense from its
 old and original signification4 ,among 
the ,greeks1 the ,sophists alone derived
 their name from a pretension to perfect

 wisdom and science4 ,but the followers 
of a true wisdom1 from ,socrates's time 
at least1 explained philosophy to be    
what its name imports--a desire of the  
highest knowledge1 and a pursuit of     
divine truth4 ,and this is the essential
 point which1 involving a total         
difference of opinion1 has divided the  
minds of men through centuries and tens 
of centuries1 and is as yet far from    
having attained to a satisfactory       
solution4 ,and herein the ,socratic idea
 of philosophy1 which is also my own1   
receives a species of historical        
confirmation which that other           
mathematical notion of it stands still  
in need of4 ,but to return to our       
author4 ,by philosophy1 as indeed is    
clear from his very system1 he          
understands a perfect science and       
absolute truth4 ,now this perfection of 
knowledge does not1 it is true1 pretend 
to extend to and embrace all            
individualities4 ,still it is at least  
intensively an omniscience--which by the

 further development and expansion of   
what it possesses within itself         
unevolved1 would in its external        
comprehensiveness embrace every         
particular case4 ,and can such infinite 
knowledge and omniscience be ascribed to
 any other being than ,god8 ,if we at   
once acknowledged this1 it would surely 
be more agreeable to truth to consider  
man in this life as being merely in a   
preparatory state1 where at most it is  
permitted him1 step by step1 to         
approximate still nearer to the height  
of knowledge4 ,if that degree of        
knowledge which is conceded to and is   
attainable by man1 really suffices for  
the wants of life1 we might1 or1 rather1
 to speak more properly1 we must be     
content with it4 ,probably even that    
which it is allowed to man to reach1 has
 never yet been actually attained to by 
any individual4 ,and why in any case are
 we unwilling to wait1 if1 as it        
undoubtedly remains forever certain1    
that when this period of preparation    

shall have closed in that eternity which
 is really life1 man will in one way or 
another arrive at perfect certainty and 
clearness of insight into the nature of 
himself1 the world1 and the ,deity1 and 
will also fully understand the now      
inscrutable relation of ,god to man and 
the universe8  ,now1 while we regard the
 last half of the judgment which this   
great thinker has passed upon himself1  
as a pure self-delusion naturally       
arising from1 and1 indeed1 closely      
connected with1 his whole system1 we    
must also qualify the first half1 and   
subject it to many essential            
limitations4 ,the best philosophy that  
of ,spinosa most assuredly can not be   
called1 and this for two reasons4 ,on   
the one hand it sets out with the       
pursuit of mathematical certainty and   
precision--an end not attainable in this
 branch of human inquiry2 on the other1 
it commences with a principle           
fundamentally false1 starting from the  
imaginary notion of absolute necessity  

as the original first and last illusion 
of the reason4 ,better1 however1 it most
 unquestionably is than many others1    
which1 no less false1 are with their    
superficial dullness1 their half        
compromise and jumble of inconsistent   
principles1 still more pernicious4      
,violent errors1 to use an old phrase1  
are those which serve to give a new     
impulse to science1 and arousing it from
 its stationary point of imperfect      
development1 excite it to advance one   
step nearer to the truth4 ,they serve to
 accelerate a whole crisis of movement  
and transition4 ,in this respect1       
accordingly1 a system of philosophy     
which is far from good in itself1 may1  
nevertheless1 be pronounced good in a   
relative sense4 ,in other words1 it is  
one the study of which may occasionally 
prove salutary and profitable4 ,it will 
benefit those individuals1 or even a    
whole nation or age1 who are in the very
 crisis of transition1 and capable of   
digesting such strong meat1 are healthy 

enough to elaborate such a system of    
error into the sound elements of truth4 
,that this opinion is by no means unduly
 lenient1 or overtolerant1 but that its 
justice is not unsupported by historical
 experience1 is proved by the history of
 our national philosophy in these later 
days4 ,thus1 on the ,german philosophy  
of nature1 in the first stage at least  
of its development1 the system of       
,spinosa exercised a great and decided  
influence1 which1 however1 has now      
altogether ceased4 ,all the most        
original1 too1 of our thinkers1 whether 
they belonged to the older or later     
schools1 who stood aloof from all system
 or party1 have also paid his works     
great attention4 ,for this they riveted 
by their wonderful simplicity and rigor 
of consequence1 and their loftiness of  
scientific thought1 even while they     
failed to win a general1 much less a    
complete adhesion to his theory4 ,but   
this feeling is quickly fading away4 ,a 
great internal victory has been gained  

over its seductive charms1 which is of  
inestimable importance to the cause of  
truth4 ,it is fast quitting the field of
 human thought and inquiry2 and if it   
still holds its place in a few minds1 it
 forms there alone the last remaining   
obstacle to the complete triumph of the 
science of life and revelation--the last
 lingering mist of mental darkness and  
demoniacal illusion before the rising   
sun of a newly breaking day4  ,it may   
perhaps appear inappropriate1 and indeed
 highly objectionable1 to have spoken of
 a pernicious system of metaphysical    
error before such an audience as the    
present1 especially as from the first ,i
 expressed my unwillingness to enter at 
large into its details4 ,but ,i have1 ,i
 think1 a full and complete             
justification4 ,a very similar1 or1     
rather1 the same view of the world and  
things as that which it propounds1 and  
whose essential peculiarities ,i have1  
,i think1 correctly characterized as one
 of the leading branches of human error1

 still prevails1 and is not confined in 
its manifestations to a metaphysical    
form4 ,it meets us every where in still 
more accessible and highly-attractive   
shapes--in every form and dimension--in 
the interesting but simple tale1 and in 
the magic creation of poetical          
pantheism4 ,and since so many poets and 
other popular writers are a kind of half
 or whole1 conscious or unconscious1    
,spinosists--to use this name in a wide 
and general sense--it would be to affect
 an unscrupulous delicacy1 which would  
neither be in measure nor in season1    
were ,i to abstain from all notice of   
what is otherwise so notorious4 ,if the 
philosophy of divine experience1 with   
its totally different form and spirit1  
were but carried out as perfectly and   
completely as this silently-reigning    
system of rationalism1 with its         
consistency of error1 then should we at 
last be able fully to comprehend1 and1  
to our great amazement1 discern all that
 is meant by this its dangerous rival1  

and how very much it involves4  ,my     
object has not been to make a polemical 
attack1 and to give a complete          
refutation of this system4 ,such a      
design neither lay within my prescribed 
limits1 nor could it be other than      
useless and superfluous in a philosophy 
which took its position from life1 and  
especially the inner and higher life4   
,what ,i had chiefly in view was1 to    
establish a precise and rigorous        
distinction between the ,socratic notion
 of philosophy1 as a gradual            
approximation to eternal truth and the  
first science1 and that false           
mathematical conception of it which sets
 up a claim to absolute knowledge1 and  
by a rigid observance of system1        
pretends to the attainment of           
omniscience4 ,and this was a distinction
 which1 both from personal              
considerations and with regard to the   
present undertaking1 it was incumbent on
 me to insist upon1 in order to avoid   
the slightest misconception4 ,having    

myself long since recognized the three  
categories of an elevated               
consciousness--faith1 hope1 and love--to
 be also the essential elements and     
primary foundation of all higher thought
 and knowledge1 so far at least as the  
latter1 having life for its matter and  
subject1 must take life for its         
starting-point and foundation1 ,i have  
therefore publicly advanced this        
doctrine4 ,still1 nothing could be more 
foreign to my whole mode of thinking and
 feeling1 or so directly opposed to it1 
as the design of forcing adhesion to my 
theory of faith1 hope1 and love1 by the 
might of logical demonstration1 or even 
the thought of constraining1 by the     
weapons of science1 the convictions of  
any one4 ,nay1 even if ,i were gifted   
with magic powers of persuasion and     
irresistible eloquence1 so as to be able
 to win the whole world over to my own  
way of thinking1 or1 rather1 conviction 
on these matters1 still ,i should have  
no wish to accomplish such a general    

concurrence in this manner4 ,such a     
method would not be appropriate to this 
domain of philosophy1 and1 above all1 it
 would not be the true and right one2   
for philosophy must ever be the fruit of
 one's own personal reflection1 and     
invariably spring from an immediate     
feeling of a want and defect within1    
otherwise it can scarcely exist in      
reality4 ,all teaching1 therefore1 or   
communication of philosophy1 has        
properly no other end and aim than to   
furnish a vivid impulse to              
self-reflection4 ,beyond this it can    
only serve to suggest the limits of a   
right and lawful exercise of such       
meditation1 and1 by pointing out the    
road that leads most directly to this   
end1 to warn against the devious by-ways
 of error which branch out from it at   
every point of its path4 ,every one who 
is in earnest in the pursuit of truth   
has1 moreover1 already within himself a 
principle ,anfang of faith1 hope1 and   
love1 in some shape or other1 and not   

merely a principle1 but a very system of
 them1 even though it do not always     
manifest itself exactly in a scientific 
form4 ,if every one who in any degree   
lends a sympathizing ear to my present  
discourses feels himself in any degree  
confirmed by them in that principle of a
 higher faith and love that is as yet in
 any degree developed in him--if he     
feels himself moved by them to still    
more lofty aspirations after the highest
 end of hope--if what to him is the     
center of love and life has been more   
fully and more clearly evolved by       
them--if his thoughts have taken from   
them a clearer and more distinct order  
and arrangement1 then will the first    
wish and principal object of my present 
labors be perfectly realized1 and attain
 to their fullest and completest        
gratification4  ,we would1 therefore1   
for our parts1 remit to ,god and the    
future all properly unconditional and   
absolute knowledge4 ,for1 irrespectively
 of the delusive phantom of a pretended 

mathematical method and rigor of        
demonstration1 which is both            
fundamentally false1 and1 moreover1     
totally inapplicable to the present     
sphere of inquiry1 such an absolute     
science1 merely as claiming to be       
positive1 trenches ultimately on        
omniscience4 ,we therefore prefer       
modestly to acquiesce in pretensions    
more suitable to man's position in the  
world4 ,if1 therefore1 we confine       
ourselves within the prescribed limits1 
and are content with a gradually but    
steadily advancing approximation to     
perfect truth1 as it is in ,god1 we     
shall soon find that even within these  
boundaries a legitimate idea of science 
may be set up and advanced4 ,and this   
science1 it will quickly appear1 not    
only contains within it a stable        
foundation of irrefragable certainty1   
sufficient for all the wants and        
requisitions of life1 but also opens a  
wide space for the further exercise and 
development of all time1 thought1 and   

cognition1 and the most ample field for 
all genuine spiritual hopes and pure    
wishes of a higher nature4 ,in its free 
development it is by no means subject to
 the narrow limits of earth2 while1 as  
resting on the firm basis of experience1
 it is little affected by doubt1 which1 
though plied with all its acuteness and 
with its endless refinements to the very
 height of subtilty1 shall never        
undermine or essentially injure it4  ,i 
said an idea ,idee of science4 ,i did   
not employ the term notion ,begriff1 as 
in the case of the consciousness2 for   
the latter1 in all its completeness1 is 
given to us by internal experience and  
the observation of our own minds4 ,in   
the case of the consciousness1          
consequently1 the only point is to set  
it forth in a well-ordered and fully    
comprehensive term1 as completely as it 
is revealed to us in reality4 ,but of   
science there can not be more than one  
idea4 ,an ideal standard may be set up  
to guide us in our attempts to attain to

 it1 and to indicate the degree1        
measure1 and method of its possible     
acquisition4 ,and this idea and standard
 can only be derived from the highest   
idea of all--that of ,god1 who is the   
eternal truth itself4 ,it is thither    
that it must go1 as to its first source4
 ,now this idea of science1 after the   
complete notion of the consciousness    
which ,i have already established1 is   
the second result to which our inquiries
 have brought us4 ,it is the second step
 of progress in our present development 
of thought4  ,now this idea of science1 
which points to it as possible and      
actually attainable1 and which also in  
fact leads us to it1 rests on two       
assumptions4 ,it implies1 in the first  
place1 that man must continually advance
 to a fuller understanding of a given   
truth1 and1 having the capacity1 is also
 able to do so1 if only he has a real   
and abiding wish for it4 ,how1 indeed1  
can it in general be doubted1 that we   
are not absolutely incapable of         

understanding any given truth1 when the 
very fact of its being given implies it 
in some degree at least1 however        
limited1 and when the very apprehension 
of the given matters forms a beginning1 
it may be a very imperfect one1 of      
understanding8 ,but1 in the second      
place1 the idea of an actually          
attainable science rests on the         
assumption that we are in a condition to
 recognize as such1 and in its true     
light1 the error which springs up every 
where in the human mind1 and by so doing
 to emancipate ourselves1 if not from   
every trace of its former influence1    
yet1 at least1 from its absolute        
dominion and tyranny4 ,and since in this
 field of human errors we are at least  
at home1 there can be no obstacle to our
 taking a full and complete survey of   
them1 and taking the exact measure of   
their shallowness4 ,this requisition1 as
 well as the possibility of its         
accomplishment1 is fundamentally        
involved in that old ,grecian maxim1    

8,know thyself10 when interpreted in its
 more scientific sense4 ,and in truth   
there is no ground to doubt its         
possibility1 if only a firm footing--the
   of ,archimedes--can be found for us  
out of ourselves and of the ordinary    
state of the human consciousness4 ,and  
such a stable point is actually found   
and provided for us in the revelation of
 a higher truth than man's4 ,that a     
recognition of error as such is         
possible1 and thereby the emancipation  
of the mind from its slavery may be     
facilitated1 will be best and most      
clearly evidenced by actual experiment4 
,we must1 then1 try to assign to each   
single faculty of the consciousness1 in 
its present degraded and distracted     
state1 the essential scientific error   
which peculiarly clings to and besets   
its exercise1 or at least to point out  
the tendency thereto which is deeply    
rooted therein4 ,and such an experiment 
may be made successfully1 if we take up 
our position in the high point of view  

furnished by a consciousness restored   
again to unity and harmony in ,god4     
,now1 from this point of view it is1 no 
doubt1 impossible1 as we have already   
remarked1 to assume or concede the      
existence of innate ideas--at least1 not
 in the usual and literal sense4 ,innate
 errors1 however1 may well naturally be 
assumed to exist in the first degraded  
state of the human mind4 ,not1 indeed1  
that there rules in them any blind      
inevitable necessity1 but1 rather1 a    
false tendency--an evil habit become a  
second nature--which is only in         
appearance an original imperfection4    
,and such have been often enough        
recognized in the illusions of          
imagination and the narrow limits of the
 reason2 only the recognition has not   
been complete and total enough1 and1    
consequently1 not sufficiently          
explanatory4 ,indeed1 the notion of     
scientific error1 as innate in the human
 mind1 must be taken exactly in the same
 light as the moral weakness and frailty

 of man in his present condition--as    
being1 in short1 peculiar to the whole  
race1 and transmitted1 as an            
inheritance1 from generation to         
generation4  ,now1 to the knowledge of  
error1 as such1 is opposed the          
recognition of truth--the higher1 that  
is1 divinely revealed truth4 ,and this  
perception it is that furnishes the     
stable point of intrinsic certainty to  
every species and form of human         
cognition4 ,but here the question might 
arise naturally enough3 ,how can man    
recognize a truth1 which1 nevertheless1 
is revealed to him from without1 making 
himself thereby1 as it were1 at once its
 master and its judge8 ,how1 in other   
words1 can he1 as it were1 know again   
that which is now first given to him1   
and which previously he was not in      
possession of4 ,in this matter the case 
stands almost exactly the same as it    
does with innate ideas1 which are not to
 be understood literally as involving   
the hypothesis of a pre-existence of the

 soul--and as it does with that eternal 
memory which1 as connected with the     
theory of innate ideas1 rightly and more
 correctly interpreted1 is both         
justifiable and tenable4 ,if man is to  
be declared totally incapable of this   
recognition of divine truth1 then must  
he be first stripped of all the high    
prerogatives which the ,almighty has    
bestowed upon him above the rest of the 
natural creation4 ,the very last trace  
and vestige of the divine image that is 
in him must be erased and destroyed4    
,among these endowments1 that which we  
may well call the dangerous privilege of
 free will holds neither the last nor   
the lowest place4 ,god created man free1
 and free he is even in his relation to 
,god4 ,it is left to man's choice1      
whether he will or not acknowledge the  
,deity above him4 ,but this being the   
case1 this free and unconstrained       
acknowledgment1 so far as the choice is 
rightly made1 by no means involves any  
exaltation of man's judgment above the  

law of ,god4 ,on the contrary1 it is    
nothing more than a free and voluntary  
assent to the divine4 ,however1 it is   
the inward experience that we have here 
to consider4 ,for the facts and external
 data of mere experimental sciences can 
only so far belong to our present       
consideration1 as they bear upon the    
inner experience of the consciousness   
and the knowledge of human nature--as   
well upon that more exalted experience  
7which is indeed contained in the       
former7 of a higher destination imported
 and announced to man by ,god4 ,and this
 is the case with history or language4  
,it is exactly in this relation that a  
scientific knowledge of either stands to
 our present subject4 ,but not only     
language1 but every object also in the  
whole domain of human inquiry--in the   
vast realms of art and nature--belongs  
thereto1 or may be made a part of it1 if
 only it stands in or admits of being   
brought into this relation to the inward
 and higher experience4 ,now this       

understanding of the truth that is above
 man1 which is ever growing in clearness
 and brightness--this perfect           
recognition of whatever is erroneous and
 false--this ever-advancing             
comprehension of the actual1 so far as  
the latter lies within its limits1 form 
the three grades or spheres of science  
which1 even according to this idea of   
it1 may unquestionably be regarded as   
possible1 and founded also on the actual
 and real4  ,the latter is an important 
point2 as to all else1 the different    
ways1 methods1 and directions of thought
 belong to the outward form1 rather than
 to the intrinsic essence of science4   
,essentially1 there is but one law and  
standard for all ways and modes of      
thinking4 ,the necessary thought of the 
reason1 with its strict logical         
concatenation1 no less than the possible
 thinking of the scientific imagination1
 with its generally symbolical dress1   
must1 if it would not lapse into error1 
and become ultimately null and vain1    

adhere to the actual and real1 and stand
 and maintain itself on the firm soil of
 experience4 ,it is only when the       
necessary cogitation sets out from      
reality that it is truly necessary2 and 
in like manner is it with the possible4 
,if it does not rest on the firm basis  
of the actual1 it is not really possible
 and actually attainable4 ,without this 
intrinsic gravity and point of rest1 the
 mathematical method1 with its pretended
 rigor of demonstration1 no less than   
the most ingenious but arbitrary        
hypotheses1 are perpetually oscillating 
through the wide realms of infinite     
space--like pure fictions--not1 however1
 like good fictions based on realities1 
for such often possess a deep and       
profound significance1 but like         
thoroughly unmeaning and aimless        
figments1 and unsubstantial phantasms4  
,against the intrinsic reality of the   
mind's experience and its science1 which
 is built upon this foundation of a     
recognition and understanding of what is

 revealed and imparted to it1 of an     
acknowledgment of what is spurious and  
false1 and of a comprehension of the    
actual and real1 all the doubts of      
skepticism avail little1 or1 properly   
speaking1 nothing4 ,if1 however1 we set 
out from the unconditional science of   
reason1 holding it and considering it   
really to be such1 then there is no     
longer any safeguard to keep us from    
falling headlong into the bottomless    
abyss of endless doubt4 ,in such a case1
 the human mind may for a time be lulled
 into a calm1 which1 however1 is any    
thing but a true and perfect serenity4  
,between that arbitrary faith which is  
the mere creation of the reason1 and    
devised for the express purpose of      
filling the profound void which man must
 feel so long as his heavenward         
aspirations are unsatisfied1 and the    
endless doubts of his intellect1 there  
is at best but a temporary and passing  
truce3 it is no true peace4 ,it is like 
some 8,concordat10 which1 effected with 

the greatest difficulty1 and ever on the
 point of being dissolved by the mutual 
jealousy of the contracting parties to  
it1 does but leave each member to follow
 his own devices1 so long as he engages 
to abstain from all hostile interference
 with the other4 ,in such a case1 a     
complete and harmonious co-operation of 
the mind's hitherto divided and         
estranged faculties is not for a moment 
to be thought of4 ,that1 however1 must  
be sought by a very different path4     
,,lecture ,,viii4   ,in the domain of   
art it is an old and established        
opinion1 not only that a peculiar genius
 is required for its original creations1
 but also a special sense or feeling is 
indispensable for a correct appreciation
 and estimate of the works produced by  
the former4 ,indeed1 we can hardly call 
it an opinion2 its validity is so       
universally acknowledged1 that it is    
acted upon as a principle4 ,in the same 
way the ,platonic philosophy assumes for
 its foundation an enthusiastic         

aspiration after divine truth and a     
higher knowledge of it4 ,moreover1 as it
 sets out from a consciousness elevated 
and expanded by enthusiasm1 so it looks 
to the same for access and adoption4    
,and this is the source of that affinity
 between this species of philosophy and 
an artistic enthusiasm which is         
traceable in all ages and nations1      
however widely different in the general 
character of their minds1 among whom the
 former has in any degree manifested    
itself1 assuming1 every where1 if not   
the shape of dialogue1 yet some other   
equally beautiful form of exposition4   
,hence1 too1 so far1 at least1 as this  
is possible in the domain of science1   
the point of view of this philosophy is 
predominantly artistic4 ,the more1 then1
 that in modern days1 and especially    
among ,german writers1 the school form  
has become prevalent in science         
generally1 and especially in philosophy1
 the greater is the merit of those who  
have striven to give to philosophy this 

artistic elegance and structure1 or1 at 
least1 to preserve it and restore it to 
favor4 ,and even if any be disposed to  
set less value upon this artistic grace 
and enthusiasm for the beautiful in     
philosophy than1 in my opinion1 is due  
to it1 they must1 at least1 admit that  
it tends to promote a more liberal and  
comprehensive culture of the mind4 ,on  
this account it is surely to be         
defended1 and deserves our most         
favorable judgment4 ,this remark does   
not apply1 exclusively1 to our own      
,german literature and culture1 and that
 devotion to the arts of the beautiful  
which is so peculiar to our countrymen2 
it has a general reference to all modern
 nations4 ,a more artistic feeling is a 
universal want of the times to          
counteract the prevailing school form1  
and the preponderating mathematical view
 of the world1 or1 at least1 a          
predominantly mathematical cast of mind4
 ,accordingly1 ,hemsterhuys1 who1 in    
philosophy1 adopted a view similar to1  

if not identical with1 the ,platonic1   
though writing in the ,french language1 
which was not his vernacular tongue1 has
 labored with a masterly hand to give to
 his style the exquisite beauty of art4 
,but still1 notwithstanding this common 
affinity and enthusiasm for the         
beautiful1 a distinction exists1 and    
must ever remain1 between the scientific
 notion of beauty and the mere artistic 
conception of it1 and that fanciful view
 of the world and things which is       
derived from and dependent on it4 ,for1 
according to the latter1 the highest    
beauty is to the poet and artist nothing
 less than the height of truth1 as1     
indeed1 it really is of poetic and      
artistic truth4 ,but1 to the view of    
science1 between the divine and eternal 
truth and beauty1 even the highest      
beauty1 there is1 and ever must remain1 
a certain degree of distance1 which1 if 
it do not amount to an interval1 is yet1
 nevertheless1 a line of demarkation4   
,eternal truth is even ,god himself4    

,and if1 occasionally1 in the ,platonic 
philosophy1 the ,prime ,being is        
distinguished and designated as the     
archetype of beauty1 this is but a loose
 way of speaking1 not exactly consistent
 with scientific accuracy4 ,for1        
according to the latter1 the excellence 
of beauty is but a perfect mirror1 or a 
pure reflection of eternal perfection1  
but not eternal perfection itself4      
,indeed1 in order to express its perfect
 purity from all admixture1 and from    
every the least stain of the sensible   
world1 as well as from every mist of    
earthly delusion that otherwise might   
cling to and encircle it1 ,i should     
prefer to call it the holy beauty1      
rather than the archetype of beauty1 or 
even the height of beauty4 ,for the     
latter shifts and varies with the       
subjective tastes of individuals4 ,one  
man sees the standard of beauty in an   
,apollo1 another in some other equally  
sublime and highly-finished god-form of 
ancient statuary4  ,what1 then1 is this 

beauty1 according to the pure and       
original notion of it1 and relatively to
 reality8 ,for1 according to the        
principle which the philosophy of life  
assumes1 we must trace every thing back 
to the real and the actual--to the      
actual and the real of nature and of    
earth1 or else to one that is higher and
 more spiritual1 nay1 even ,godlike4    
,what place1 then1 does beauty here     
hold8 what is its relation to the rest  
of creation1 or1 still more generally1  
to the whole created universe and its   
author8 ,what is it in and by itself1   
and in truth8  ,now1 in that sacred     
language which treats of holy things1   
and devotes to them well and            
carefully-weighed expressions and terms1
 mention is made of a wisdom created in 
the beginning1 and before all time4 ,as1
 therefore1 it is said to be created1 it
 is plain that by it is not meant1 and  
that we must not confound with it1 that 
uncreated and eternal wisdom who is     
elsewhere called the ,almighty ,word1 by

 whom the whole system of nature1 and   
all things1 were created in their       
original beauty4 ,now this created      
wisdom1 which1 consequently1 as such1 is
 also a creature--what else is it than  
the thought1 the image1 the expression  
and impress of the hidden and internal  
essence of the ,deity--wherein its      
inapproachable depth and unfathomable   
abyss are outwardly projected and       
rendered visible8 ,is it not1 in short1 
the exact mirror and unsullied          
reflection of the divine perfections8   
,but1 however we may choose to name and 
describe it1 the creature--even though  
its creation may have been before the   
whole world1 and even before time       
itself--must always be kept distinct    
from the uncreated ,being of eternity   
and omnipotence1 who1 moreover1 called  
the former into existence4 ,now1 if we  
were to apply to this created wisdom the
 expression of 8a soul of ,god10 which  
was formerly employed by a few writers1 
but which was soon allowed to fall again

 into disuse1 from a dread of the       
misapprehensions it might possibly lead 
to1 it would give1 perhaps1 a good      
sense4 ,it might thus serve to          
distinguish this1 the first of all      
creatures1 in its pure and original     
beauty1 from a mere soul of the world1  
or of nature1 however ideally conceived4
 ,only1 in that case1 care must be taken
 to keep in remembrance1 that such a    
mode of speaking can only apply to a    
creature1 and that of such alone is it  
allowable so to speak4 ,for--in         
correctness of language and in the true 
meaning of words--a soul1 as being1 on  
the whole1 and predominantly1 a passive 
faculty1 can not be attributed to ,god1 
in whom all is infinite power and pure  
activity1 and who1 as such1 ever worketh
 and never ceases in ,his infinite      
operations4  ,it is this1 the first of  
all created things1 which1 with its pure
 splendor1 lights up in brilliancy      
whatever in the rest of creation still  
retains aught of childlike innocence and

 blessed purity4 ,it is the inner charm1
 the spiritual flower of nature1 the    
hidden germ of that paradisiacal        
loveliness which1 though veiled in this 
terrestrial shroud1 still gleams forth  
occasionally4 ,it is even that sacred   
beauty which fills to the full the true 
artist's soul1 even though he is never  
able fully and completely to realize it4
 ,it is that for which the thinker1 in  
his inspired enthusiasm1 seeks in vain  
for words and expressions4 ,all the     
forms and terms of language fail to     
reach its high excellence4 ,for1 in     
fact1 so long as man1 holding it to be a
 pure ideal1 regards it as nothing but a
 thought or notional relation1 he can   
not but fail to seize and apprehend this
 mystery of love in all its living      
reality4  ,and here it is that ,i would 
apply the words1 already quoted1 of a   
great thinker4 ,they were used by him in
 reference to his own system of science 
and philosophy2 and though in my        
application they relate to a very       

different matter1 it is1 nevertheless1  
one which has an intimate bearing on the
 first science4 ,slightly modifying his 
words1 then1 ,i would thus say3 whether 
the notion of beauty ,i have here       
advanced be for the artist absolutely   
the right one--i4e41 whether it be      
perfectly satisfactory and sufficient1  
or whether in its special application to
 a particular branch of art1 and in the 
actual execution of any given work1 it  
requires several intermediate notions   
and means of transition1 and whether1   
moreover1 several elements equally      
essential must concur therein--that ,i  
know not1 or at least ,i make no        
assertion about it4 ,and indeed1 ,i see 
clearly enough that even for art and its
 perfect realization1 something else is 
wanting besides the pure idea of beauty 
alone4 ,this1 however1 ,i do know and am
 quite certain of1 that1 viz41 the      
notion of beauty which ,i have here     
advanced1 and besides which scarcely    
another will be found1 is the true and  

right ,christian notion1 of which all   
the statues of heathen gods1 all        
fantasies of nature1 all mental ideas1  
are but single rays1 faint memorials1   
corporeal images1 or mere scattered and 
mutilated fragments4  ,the thought1 too1
 of that blissful state in the infancy  
of creation--when sorrow had as yet no  
existence1 and evil1 with its many woes1
 was not--is a notion not insignificant1
 but full1 rather1 of rich influences   
for the higher and more spiritual aim of
 art1 and especially for the deeper and 
profounder essence of poetry4 ,i have1  
indeed1 already alluded to this notion2 
and ,i revert to it because ,i feel it  
is one which does not deserve to be so  
totally neglected as it usually is4     
,now1 the higher poesy was termed1 in   
consideration of that ,godlike idea of  
eternal hope which predominates in it1  
the dawn of an uprising morn in the     
world of intellectual culture and poetic
 fancy2 but at the same time ,i remarked
 that it was accompanied by a mournful  

recollection of a great foretime1 long  
since passed away and departed4 ,not    
that this sad backward looking to a lost
 infantine happiness of the first times 
is in discord with or in opposition to  
the hopes of the rising dawn4 ,rather   
must it be regarded as in harmony with  
it4 ,for this feeling is1 as it were1   
the reflection of that hope--the same   
light thrown back from yet another      
side--even as the lovely hue of the sky 
at eventide1 and the bright rays of the 
breaking dawn1 make a kindred impression
 on the fancy4 ,in this respect we might
 almost venture to say of poetry and its
 inmost essence1 that it is but the     
spiritual echo of the soul--a sorrowful 
remembrance of a lost paradise4 ,i do   
not mean that the latter and its        
history1 such as it is transmitted to   
us1 or even as it has been handled by   
the ,english poet1 is the only fitting  
or even a particularly happy subject for
 poetry4 ,i allude rather to that       
paradisiacal state of universal nature  

throughout the whole globe--creation's  
state of infantine happiness1 before it 
was ruined by revolt from ,god4  ,a note
 of these paradisiacal remembrances1 a  
sorrowful memento of this heavenly      
innocence and primal beauty of a        
new-born world1 seems like an inward and
 animating soul to breathe in--or as a  
thread of higher and intenser life1 to  
run through--all the songs and exquisite
 delineations of a more than earthly    
poesy4 ,not that this ray of light ought
 or ever could form by itself the       
subject-matter of the finished work of  
any true poet4 ,his subjects are        
generally1 and indeed must be1 somewhat 
more corporeal1 being drawn for the most
 part from history and from life4 ,what 
,i formerly said of divine hope applies 
here also4 ,even while the picture of   
reality which is set forth is worked out
 most elaborately1 with accurate        
observation of all its little and nicest
 traits1 this purely spiritual and      
almost unearthly tone ought1            

nevertheless1 to be present4 ,it must be
 found there as the inner soul of the   
whole1 however veiled beneath the outer 
world that is portrayed in the story4   
,no work1 however1 in which this inner  
thread of life is totally wanting1 is or
 ever will be in its essence more than  
simple prose1 even though in form it be 
verse4 ,art it may have unquestionably1 
and wit1 a story1 and irony2 all in     
short1 that can be wished--any thing but
 poetry4 ,for1 except where its true    
notion is either already lost or fast   
disappearing1 the idea of poetry can not
 possibly be separated from that of     
enthusiasm4 ,the calm1 cold poetry of   
the head1 if such can for a moment      
deserve the name1 is to the true        
inspired poetry of enthusiasm in the    
same relation that the spurious faith of
 the pure reason stands in to the living
 faith of the full feeling which springs
 out of a profound personal conviction  
and love4  ,now1 the full essence of    
this enthusiasm1 which1 according to the

 ,platonic notion of it1 takes in all   
things in its embrace1 is in the        
,christian harmonic triad of faith1     
hope1 and love1 dissolved1 as it were1  
into its three time-forms4 ,for though  
faith has its root in the present1      
still1 in every case1 it looks backward 
to some past1 whether of an extant or   
still earlier revelation1 which at the  
same time it embraces and adopts into   
itself4 ,and even in that faith which   
admits the revelations of history1 or   
that practical faith which1 in the      
ordinary transactions of life1 places   
its trust in human testimony and the    
recorded facts of experimental science  
7since even out of the domain of        
religion faith is inseparably mixed with
 all that man thinks or does7--in all   
these kinds of faith a similar reference
 to the past might easily be pointed    
out4 ,to the future it is that hope     
directs itself1 while in love there     
reigns a full and intense feeling of the
 present4 ,and even so of ,god's        

everlasting love--this1 too1 has ever   
been and always must be understood as a 
full1 intense1 and abiding feeling of a 
never-ending present1 which1 without    
beginning and without end1 goes on      
forever in abiding felicity4 ,besides   
this subdivision into three branches or 
elements1 species or forms1 there is yet
 another character by which these three 
fundamental ,christian feelings are     
essentially distinguished from the      
single and all-embracing one of         
enthusiasm4 ,to this distinction ,i have
 already alluded1 and it consists in    
this1 that whereas enthusiasm indicates 
nothing more than a passing state of a  
more intense consciousness1 the three   
categories above mentioned contain not  
merely a transient but a permanent      
enhancement of it1 or1 in other words1 a
 consciousness which has really become  
higher and more intense1 and as such1   
endures in full self-possession and     
inward enlightenment4 ,accordingly1 when
 we are speaking of the relation of     

faith to knowledge1 this scheme of the  
fundamental feelings of ,christianity   
seems in the highest degree appropriate 
to that philosophy which undertakes to  
show the connection between knowledge   
and faith1 and the passage from one to  
the other4 ,for it is in truth well     
calculated to lead to this end1 even    
more rapidly and more surely than the   
,platonic fundamental principle of      
enthusiasm1 notwithstanding the profound
 and essential affinity which subsists  
between these two views of the world and
 things4  ,with respect to the relation 
of faith to knowledge3 we must remember 
that the positive dogmas of a fixed     
definite creed belong to theology1 and  
lie altogether out of the domain of     
philosophy4 ,for though a truly learned 
exegesis of ,holy ,writ most            
unquestionably demands a truly          
philosophical spirit1 it is not         
philosophy itself4 ,and this applies    
also to ecclesiastical tradition1 as    
running parallel to and co-ordinate with

 written revelation4 ,this enlarged     
assumption1 however1 of a twofold source
 for deducing a knowledge of the truths 
necessary to be believed1 and for their 
dogmatic interpretation1 as touching on 
a particular province of history1 or as 
some1 perhaps1 will rather say1 a       
controverted point of church authority1 
must be left to theology to discuss and 
decide4 ,it does not fall within the    
true limits of philosophy1 which        
properly is concerned only with faith in
 general1 and the notion thereof        
relatively to knowledge4 ,and here comes
 in the greatest of the distinctions    
between the philosophy of life 7which is
 founded both on an external and also an
 internal and higher experience1 being  
itself a science of experience7 and the 
philosophy of absolute reason4 ,the     
relation between faith and knowledge1 as
 respectively established by them1 is   
thoroughly and essentially different4   
,according to that absolute view of the 
world and things which rests on and     

springs from a pure and necessary       
rational science1 faith and knowledge   
stand in absolute opposition to each    
other4 ,the only connection into which  
they can possibly enter is that by which
 faith is called in to the aid of       
reason1 and in order to supply its      
deficiencies4 ,when1 for instance1 the  
unconditional science can not by itself 
attain to fullness and perfection of    
knowledge1 or1 after all its labors1    
finds itself standing unsatisfied even  
within its own domain1 then the         
transition is made forcibly1 and1 as it 
were1 by a great and sudden leap into   
the opposite and totally different      
domain of reason1 in order to seek there
 refuge and protection from itself4 ,and
 this indeed is the only way still open1
 if not to a complete reconciliation    
between the two1 yet1 at least1 to a    
peaceful compromise of the respective   
claims of knowledge and of faith4 ,quite
 different1 however1 is the relation    
between them1 as set forth by the       

philosophy of life1 which takes its     
position in experience and the knowledge
 which is based thereon4 ,for1 in the   
first place1 faith and knowledge are not
 so rigorously separated1 nor so        
absolutely distinguished in it as they  
are in the preceding system4 ,and1      
secondly1 as regards the order and      
succession of the two3 here1 in the wide
 field of man's experience1 both inward 
and outward1 in nature and in his own   
self1 it is faith for the most part that
 furnishes the beginning and foundation 
of knowledge1 which1 however1 as such is
 incomplete1 and requires further       
development4 ,we have already remarked1 
that the positive dogmas of a particular
 faith1 together with the scientific    
investigations appropriate to them1 form
 a special domain of higher experience4 
,this is a statement which scarcely     
requires any labored proof4 ,and we need
 not dwell on it further than to remind 
you1 that even here the faith1 so far as
 it is dogmatically propounded1 forms   

the foundation4 ,in this higher region  
faith is the first and that which makes 
the beginning1 while the knowing forms  
the further development4 ,descending    
into its particular applications1 the   
latter furnishes an explanation1 or1    
rather1 elucidation1 of the whole4      
,still it must all the while adhere     
faithfully to the fact of a revelation1 
and maintain its authority over the     
rational principle which otherwise seeks
 to depress1 and does often actually    
overbear it4 ,and so is it also with the
 first awakening of the consciousness4  
,and even in experimental science1 the  
order between faith and knowledge is    
exactly the same4 ,in actual life1 too1 
every great enterprise begins with and  
takes its first step in faith4 ,in faith
 ,columbus1 compass in hand1 and firmly 
relying on its revelations1 traversed1  
in his frail bark1 the wide waters of an
 unknown ocean4 ,in this faith he       
discovered a new world1 and thereby     
opened a new era in the history of      

science and of man4 ,for all his        
inquiries1 all his thirst and search    
after information1 all his thinking1    
guessing1 and supposing1 did not as yet 
amount to a complete knowing--by such   
means he could not succeed in working   
out a full conviction1 either for       
himself or for others4 ,it was the given
 fact1 the unquestionable proof of      
actual experience1 that first exalted   
his bold conception into true and       
perfect certainty4 ,in a greater or less
 degree this is the course by which all 
the great discoveries in science have   
been made2 passing by a slow but still  
advancing process of thought from faith 
up to knowledge4 ,and the same character
 of faith is stamped on every great and 
decisive act1 every important event in  
the history of individuals or of        
nations4 ,and if1 in contrast with these
 grander phenomena1 an instance be      
required from the first and almost      
unnoticeable beginnings of              
consciousness1 ,i would refer to the    

first time that1 with manifest purpose1 
the infant seeks and finds for itself   
its mother's breast4 ,but perhaps the   
force of this illustration may be       
questioned1 as being drawn from what    
might be called a mere gratification of 
an animal want4 ,i shall therefore take 
one which borders closely indeed on the 
former1 but which does not appear to be 
so immediately connected1 not to say    
identical1 with instinct4 ,we will take1
 then1 the second moment of             
consciousness--that at which the child  
regards its mother for the first time1  
full1 apparently of reflection1 and1    
certainly of attention and meaning1 as  
it were with a wish to say something1 if
 it had the power to talk4 ,and this    
eye1 upturned for the first time1 full  
of love and meaning1 what is it but the 
first look of faith8 ,and though even   
this opening dawn of consciousness      
involves a certain distinction and      
recognition1 it is still very far from  
the certainty of knowledge4 ,and is not 

the former instance highly appropriate  
and well fitted to illustrate the       
relation in which man stands to ,god8   
,for that paternal heart1 which1 as the 
living pulse of omnipotence1 beats      
sensibly in the boundless universe--is  
it not also1 as it were1 the full       
maternal fountain at which the immortal 
spirit imbibes its first milk1 and      
indeed all its nourishment for eternity8
 ,in short1 at the vivid point of       
experience1 the first--the still        
delicate and innocent--beginnings of    
feeling are very often in close contact 
with the full maturity of the most      
enlightened knowledge1 expanded and     
elevated to the height of its ,infinite 
source4  ,at this point1 then1 of living
 experience1 faith and knowledge are not
 so sharply separated from1 or so       
unconditionally opposed to1 each other  
as is commonly thought4 ,the relation of
 faith to knowledge is that nearly of   
the beginning to the consummation4      
,such1 too1 is the case with experience 

and revelation1 as the data of all      
scientific knowledge4 ,these two also   
stand in close dependence on each other4
 ,their mutual relation is something    
similar to that of the external         
manifestation to the inward energy--of  
the visible body to its animating       
principle1 or to that inward spark of   
light which the body serves as an organ 
and vehicle1 or as an outward garb and  
veil4 ,in history1 and in every science 
that in any way deserves to be called   
historical1 the spirit or mind has been 
long and generally acknowledged to be   
the first and only thing that gives to  
the whole its true worth4 ,and in the   
domain of physical science1 which of all
 branches of mere empirical knowledge is
 the most comprehensive and most        
extensive1 the case is precisely        
similar4 ,the externally given          
phenomenon of the fact or natural object
 that is under consideration1 forms only
 the outward investiture and is to be   
regarded as the mode of                 

manifestation--the visible form--of the 
inner life1 and law which rules within  
it4 ,and man's chief object in          
investigating the former is1 if         
possible1 to pierce its shroud1 and to  
seize and to discover the inward law of 
life1 as all that is most essential1 and
 as the germ of existence1 which is     
wrapped up and hidden in the outward and
 sensible veil4 ,many of the special    
branches of physical inquiry1 such as   
botany and mineralogy1 can only be      
considered as preparatory labors1 which 
are to furnish the materials and        
apparatus for future science to act     
upon1 and not really as sciences4 ,when 
all the facts of mineralogy shall have  
been brought under one great and        
universal law--when the isolated results
 of anatomical research and observation 
can be reduced to one common            
physiological idea--when chemistry1 by  
its exclusive analysis1 and             
decomposition of matter into its        
ultimate elements1 shall be able to     

discern1 in the different gases and     
other imponderable agents1 the various  
forms of the invisible principle of     
things--when a higher range of physical 
research shall penetrate the grand      
primal phenomena of the electric shock1 
of magnetic attraction1 and the         
prismatic decomposition of light1 and   
its artistic imitation for scientific   
purposes1 then only shall we be able to 
remove the last veil which shrouds the  
mysteries of nature4  ,for the whole    
effort of natural science is            
indefatigably directed to reaching to   
that hidden center of life through      
external existence1 of whose inner light
 and splendor the whole corporeal mass  
of the sensible world is but the broken 
and multiplied reflection1 and empirical
 science but the chemical precipitate1  
the gross material residuum of its pure 
and spiritual truth4 ,it is to this that
 all the results of science point and   
tend2 every investigation in the domain 
of natural history1 which in any degree 

pretends to be philosophical1 likewise  
leads to this conclusion4 ,assuming1    
then1 the existence of a ,god as the    
,creator of the world1 what else can    
nature be than a revelation of ,god and 
divine love--a visible manifestation    
thereof in outward and material matter8 
,and how1 if otherwise conceived of1 can
 it ever be understood or comprehended8 
,supposing also 7what at the first we   
may very well allow7 that even from this
 point of view much remains obscure1    
enigmatical1 and unintelligible to      
us--still these incomprehensible1 or1   
rather1 uncomprehended1 matters are     
merely a few individual instances4 ,the 
whole1 nevertheless1 will1 on this      
hypothesis1 be found full of deep       
significancy1 and satisfactory1 not only
 to the feelings1 but even to the       
inquiring and questioning intellect4    
,but1 according to the opposite view of 
the universe1 though many1 or1 let us   
say1 very many individual facts in      
nature may be acutely explained and     

scientifically understood2 still the    
whole1 if it be not looked upon as a    
revelation from ,god1 but a peculiar    
self-existent entity1 remains forever an
 enigmatical mass of indissoluble       
complications4 ,stripped by this        
hypothesis of its higher design of      
leading man onward to the divine1 it    
becomes1 for him at least1 perfectly    
unmeaning4 ,but when1 on the contrary1  
the universal system of nature is       
regarded as the unfolding and visible   
revelation of the hidden majesty of the 
,creator1 then1 together with that other
 one which is written and contained in  
the divine law and sacred records1 it   
forms one consistent whole4 ,holy ,writ 
and nature1 according to this view1     
appear two mutually explanatory and     
supplemental halves of that book of ,god
 which is written on the inside and the 
out4 ,the inner voice of conscience also
 has often1 and indeed from the very    
earliest times1 been represented as a   
revelation1 though of a different kind2 

and the moral feeling and its peculiar  
law have been supposed to be frequently 
opposed to1 or at least wholly          
independent of1 nature and the natural  
law4 ,but even this internal revelation 
is also double1 like the external one of
 ,holy ,writ and of nature4 ,for in its 
negative prohibitions1 in its gentle or 
terrible1 but ever-distinct warnings1 as
 well as in its positive requisitions1  
it is quite distinct from its other form
 as a feeling of devotion and of mental 
prayer1 or of an illimitable aspiration 
after ,god and divine things4 ,and it is
 by no means allowable to confound or   
mix up these two distinct forms4 ,for   
the one is universal1 however variable  
in its degrees of intensity2 whereas the
 other manifesto itself rather by way of
 exception as an individual vocation1   
or1 if the term be preferred1 as a      
peculiar genius for piety1 and a special
 sensibility for holy thoughts and      
feelings4  ,now this fourfold divine    
revelation1 embracing the two external  

branches of ,scripture and of nature1   
and the two inner ones of conscience and
 devotion1 has its seat in the four     
faculties of the lower order which have 
so repeatedly been brought before our   
consideration4 ,for the memory is the   
organ of its written and oral           
transmission and perpetuation--nay1 of  
writing and language generally1         
according to the intimate connection    
which subsists between them4 ,and in the
 next place1 the external senses1 with  
which we may also associate an immediate
 intuition into the depths and mysteries
 of nature1 are the organs for          
perceiving and understanding the        
sensible phenomena4 ,lastly1 there is   
conscience1 and1 on the other side1 a   
longing after ,god and divine things1 as
 the highest and most enhanced degree of
 human pursuit--of the profoundest      
aspiration of man's soul1 and the purest
 desire of his spirit4 ,for it is even  
here1 in these subordinate faculties1   
where the deep decline and gross        

degeneracy of the human mind in its     
present state most strikingly displays  
itself1 that a susceptibility for       
improvement is first excited4 ,here     
springs the earliest impulse to return  
to the higher state from which we have  
fallen4 ,here the divine seed of        
resuscitation soonest expands itself1   
revivifying and restoring to its        
pristine worth and dignity the morbid   
and lifeless consciousness4 ,the        
internal revelation1 however1 of        
devotion and prayer must be regarded as 
clearly distinct from1 and as lying     
altogether out of1 the domain of        
philosophy1 even as the learned         
exposition of ,scripture1 and a         
scientific study thereof1 forms a       
peculiar branch of intellectual pursuit4
 ,but though philosophy must not be     
mixed up with it1 yet on the other hand 
it must not lapse into1 or inseparably  
identify itself with1 a pure mysticism  
of devotional feelings1 or1 if the term 
be preferred1 a theory of prayer1 and a 

mere contemplative meditation on the    
,deity and divine things4 ,and the      
reason is obvious3 devotion1 with its   
mystical feelings1 must necessarily and 
absolutely attach itself to the positive
 data of a fixed dogmatic faith4 ,for in
 such alone can it find1 not only a     
definite form and a maturely-developed  
external shape1 but also an inner       
assurance for itself as well as a       
safeguard against the possible errors of
 fanaticism4  ,and here1 however1 it    
must not be forgotten that the intrinsic
 essence of divine longing1 as well as  
of all other holy feelings1 can never be
 or seem alien and repugnant to the     
philosophy of life1 which indeed takes  
its rise out of this very center of a   
high and holy love4 ,on the contrary1 it
 must always be intimately associated   
with and amicably disposed toward it4   
,the philosophy of life1 therefore1 even
 while it carefully guards against      
falling into a mere exposition and      
commentary of ,scripture1 may freely    

borrow from the old ,scriptural language
 its awful spiritual phrases and its    
vividly forcible expressions4 ,it would1
 in fact1 be an overstrained pedantry1  
and an excessive affectation of         
scientific purism1 were it to wish to   
avoid it4 ,still it is necessary to draw
 a precise line of demarkation between  
religion and philosophy1 and carefully  
to observe their limits4 ,and in the    
same manner1 philosophy will abstain    
from an undue encroachment on the       
province of natural history1 or on the  
domain of ethics where the internal     
revelation of conscience furnishes the  
basis of all moral legislation4 ,at     
least it will keep from so doing as long
 as it is anxious to preserve its true  
dignity as a philosophy of life1 and of 
thought and science in general1 and     
fears to degrade itself by becoming     
nothing more than a special branch and  
application1 either as mere morals or   
natural philosophy4 ,this1 however1 does
 not preclude from it the liberty of    

occasionally entering even deeply into  
them1 or of taking a general survey of  
their results1 or borrowing largely from
 their facts1 as pregnant instances1    
remarkable phenomena and similes1 in    
order to make this remote region        
illustrate its own sphere1 though       
properly they do not belong to it4      
,philosophy has enough to do with what  
really forms the subject-matter and     
contents of its own province1 without   
seeking to enlarge it by any extraneous 
addition4  ,now1 to these four forms or 
sources of a higher revelation1 both    
internal and external1 a fifth remains  
to be added4 ,it constitutes1 as it     
were1 their common bond of union--the   
center at which1 converging and coming  
into contact1 they exercise a mutual    
influence1 and1 adjusting and           
accommodating themselves to one another1
 combine in living union and perfect    
harmony4 ,this we would designate by the
 general name of a revelation of eternal
 love4 ,but a revelation of eternal love

 in man1 and not merely such a one as we
 might1 with good reason1 pronounce     
nature and the whole creation to be4    
,and even when we say in man1 we do not 
merely mean thereby such as is revealed 
in his instinctive emotions of devotion 
and religion1 but that1 rather1 which   
speaks out in man's most universal      
feeling1 and in his profoundest and     
intensest consciousness4 ,but if love   
itself is nothing but the pure idea1 the
 inmost spirit and essential energy of  
all true life1 and especially of that   
which is highest and most exalted1 then 
must this revelation of love be         
pre-eminently the subject-matter of the 
philosophy of life4 ,for it is even the 
rich and intrinsic center of the other  
four sacred sources of divine           
revelation1 and out of it all higher    
life1 thought1 faith1 and science1 flows
 into the soul of every man that has any
 susceptibility for such exalted        
excellence4 ,this remark1 moreover1     
implicitly determines the relation which

 both faith and enthusiasm 7according to
 the ,platonic notion of it7 hold in    
general to science1 and also to         
revelation and love1 though1 indeed1    
with respect to the latter1 it is only  
inchoately and in outline that it is so 
fixed4  ,but1 in order fully to work out
 and complete the idea of science1      
according to all those external         
relations which we have already laid    
down1 it will be necessary to examine   
the several elements of this idea in    
their internal coherence1 and also1 by  
means of contrast with a complete       
evolution of the system of inborn error1
 to set them in the fullest and clearest
 light4  ,we have already declared and  
enumerated the several elements and     
degrees1 or species and constituents    
which1 together1 make up scientific     
knowledge4 ,first of all1 there is the  
understanding and explaining1 the       
discerning and distinguishing4 ,in the  
second place comes the living cogitation
 or complete comprehension of the       

actual1 which forms the true center of  
scientific knowledge1 if not its very   
self2 and1 lastly1 that which is closely
 connected therewith1 the immediate     
perception and recognition of truth1 and
 an inward feeling of certainty4 ,all   
these1 however1 are more or less        
falsified and led astray by the         
principal of those scientific errors    
which are innate in man's mind--which   
sometimes secretly undermine1 and1 at   
last1 totally subvert and destroy them4 
,first of all1 the living thought is    
often converted into a dead cogitation1 
being carried away from its natural     
direction toward the actual1 and misled 
to an unsubstantial pursuit of empty    
abstractions4 ,the total confusion of   
ideas which this leads to is fatal to   
all distinctness and precision of       
understanding1 and renders it impossible
 to have a clear discernment and correct
 judgment of things4 ,and then1 in this 
bottomless abyss1 the firm foundation of
 actual truth and inward certainty sinks

 and is swallowed up4  ,every one1      
indeed1 of the four fundamental         
faculties of the human mind contains1 in
 itself1 a faulty disposition and       
pernicious germ of a special and precise
 form of scientific error1 which        
establishes and fully develops itself in
 its appropriate domain1 and which1 when
 circumstances are favorable1 is matured
 and shaped into a system of falsehood4 
,it is chiefly in the visible           
consequences of its further development1
 and1 also1 by the intrinsic            
inconsistencies in which it is involved 
by the unfounded assumption from which  
it sets out at the very first1 that each
 of these abortions of unsubstantial and
 empty cogitation is most easily        
detected4 ,and1 in fact1 in the history 
of the human mind and philosophy1 and   
even of science generally1 the essential
 characters of these leading phases of  
scientific aberration are only too      
distinctly legible to him who           
contemplates that great intellectual    

picture with an eye unblinded by        
prejudice4  ,the error most peculiar to 
the reason1 and which1 in its domain1   
springs up almost indigenously1 is one  
that has already been frequently        
mentioned--viz41 the phantom1 of the    
unconditional1 or the delusion of       
absolute necessity4 ,now1 all the data  
on which man's knowledge must be based  
have a triple source2 they are presented
 to him from within1 from above1 and    
from without4 ,but the reason1 which is 
the faculty of the logical connection of
 ideas1 and of the logical necessity    
which rules in that connection1 often   
quits this safe and solid ground of     
reality1 as presented to it in triple   
experience1 whether of revelation and   
history1 or of natural science1 and     
resting entirely on itself1 tries to    
build exclusively on its own foundation4
 ,whenever1 therefore1 it attempts this 
impossibility1 it invariably copies the 
mathematical method of demonstration4   
,and so there immediately springs up the

 false semblance of a necessary         
knowledge4 ,as the faculty of logical   
thinking1 the reason is at the same time
 a power of endless progressive         
development4 ,to invent1 however1 to    
create and to produce1 is absolutely    
beyond its capacity2 and it forfeits its
 own rights1 whenever1 abandoning the   
pursuits most appropriate1 and assigned 
to it by nature1 it usurps the          
prerogatives of an inventive and        
productive faculty1 and thereby gives   
birth to the abortions of false         
metaphysical systems4  ,when1 however1  
the firm basis and sure principle of    
some real and actual fact is once given1
 then the further scientific            
development1 derivation1 and wider      
deduction from this first foundation may
 be carried illimitably onward4 ,there  
exists no cause at all why we should    
wish to set bounds to its advance4 ,for 
were we to do so1 we should perhaps     
afterward discover that they had been   
drawn either too narrowly or too        

prematurely2 as1 indeed1 has already    
been too often done in many a branch of 
mathematical science4 ,and1 even because
 it is exactly in mathematics that the  
illimitable procedure of scientific     
development manifests itself most       
signally and most brilliantly1 and is at
 the same time not inconsistent with the
 greatest rigor of form and certainty1  
if only it originally sets out from a   
stable principle of actual reality1 this
 science will furnish1 perhaps1 the most
 appropriate and pertinent illustration4
 ,and1 indeed1 the more so1 as the      
prejudice still subsists in men's minds1
 that the first foundation of           
mathematical science is an original     
invention of the reason--a pure product 
of the internal intuitions of the       
intellect1 and that this science stands 
quite apart from all other so-called    
sciences of experience4 ,but in its     
first development and acquisition1 this 
is very far from being the case4 ,if we 
could only observe in others1 or could  

in our own case recall to mind how long 
it is before a child can actually count 
three1 or clearly separate from itself  
the external objects it perceives1 or   
learns to distinguish between any two   
objects1 or between them and itself1 we 
shall be forced to admit that the first 
basis of enumeration has an empirical   
origin1 and that it is on such1         
consequently1 that all mathematical     
science is built up and founded4        
,geometrical lines and figures are      
properly nothing more than numbers1 or  
the fundamental arithmetical notions    
fixed in space and invested with a      
corporeal shape1 and thereby become     
visible4 ,it is1 however1 not unusual to
 regard the first principles of         
geometry--such as the point1 the right  
line1 the square1 and the triangle1 out 
of which all else is compounded--as     
independent of experience1 and existing 
absolutely in and by themselves4 ,but1  
in truth1 these primary facts of        
geometry are1 without exception1 first  

furnished by experience4 ,and even if1  
for the purposes of science1 they are   
advanced in a degree of abstract purity 
and of notional completeness1 which they
 do not possess in the external world of
 sensible things1 where they are always 
combined with more or less of gross     
admixture or of imperfection1 this is   
only what is the case1 in exactly the   
same degree1 with the first principles  
of all other experimental sciences4     
,astronomy is one of the highest        
applications of mathematical science1   
which in it is carried to its highest   
limits of development4 ,but here1 too1  
the latter has grown together and in    
common with natural science4 ,the       
complicated and elaborate calculations1 
the approximate hypotheses of           
mathematical astronomy1 are intimately  
interwoven and mixed up with manifold   
sidereal facts and observations4        
,properly1 therefore1 and rightly       
understood1 mathematical science forms  
no exception to the general principle   

that all knowledge is based upon        
experience1 derived from inward1        
outward1 or1 it may be1 higher          
perceptions4 ,consequently1 it is not so
 much in kind as in degree that it is   
distinguished from other experimental   
sciences4 ,we must not1 however1 forget 
that in very many cases of the          
application of mathematics to real life 
and natural history1 it is not so much a
 material science as rather a mere organ
 and instrument for the advancement and 
further elaboration of the particular   
sciences to which it is applied4 ,viewed
 relatively to a higher physical        
science1 mathematics do but form the    
mere outline and articulation of the    
whole structure of the inner skeleton of
 the whole body of nature2 or1 rather1  
it is the hidden key and rule of speech 
of the marvelous language of revelation1
 and of that otherwise hidden existence 
which is here brought to the light1 and 
which we call nature--its inner grammar1
 in short1 and higher symbolism4  ,in   

order to guard against this abuse of    
reason1 to which every thinker must feel
 himself but too liable1 and which is   
universally acknowledged to be possible1
 it has been thought sufficient to      
distinguish the perversion from the     
right application of it within its      
natural and due limits4 ,with this view 
it has been maintained that the         
knowledge and certainty which are       
conceded to and are within the reach of 
man are restricted to the sensible      
world2 while1 on the other hand1 in the 
suprasensible domain1 all judgment is   
denied to reason1 and absolutely all    
knowledge to man4 ,but this position is 
very far from being justifiable4 ,for   
if1 as we maintain1 all knowledge is    
really imparted1 or1 in other words1 a  
gift or revelation1 its measure and     
limits can not be determined by way of  
anticipation1 nor do they in truth      
depend at all upon man4 ,such limits    
rest entirely with ,him from whom all   
has proceeded1 and who communicates or  

has communicated to ,his creatures      
severally whatever it is ,his will to   
communicate or impart to them1 or       
absolutely to enjoin upon them4 ,but    
this revelation and communication1 on   
which all religion and science          
ultimately rests1 being once given and  
received1 reason need not by any means  
be excluded from the suprasensible      
domain4 ,on the contrary1 it may in a   
certain degree lawfully co-operate in   
the effectually working of it1 and1 to a
 certain extent and under certain       
limits1 may even judge of it4 ,indeed1  
when the first foundation of actual     
reality is once given and established1  
and moreover acknowledged as such1 then 
the use and employment of reason is no  
less legitimate here than it is in the  
domain of the sensible world1 or in a   
special science of experience directed  
and confined to terrestrial things4     
,what is meant hereby1 and how it is to 
be understood1 will best appear from    
what ,i am now about to add4 ,though    

theology1 as little as religion itself1 
can draw exclusively from or rest       
entirely on reason--for this would be   
fatal to its very idea--still it is not 
only allowable1 but even highly         
desirable1 that theology1 in its        
practical application and method1 should
 be thoroughly rational4 ,by this means 
alone will it be able to preclude not   
only a pernicious confusion of ideas and
 the mistakes of fanatical enthusiasm1  
but also all unprofitable disputes and  
the absurd bitterness of animosity4 ,and
 thus1 under the prevailing influence of
 reason1 the spirit of love and concord 
will outlive all the violent attacks and
 deep wounds of controversial ardor4    
,in its application1 therefore1 and     
external form1 all science is1 or1      
rather1 to speak generally1 ought to be1
 rational2 even though it can not derive
 its subject-matter from reason1 nor in 
any way depend upon it in this respect4 
,for whenever she attempts to produce   
the latter out of herself1 she          

invariably gives birth to the           
metaphysical phantom of absolute entity 
and of absolute knowledge1 or that false
 illusion of reason which sets up an    
identical dualism and intrinsic unity of
 necessary being and necessary thought1 
as the two inseparably connected forms  
or species of the one eternal essence   
which1 superior to and higher than both1
 contains in itself the primary ground  
of all existence and of all             
consciousness4 ,before this illusion1   
the idea of a personal ,deity naturally 
falls to the ground4 ,it is all too low 
and too mean for the lofty conceptions  
of this imaginary phantom of reason4    
,nowhere1 ,i would observe by the way1  
has this illusory system1 which is      
utterly fatal to the truth1 been carried
 out with such rigor of consequence1 or 
set forth with such masterly powers of  
exposition1 as in the works of ,spinosa4
 ,in this view of the world and things1 
however1 we have two forms of a         
necessary thought1 running1 indeed1     

continually parallel to each other1 but 
never becoming perfectly coincident4    
,accordingly1 no system of it has ever  
been able to attain to a general        
recognition and reception4 ,for1        
notwithstanding that perfect            
unintelligibility is essential to this  
view1 being deeply inwoven in its whole 
system1 and running through its most    
delicate threads1 and reaching to its   
inmost corners1 each new master of      
mathematical certainty in this method of
 negation and systematic nullity seeks  
the cause of the obscurity in some      
intellectual defect of his immediate    
predecessor in the exposition of it4    
,accordingly1 he feels himself called   
upon to make some slightly changed turn 
and arrangement of the thoughts1 and so 
to come forward as the inventor and     
founder of an entirely new fabric of    
truth2 whereas1 in truth1 his new form  
and method are fundamentally the very   
same delusion of a mere rational        
semblance of logical necessity that     

formed the foundation of the old and    
condemned systems4 ,however greatly the 
outward garb of language and phraseology
 may have varied in the course of       
centuries1 still the error itself has   
remained identical and free from change4
  ,and even if the necessary connection 
of these two worlds of objective        
existence and subjective consciousness1 
which run parallel with each other1     
should be conceived of1 somewhat after  
the idea of ,leibnitz1 as a             
pre-established harmony1 having1 as     
such1 its origin in a personal ,god1    
still1 by this apparent recognition of  
the sovereign hand of omnipotence ruling
 and guiding the whole creation1 it is  
only in the external form that it is    
relieved from the objection of dualism4 
,for1 fundamentally1 this theory        
resolves itself into the mechanism of an
 intrinsically blind necessity1 by means
 of which the two clocks1 as it were1   
set originally together by the ,supreme 
,artist1 run on forever and agree1 while

 otherwise they have no sort of         
connection or contact4 ,such a theory   
evidently furnishes no true solution of 
the difficulty1 and leads to no         
satisfactory result4 ,quite different   
from this is the true inner unity1      
which1 however1 is no mere sameness--the
 true living harmony1 which1 however1 is
 no pre-established one--between the    
external sensible world of nature and   
the inner conceptional world of the     
consciousness1 as contemplated from the 
position of life1 and of a philosophy   
which takes its source and foundation   
from life itself4 ,according to this    
view1 every thing in the outward reality
 of corporeal existence is truly and    
properly animated1 ensouled1 and even   
living4 ,or1 at least1 life is the      
source from which both the external     
object of material existence and the    
inner thought1 life1 or consciousness1  
alike take their rise--in this one      
common notion of life1 that which exists
 and that which is conscious meet       

together and are fused into one4 ,the   
whole of the supposed contrariety falls 
at once to the ground2 and nothing      
remains but a certain difference of     
degree1 steps of transition1 and        
fluctuation from one state to another1  
similar to that between life and death1 
sleeping and waking4 ,what we call      
existence is merely the visible         
appearance of a thought1 it is the      
external expression1 the corporeal shape
 of an inner life4 ,no doubt this inner 
and hidden life of nature1 when         
contrasted with the perfectly clear and 
free consciousness of man1 or still     
more1 when compared with a higher and   
superior being1 appears perfectly       
unconscious4 ,but1 in truth1 it ought   
not to be considered as being always and
 entirely such2 at least1 it was not so 
originally4 ,we ought rather to explain 
it as a life and consciousness which    
have fallen into a state of slumber1    
dreaminess1 or trance2 and even if we   
must suppose it to be stiff and rigid   

with actual death1 still it is not with 
that death which is eternal and         
everlasting4 ,this1 however1 implies at 
the same time that we may look upon it  
as being in a commencing state of       
reawakening1 though1 indeed1 it be very 
far as yet from being fully awake4 ,and1
 in truth1 in man's most perfectly      
developed consciousness1 do we not trace
 such or a similar reciprocation between
 sleeping and waking1 dreaming and      
thinking1 memory and oblivion--between  
the full1 clear day of understanding1   
comprehension1 and discernment1 and that
 night of error and darkness that can   
not be dispersed1 which conflicting     
opinions1 with their passions and       
complications1 cast over the human mind8
 ,in truth1 no absolute line of         
demarkation1 no impassable barrier1     
subsists4 ,on the contrary1 there are   
numberless points of contact and steps  
of transition easy enough to trace from 
the state of a living and wakeful       
consciousness into that of sleep1 or of 

an apparently total rigidity and        
numbness4 ,strictly and accurately      
speaking1 however1 there is1 according  
to this view of life1 no such thing as  
death2 there is only a fluctuation and  
variation of life through its several   
transitory forms4 ,still we must not    
forget that1 relatively to the present  
state of things1 all of these forms can 
not be regarded as transitory4 ,in      
nature1 death has no existence1 i4e41   
death is neither essential nor from the 
beginning4 ,it was brought in afterward1
 and incidentally1 into creation4 ,and  
indeed1 for man especially1 the         
immortality of the soul forms not only  
an article of the creed of a higher     
hope1 but it is also a visible fact of  
nature1 an indisputable truth of        
history1 that every where plainly and   
loudly announces itself4 ,this          
hypothesis of a real vitality1 inherent 
in all the forms of existence1 which we 
may very properly term the only         
hypothesis of feeling which the living  

truth admits of1 was1 in ancient times1 
the general creed of nature1 enforced by
 the universal feeling of mankind1 and  
originally held by all the nations of   
the earth4 ,it is only in modern times  
that the one-sided sagacity of an       
elaborate and artificial science has    
drawn this strong line of demarkation   
between thought and entity1 and thereby 
lead to a total deadening of both4 ,no  
sooner1 therefore1 had existence and    
consciousness been torn from their      
common root of life1 and thereby forced 
asunder from each other1 than1 with a   
view of filling up the great gap between
 them1 the deceptive rationalism of an  
irrefragable chain of destiny1 and a    
necessary predetermination of all       
things1 took the place which life had   
formerly held1 but from which it had    
been forcibly expelled4     ,,lecture   
,,ix4   ,among the widely-diversified   
forms and ever new applications under   
which the rational system of absolute   
knowledge and necessary connection is   

wont to exhibit itself1 from time to    
time1 some are occasionally found in    
which the first foundation is not       
established in that mathematical form   
and that rigor of demonstration which   
marks all the subsequent steps of the   
systematic edifice4 ,in a few systems1  
at least1 reason1 as the faculty of the 
subjective ,ego1 is expressly assumed to
 be an intrinsic fact of the            
consciousness4 ,and this is done1       
apparently1 in the very same way that in
 the philosophy which sets out from life
 itself1 the theory of the              
consciousness1 or the development of the
 notion thereof1 commences with some    
such fact of the inward cogitation1 as a
 first principle given and established  
by internal experience4 ,but the        
question1 whether in any rationalistic  
system this assumption be really        
meant--in which case the whole system   
would be to be regarded as purely a     
science of experience--or is only       
apparent1 being adopted for some        

secondary object1 will be quickly       
determined as the development of the    
entire system proceeds4 ,a few          
characteristic remarks1 both simple and 
easy to be understood1 will soon enable 
us to decide4 ,if1 as regards the form1 
with a pretended mathematical form of   
demonstration1 it immediately introduces
 the old ontological confusion of       
unintelligible abstractions1 we may     
assume it as highly probable1 nay1 set  
it down as certain1 that1 in spite of   
its different form and bearing1 it is   
essentially the same invariable error of
 identical thought and unconditional    
being that is set forth in such a       
system4 ,but the token by which such    
scientific fatalism most surely and     
infallibly reveals itself1 is the       
subject-matter of the system4 ,we can   
have no doubt of its presence wherever  
the present state of life and           
consciousness1 which is merely          
accidental1 and by no means its original
 one1 is proved1 or1 rather1 by a       

pretended demonstration1 is set forth as
 its necessary condition4  ,on the      
contrary1 that incessant alternation    
between life and death1 such as the     
latter exists at present in nature1 and 
which1 in all its various forms1 coming 
and going like night and day1 sleeping  
and waking1 ebb and flood1 affects not  
the individual only but the whole human 
race1 must1 according to truth1 be ever 
regarded as a perpetually changing      
event1 assuming manifold different      
shapes1 and being variously modified by 
the influence of human freedom4 ,and not
 even for the purposes of science is it 
allowable to see1 in what is but a      
transitory state of the present         
constitution of things1 an eternal and  
immutable law2 nor in its application to
 the individual cases of actual life1 to
 assume a necessary predetermination    
resulting from some indissoluble chain  
of destiny4  ,moreover1 this illusory   
phantom of the unconditional--that      
peculiar error of the reason whenever it

 is unduly applied and left wholly to   
itself--and the semblance of rationality
 which arises thereout in a             
predetermined and indissoluble          
enchainment of all events and phenomena1
 is not confined to the domain of       
science and its inner world of thought4 
,in poetry1 under the notion of destiny1
 it holds a prominent and remarkable    
position4 ,in the tragedy of the        
ancients especially1 it comes before us 
in peculiar splendor and majesty1 as the
 blind fate of an iron necessity4       
,since1 then1 this notion1 though in    
itself and originally nothing but a mere
 delusion1 has yet1 through an almost   
universal belief in its reality1        
acquired and exercised for centuries a  
fearful power over the minds of men1 it 
can not1 of course1 be omitted or       
refused a place in a truly artistic view
 and portraiture of life4 ,this view of 
the general constitution of things1     
thoroughly and deeply tragic as it is1  
must ever remain intrinsically and      

essentially heathen4 ,but even the most 
perfect creations of tragic art stand a 
full degree below1 or1 at least1 hold a 
somewhat subordinate position to1 the   
epic songs and lays of the oldest       
foretime4 ,for this rich and copious    
stream of primal and eternal            
recollections is the source from which  
every other form of poesy branches off  
and derives its inspired waters2 the    
living play of its billows1 as they     
sweep along with full and undivided     
flood1 bears with them all the magic    
treasures of fancy2 and like the        
world-encircling ocean1 with its        
ever-changing undulations1 it flows     
around all the ages and epochs of nature
 and humanity4 ,the epos1 in short1 is  
poesy itself4 ,in it pre-eminently the  
very essence of poetry is present1 and  
there1 also1 are its truest             
manifestations4 ,every other form of    
poetic art constitutes but a special    
kind1 and1 as compared with this pure   
original1 is1 so to speak1 a mixed or   

applied poetry4 ,for in the same way    
that music is an art of longing1 while  
the arts of figure are the channels in  
which the highest enthusiasm for visible
 beauty expresses itself2 so poesy is   
the bright reflection of the world as it
 is mirrored on the ever-flowing        
love-stream of eternal recollection4    
,but enthusiasm invariably attaches     
itself to something positive4 ,on this  
account it is that the plastic arts are 
intrinsically of two kinds essentially  
different in character4 ,while a heathen
 beauty predominates in the statuary and
 buildings of ancient times1 a spirit of
 ,christian inspiration is no less      
decidedly and visibly apparent in modern
 painting and architecture4 ,and1 in    
some degree1 this remark applies1 to    
dramatic poetry2 for1 in its inner      
spirit and character1 encroaching1 as it
 were1 into the domain of the plastic   
art1 it forms a peculiar species of     
mixed poetry4 ,but in epic poetry1 in   
the same way that all streams flow into 

and commingle in the ocean1 all         
contrasts are softened off and          
dissolved1 and1 in a true and genuine   
epic poem1 the ancient mythology must   
not impress us as heathen--or1 at least1
 this character must not there be so    
decidedly apparent as it is in ,grecian 
tragedy4 ,every age that enjoys a high  
civilization1 and a rare degree of      
intellectual enlightenment1 even though 
it has not lost all relish for noble and
 original poetry1 applies itself1 first 
and preferably1 to those mixed forms    
which allow the freest development of   
art1 and in which it frequently attains 
to the height of excellence4 ,when1     
however1 during the reign of the cold   
poetry of the head1 the tragic view of  
the world and things manifests itself no
 longer in the grand style of free      
invention1 but interweaves and works    
itself up with some artificial and      
elaborate picture of prosaic reality1   
the impression it leaves is doubly      
painful1 conveying but the closing      

reflections of a destructive skepticism4
 ,and in the place of that genuine      
poetical truth which marked the deep and
 pregnant feelings of ancient poesy1 of 
which scarce a trace is here to be      
found1 we have1 on the whole1 nothing   
but the scientific illusion of some     
empty notion in the deep but bitter     
feeling of universal negation4  ,in the 
whole series of the essential errors of 
science--of which some one form or other
 is peculiar to each of the four great  
faculties of the mind1 and which1 though
 not as an inevitable and irremediable  
limitation of it1 yet still1 as a       
defective tendency and an hereditary    
germ of deviation1 is there indigenous  
and domesticated--among all these       
various forms of error1 the deceptive   
phantom of the unconditional1 the       
seeming identity of necessary being and 
absolute thinking and knowing1 has been 
shown to belong especially to the reason
 whenever1 quitting the right road1 it  
refuses to confine its operations within

 their due limits4 ,in consequence1     
however1 of that close concatenation and
 mutual influence which pervades all the
 different forms and species of man's   
intellectual development1 ,i deemed it  
any thing but superfluous to call your  
attention to the fact1 that this system 
of necessity1 or1 in other words1 this  
scientific fatalism1 plays a very       
essential part in the poetical view of  
things1 and to notice the shapes it     
there assumes4 ,and just as this        
delusion of the reason1 which has given 
rise to so many false systems 7which1   
however1 are but one1 since they do but 
repeat1 in different forms1 one and the 
same error of the absolute71 has had a  
powerful effect even on poetry1 having  
exercised a great and decided influence 
on the internal constitution of the     
tragic drama1 so1 in a similar manner1  
there is a peculiar species of          
scientific error which owes its origin  
to the faculty of imagination4 ,now1 as 
might well be expected1 wherever this   

inventive and productive faculty directs
 itself exclusively to the side of      
prosaic reality and to palpable         
corporeal phenomena1 this error1 and the
 erroneous scientific system to which it
 gives rise1 have1 above all others1 a  
dry1 meager1 and grossly material       
character4 ,those lovely illusions of a 
fancy innocently sporting with emblems  
and figures1 which most immediately     
occur to our mind while speaking of an  
error peculiar to that province of the  
imagination1 although purely            
scientific--,i am alluding to the       
fabulous world and imaginary deities of 
ancient mythology--these furnish but    
little1 if any1 obstacle in the way of  
science and of the acquisition of       
physical truth4 ,considered1 therefore1 
in this light alone1 they would scarcely
 demand a place in our present          
disquisitions4 ,for1 for us1 the whole  
of them possesses only a certain        
poetical truth--or1 at most1 perhaps1 a 
deeper and most penetrating search may  

discover in them a symbolical           
signification1 which is1 undoubtedly1   
full of deep meaning1 and therefore is1 
in so far1 also true4 ,but the case was 
very different with the ancients        
themselves4 ,and1 on this account1 when 
heathenism was the prevailing faith1 a  
lively opposition was raised against    
them4 ,a stern law of morals and        
philosophy1 with indiscriminating       
censure1 would have swept away the whole
 of the national mythology4 ,right and  
just as this censure may appear to us1  
so far as it was directed against the   
arbitrary fictions1 or grossly sensual  
features of these fables1 still it is   
impossible to concur with it totally and
 entirely4 ,occasionally1 the point of  
view is taken too narrowly and too      
exclusively4 ,moreover1 it is           
undeniable1 that these ancient objectors
 did not sufficiently recognize the     
symbolical meaning of their own         
mythology4 ,and1 in fact1 they were far 
from being in a position to take a      

survey of the whole cycle of legends    
among different nations1 and so to trace
 the historical connection of them all2 
and even if1 in some single points1 they
 understood and gave due weight to this 
symbolical significancy1 occasionally   
making use of it themselves1 it was only
 as a mere intellectual amusement1 or   
with the narrow object of illustrating  
some occasional ethical discussion of   
limited interest4  ,but a far wider and 
more extensive view of antiquity lies   
before our eyes1 and history in its     
comprehensive survey now takes in almost
 the whole of the ancient world4 ,modern
 inquiry1 therefore1 with its vast      
erudition1 its patient observation and  
quickness of apprehension1 has succeeded
 in establishing more completely than   
heretofore the general truth of this    
symbolical basis of ancient mythology4  
,and by this means it has been able to  
trace the inner threads of a higher     
truth which lay concealed within those  
fictions1 and were the source of their  

vitality2 for it was from such a        
beginning of truth they originally set  
out1 however widely in their subsequent 
course and growth they may have deviated
 therefrom4 ,indeed1 if it is allowable1
 on the ground that the true religion   
must1 from the very first1 have been one
 and the same1 to give the name of      
,christianity to the simple religion of 
the first men and great saints of the   
primeval world1 then may we well venture
 to assert that a vein of ,christianity 
and of the knowledge of the true ,god   
runs through and ever and anon manifests
 itself on the very surface of          
heathenism and in its several mysteries4
 ,and1 in truth1 it would be any thing  
but an unprofitable task to trace1      
through this variety of symbolical      
expressions1 the sinuous and intricate  
course of the human mind in its manifold
 development1 as it pursued every       
direction1 and took up the most opposite
 positions in order to view and         
contemplate the truth4 ,however1 this   

,christianity of the primeval world1    
even where it kept itself free and pure 
from all admixture of fiction and       
distortion1 can only be regarded as a   
,christianity in anticipation4 ,or1     
perhaps1 we may look upon it as an      
ascending progression 7though not       
uniformly advancing1 but marked with    
many an apparent check and recession1 or
 even many a void interval of           
expectation71 up to the last term of    
consummation in the visible and actual  
manifestation2 just as1 on the other    
hand1 ,christianity1 since that epoch1  
may appear to the historical inquirer in
 a descending series1 if not in its     
definite form and shape or intellectual 
development1 yet certainly in the inward
 moral sentiment1 and the power of a    
living faith4  ,it is now a matter      
pretty generally admitted1 and which is1
 moreover1 daily gaining a wider        
concurrence1 that in these fables1      
which1 at the first glance1 appear the  
mere sportive creations of fancy1 there 

is even contained many a beautiful      
hieroglyphic of nature and of natural   
truth4 ,a brief allusion to the fact1   
therefore1 will suffice for our general 
view1 which calls upon us to notice it  
just so far only as is necessary to make
 our survey of the human mind and its   
development complete4  ,now1 if it      
should be demanded of us psychologically
 to treat of and to discuss at length   
all the delusions of the fancy1 we      
should1 indeed1 open for ourselves a    
wide field of labor4 ,it would rival    
that of the ancients in their treatises 
on the possible fallacies of logic1 and 
the illegitimate forms of its           
syllogisms1 with the different rules for
 avoiding and detecting them4 ,but in   
truth1 the psychological illusions of   
the fancy in actual life are no less    
numerous nor less diversified in their  
manifestation than the differences of   
individual characters1 which are        
incalculable4 ,and as to those logical  
errors1 on the other hand1 which relate 

solely to the form of argumentation1 the
 consideration of them will be most     
profitably attached to those branches of
 science which concern the particular   
province of life in which they severally
 occur4 ,however useful for the purposes
 of practice a detailed analysis and    
dissection of them may be1 it1          
nevertheless1 lies wholly without the   
limits of our present speculations4 ,by 
scientific errors1 which1 as arising    
from a natural disposition and exciting 
cause in the fundamental faculties of   
the human consciousness1 deserve to be  
called innate1 must be understood none  
but such essentially false views of the 
whole constitution of things1 or such   
scientific systems as result from some  
one-sided tendency or perverted         
application of the principal powers of  
man's mind4 ,we are not1 therefore1     
concerned at present with the poetic    
fancy and the psychological delusions of
 this faculty4 ,it can only be with an  
imagination that has exclusively given  

itself up to a scientific direction that
 we can have to do in discussing the    
question1 ,what false system1 and what  
error in science generally1 or in       
physical science especially1 can have   
proceeded from a perverted use of this  
faculty of fancy8 ,this1 it appears to  
me1 can be no other than the well-known 
materialism--the atomistic view of      
nature1 and1 what is so closely         
connected with it1 that atomistic       
thinking whose deadening character is   
far more dangerous and fatal to         
philosophy than that much-decried       
8system of nature10#gd which1 for the   
most part1 has outlived its day1 and1 in
 its former shape1 at least1 is obsolete
 and out of fashion4 ,this atomistic    
view of nature can not1 for one moment1 
be regarded as or explained by an error 
of the reason4 ,for the reason seeks    
every where for an absolute unity4 ,but 
these imaginary atoms1 out of which all 
is composed and compounded1 are infinite
 in multiplicity4 ,among them there is  

nothing like unity4 ,all there is ever  
dissolving itself1 and falling asunder  
into an innumerable multitude of        
separate individuals4 ,neither can it be
 termed an error of the understanding2  
for the latter does not merely and      
universally1 or every where and         
principally1 employ itself with such    
anatomical dissections and mutilations4 
,it labors rather before all things to  
understand1 to comprehend the whole1 to 
seize the inner meaning1 to fathom the  
true significance1 and to gain a        
knowledge of the very essence1 in its   
true spirit and meaning4 ,but all this1 
as it implies a living principle1 is    
also applicable to such alone4 ,where   
there is neither life nor spirit1 there 
is nothing to understand4 ,these simple1
 minute corpuscles of nature1 or these  
indivisible particles of the universe1  
as the foundation and principle of the  
collective world of nature and of sense1
 would form an inexplicable and         
unintelligible aggregate4 ,but1 in fact1

 the dissection and anatomy of the      
visible objects of matter has never yet 
succeeded in reaching these infinitely  
minute primal particles of existence4   
,on the contrary1 the chemical analysis 
of bodies terminates in certain living  
elements of a wholly volatile nature1   
which defy and elude all such gross and 
material manipulations4 ,the whole      
hypothesis1 therefore1 must be held to  
be perfectly arbitrary2 it is altogether
 an unfounded fiction4 ,it is1 no doubt1
 highly unpoetical1 and any thing but   
fanciful2 nay1 rather1 it is fatal both 
to life and fancy1 but a fiction it     
nevertheless is4 ,and on this account   
its origin must be ascribed to the      
imagination4 ,it was1 therefore1 in this
 sense1 and relatively to this fact1    
that ,i formerly asserted that when once
 the imagination--that is1 the          
scientific imagination--applied itself  
to palpable corporeal phenomena1 then   
the error that it would give rise to    
would be a dry and meager production of 

a grossly material nature4 ,i might     
almost call it an imagination of death1 
inasmuch as the whole of it is founded  
on the dreary hypothesis that all is    
dead and lifeless1 and1 as such1        
contrasts so directly with that ancient 
and once universally diffused creed of  
nature which we so lately spoke of as   
teaching that in the visible universe1  
and even in the external and corporeal  
world1 notwithstanding its appearance of
 death1 every thing is animated1 living1
 and ensouled4 ,further to combat1 or   
totally to refute1 the atomistic theory1
 would be inconsistent with our present 
object2 that1 too1 is a duty which      
belongs rather to what is properly      
natural philosophy4 ,moreover1 it would 
be a superfluous task2 for a truly      
living philosophy of nature1 based on a 
very different position1 and taking far 
higher views1 has long since and almost 
every where taken the place of this     
hypothesis1 which1 as it kills the      
spirit1 so it dishonors nature4 ,one    

historical fact connected with the      
theory is1 however1 deserving our       
notice4 ,leibnitz1 we know1 opposed to  
these atoms of ,epicurus1 as the        
constituents of all things1 his own     
monads1 as so many living and ensouled  
unities4 ,while1 however1 by this       
expedient1 this great thinker1 and in   
his way1 truly exalted spirit1 retained 
the same idea of universal and atomistic
 decomposition1 he did but reveal in it1
 as in so many other instances1 that    
feature of his character which enabled  
him1 by a sort of half rejection of1    
half connivance at1 error1 to put it    
aside with the skill of a diplomatist1  
rather than to get rid of it altogether4
  ,but in science there is another      
erroneous tendency1 which is still more 
deeply rooted1 and which is far more    
pernicious and dangerous to true living 
philosophy than these ancient atoms and 
all these false1 materializing systems  
of nature1 which in some degree carry   
with them their own refutation1 and that

 is an atomistic mode of thinking1 which
 has its natural source in the present  
defective and disorganized state of     
man's cognitive faculty4 ,true physical 
anatomy is a most valuable science1 and 
has already led to most important       
results4 ,in this respect its merits can
 not be rated too high1 so long as it   
does not dream of detecting with its    
scalpel the long-departed principle of  
life1 but contents itself with          
endeavoring to point out and decipher in
 the dead husk1 the still remaining     
traces of its general constitution1 or  
of certain morbid states of the life    
that once lived and moved within it4    
,but the dead and barren anatomy of     
thought leads not to any similarly      
pregnant results4 ,beneath its          
dissecting hand1 the life that is still 
present is extinguished forever2 and    
from the history of every science1      
instances innumerable may be adduced to 
prove that before this baneful spirit of
 analysis all high and noble truth      

disappears4  ,there are1 then1 two      
principal sources of philosophical      
error4 ,on the one hand comes the       
illusory phantom of unconditional entity
 and of identical thought1 with all that
 follows therefrom in the most          
diversified forms either of scientific  
fatalism1 or a poetical pantheism1 or   
some false or perverted tragic view of  
the world and things4 ,on the other     
stands the atomistic theory1 with its   
kindred errors of a materialistic cast  
of thought1 and the atomistic thinking  
itself1 and the dead analysis of general
 notions1 with that imagination of death
 so deeply rooted in the human mind on  
which they all rest4 ,and these two     
delusions form that curse of mental     
blindness which from the very first has 
invariably rested on such usurped       
absolutism and omnipotence of reason    
when it sets itself up as supreme4 ,or  
they are1 perhaps1 the now hereditary   
diseased symptoms of mental poverty and 
numbness which mark and distinguish the 

faculty of thought whenever it is caught
 and tied with the fetters of           
materialism4  ,the above are errors of a
 general kind1 whether faults of        
objective thinking or perverted         
directions of thought1 on which the     
personal character exercises little     
influence4 ,it has1 however1 a far      
greater effect on those forms and       
species of scientific error which have  
their seat in the human will and        
understanding2 for in the latter all    
become more or less individual1 and in  
them character1 sentiment1 passion1 and 
the free resolve1 exercise the greatest 
influence4 ,consequently it is extremely
 difficult in the case of those errors  
which flow from a common1 or1 at least1 
kindred source1 and which are so        
intimately interwoven together1 to      
separate and determine what portion     
belongs to the mere cognitive faculty1  
and what to that which wills1 works1 and
 acts4 ,however1 ,i shall venture to    
speak simply and plainly of the         

prejudice of egoism1 as having its root 
principally in the will1 even though it 
often springs up quite involuntarily4   
,its existence extends widely over the  
pursuits and thoughts of man1 and is    
even apparent in the spiritual domain1  
where the pure pursuit of the highest   
truth is not altogether free from it4   
,it is very seldom1 however1 that this  
error shapes itself into a decidedly and
 completely idealistic view of the      
world1 and a similar perfect system of  
science4 ,for such a view finds on all  
sides so much opposition1 and becomes   
itself so involved with difficulties1   
that it never can be carried out into a 
universally consistent system4 ,at any  
rate1 such a system is very seldom of   
long duration4 ,it is so decidedly in   
opposition to man's inmost feelings1    
that when it is first propounded1 its   
startling strangeness often gives rise  
to the doubt whether it be really to be 
understood literally1 and were ever     
meant seriously4 ,it frequently happens1

 therefore1 that the first author and   
founder of such a system of egoism makes
 in his second revision of it many and  
essential modifications2 or1 rather1 he 
may be more correctly said to take quite
 a different position1 and to give a    
wholly new turn to his ideas4 ,of this  
many an example might1 if this were the 
appropriate place1 be easily adduced    
from the history of the human mind in   
general1 while our own times furnish    
some striking and remarkable instances  
of it4 ,a lengthy analysis and          
refutation of a real and decided system 
of idealism would1 therefore1 be        
scarcely necessary1 inasmuch as1        
properly1 it furnishes its own          
refutation2 at any rate1 it would not   
fall within the scope of our present    
disquisition1 whose principal object is 
to give a full exposition of the inner  
and higher life4 ,for this purpose1 all 
that was required was to notice this    
scientific aberration as a peculiar and 
remarkable form in the whole system of  

human errors1 and with this view to     
sketch1 in a few prominent features1 its
 general character4  ,what ,i have said 
of the system of idealism1 ,i would not1
 however1 by any means wish to be       
applied to idealistic doubt4 ,for this1 
like doubt in general1 may perhaps form 
a salutary and highly beneficial crisis1
 out of which a well-established and    
enlightened system of knowledge is to   
arise4 ,indeed1 ,i am disposed to       
believe1 however paradoxical it may seem
 7and perhaps it is a profound inward   
feeling of its paradoxical character    
that carries with it my conviction71    
that this idealistic doubt is more      
likely to lead to a welcome change in   
the prevailing views of science1 than   
that doubt which assails life itself1   
and which1 as directing itself against  
the freedom of the will1 ,i would call a
 moral skepticism2 for the latter is    
diffused very widely indeed1 and without
 any scientific pretension1 as the mere 
fatalism of ordinary reflection4  ,what1

 however1 we are principally concerned  
with at present1 is the prejudice       
accruing to the cause of science from   
the fundamental errors which cling to   
the human mind in its present form4 ,now
 in this respect the evil influence of  
the prejudice of egoism is perhaps the  
most extensive of all4 ,even when it    
does not manifest itself openly in its  
most extreme and revolting form1 it     
secretly insinuates itself into all     
men's thoughts and actions1 and pervades
 more or less every region of truth4    
,indeed1 we may say1 or1 rather1 must   
confess1 that even in the most able1    
pure1 and perfect expositions of        
well-established truths--whatever may be
 the form they take1 whether scientific1
 historical1 artistic1 or rhetorical1 or
 perhaps be designed for the practical  
illustration and guidance of life--a    
certain subjective bone and coloring is 
more or less perceptible4 ,over all     
human compositions and not merely art   
and poetry 7where1 though not absolutely

 and universally1 yet still to a certain
 degree it is allowable71 a peculiar    
light is thrown from the personal ,me of
 the author1 as reflected through the   
immediate sphere of his associates and  
the circle of ideas in which his mind   
has been accustomed to revolve4 ,against
 such an influence1 whether proceeding  
from ourselves or others1 we can not be 
too diligently on our guard4 ,in all our
 judgments and conclusions we ought     
carefully to put it aside4 ,and this is 
the only true and legitimate abstraction
 which holds good both for science and  
for life4 ,but thus to abstract our own 
,me and subjective peculiarities is a   
duty which is far from being commonly   
observed1 and is1 in truth1 extremely   
difficult1 even with the greatest       
honesty of purpose1 perfectly to        
accomplish4  ,as we have so often spoken
 of an unintelligible medley of barren  
abstractions as so many empty forms of  
thought1 this truer notion of           
abstraction may well be allowed a brief 

passing consideration4 ,it seems not    
improbable that in an older form of     
science1 and a more religious way of    
thinking1 this notion did possess this  
higher and more correct signification4  
,at least1 it is evident that if we     
would meditate upon ,god and divine     
things1 and give up ourselves fully and 
entirely to these contemplations1 we    
must first forget the whole outer world 
and withdraw our thoughts from it1 and  
at the same time rise above ourselves   
and go out of ourselves and our own     
narrow and finite ,me4 ,almost all the  
notions of science possessed originally 
a grand and exalted import4 ,it was only
 in course of time that1 deteriorated by
 common usage1 they sunk into empty     
formulas of error4 ,in life1 indeed1 the
 subjective prejudices of man1 under the
 influence of a will carried away and   
narrowed by them1 has had so wide a     
range of action as to be co-extensive   
with the whole field of human action4   
,the willfulness of children forms the  

principle obstacle that education has to
 deal with2 and the inflexible obstinacy
 and passionateness of party spirit is  
the ruling power in public life1 the    
cause of most of its catastrophes1 and  
the source of its greatest perils4 ,in  
short1 were we to attempt to extend our 
survey to all the prejudices which      
spring out of narrow subjective views1  
and the great and extensive authority   
which long-cherished opinions exercise  
both over the inner man and the outer   
world1 the chapter devoted to them in a 
system or manual of a practical         
knowledge of humanity would be as long  
as that which should enumerate the false
 syllogisms and all the violations that 
were possible1 either in thought or     
practice1 of the logical form of right  
reasoning1 or even as that other which  
should comprise all the psychological   
delusions of the fancy4 ,we must1       
therefore1 confine ourselves to a brief1
 but still complete sketch4 ,and to     
insure such completeness there is one   

remark to be made1 which is far from    
unimportant1 or at least not            
superfluous4 ,and that refers first of  
all to the relation which subsists      
between the aberrations of the          
understanding and those of the will1 and
 in the next place to that between the  
fancy and the reason1 and to the        
contrariety usually arising from an     
undue predominance of either of these   
two faculties4 ,understanding and will  
stand in a very close connection        
together1 their reciprocal influence    
being very considerable4 ,in many an    
error1 or at least in many a perverse   
and erroneous direction of thought and  
opinion1 we are scarcely able to decide 
whether the will and sentiments1 or the 
understanding and special modes of      
thinking1 have the greater part4 ,how   
difficult1 for instance1 is it to       
determine this point in the case of the 
predominant spirit of contradiction1    
whether it reveal itself as a reaction1 
having indeed an external exciting      

cause1 but still thoroughly passionate1 
or appear in the shape of a mere delight
 in opposition1 such as is found in     
many1 and often highly distinguished    
individuals4 ,for both these motives    
have great influence1 not only in life  
but also in the domain of science1      
developing themselves therein as a      
fruitful source of error4  ,as to doubt3
 it is even that state1 or that tendency
 of the mind geist peculiar to the      
understanding1 which though in itself   
not absolutely culpable or faulty1 is   
certainly erroneous1 and one which in   
its extreme manifestation becomes a     
negative error of the very worst and    
most pernicious kind in science4 ,i have
 already several times mentioned1 in    
passing1 and by way of anticipation1    
that doubt appears to form one of the   
most characteristic and peculiar of     
man's fundamental properties4 ,as sleep 
forms for man1 as compared with the pure
 and ever-wakeful spirits1 an essential 
and peculiar state of his organic life  

in the body1 and as that eternal hope   
which is innate in the human soul is    
acknowledged to be its higher stamp and 
,godlike signature1 just so and in a    
similar way must doubt be regarded as   
the inborn character of the human mind1 
or at least as one of its most indelible
 features4 ,and indeed this struggle of 
doubt and hope 7which even after the    
full attainment of internal certainty   
and peace1 still survives in a degree1  
showing itself when we come to the      
special points of practical application1
 and in truth will never wholly cease in
 this lower world71 this conflict       
between hope and doubt holds no less    
important nor less extensive a place in 
the inner spiritual world than the      
reciprocation of sleeping and waking    
does in the external and organic1       
maintaining the due equilibrium of the  
bodily powers and their healthy state4  
,now1 doubt takes its rise pre-eminently
 and originally in the understanding4   
,the latter is its appropriate place in 

the whole human consciousness1 though   
from thence it quickly spreads over its 
whole sphere and extends to its utmost  
limits4 ,the delusion so peculiar to the
 reason1 of an absolute unity or        
identity and necessity1 leads rather to 
a false and perfectly imaginary science1
 which for the most part aims at        
possessing or dreams of having attained 
to a mathematical certainty4 ,and though
 the intrinsic contradiction and        
inconsistency which reigns in this      
absolute view of the world and things1  
notwithstanding the denial of all       
contrariety with which it sets out1 and 
which1 apparently at least1 it does get 
rid of at the beginning1 is well        
calculated to provoke and occasion      
doubt2 still it is not the seat where   
doubt is originally engendered and first
 takes its rise4 ,the act of            
understanding1 on the contrary1 supposes
 an antecedent state of its absence4    
,the object or thought which is now     
understood for the first time1 must have

 already existed as a given matter1     
standing before us as a problem for our 
previous ignorance up to the time that  
we succeeded in solving it4 ,in truth1  
the act of understanding is nothing more
 than the passing from ignorance into   
intelligence4 ,and this passage is not  
always effected at one step1 but for the
 most part by slow degrees1 and often   
very slowly and gradually indeed4 ,now1 
doubt1 as the intermediate state between
 the original ignorance and the inward  
yearning after certainty1 forms the     
crisis of this passage or transition4   
,primarily1 therefore1 and as stripped  
of all perverted applications and       
unlimited extension1 it is not in its   
essence an impediment to knowledge1 but 
rather an indispensable aid and useful  
instrument for the attainment and       
perfection of sciences4 ,wonder1        
according to the sense in which it is   
employed in some passages of the        
,platonic philosophy1 as the inner      
amazement of the spirit1 or the         

astonished rapture of the soul at the   
happy discovery--the first opening out  
of the truth--wonder1 we might say1 is  
the mother of knowledge1 which bears in 
its womb and gives to the light the     
first germ of it2 but doubt is the      
father1 by whom the internal basis1 and 
also the external form of science1 is   
and can alone be perfected4 ,and        
inasmuch as science1 although relatively
 and for any precise and given form it  
may appear complete1 yet in itself1 and 
generally1 and with regard both to its  
eternal diffusion and intrinsic advance1
 can never reach to full perfection in  
this lower world2 therefore doubt can   
never properly cease altogether4 ,but   
still1 if doubt is to remain a wholesome
 co-operative power of knowledge1 one   
requisition and demand1 and one only1   
must be made upon it4 ,it must never    
question the hope and the end of truth  
itself1 and must not give up that inward
 search after knowledge1 of which it is 
really designed to serve as the organ4  

,in the form of a universal skepticism1 
however1 it falls into a tone of        
unconditional decision1 which involves  
an assumption of complete certainty1    
and1 consequently1 of a perfect1 though 
negative knowledge1 totally inconsistent
 with its true character4 ,it thereby   
undermines its own foundation4          
,absolute doubt1 therefore1 alone       
constitutes scientific error4 ,as such  
it must invariably be looked upon       
whenever1 rising to the height of       
despair1 it pronounces science to be    
unattainable4 ,it is such unlimited     
extension that constitutes a fault or   
error4 ,but even in this respect it is  
extremely difficult to determine for    
individuals1 nations1 and eras1 this    
utmost limit1 beyond which doubt becomes
 culpable4 ,it is a shifting line of    
demarkation1 according as the perplexity
 of infinite doubt1 remaining nothing   
more than a passive state of internal   
conflict1 is not raised into an abiding 
principle and unchangeable maxim of     

life4 ,besides1 it is extremely         
difficult to determine1 as a general    
law1 how far doubt can and may go before
 hope is entirely lost4 ,nay1 it is not 
easy to say whether1 even in this       
pernicious extravagance1 it may not     
transform itself into good1 and bring   
about a salutary crisis of transition1  
and1 being set free from its own        
exaggerations1 discover the true road to
 the goal of truth1 and to a thorough   
understanding of it4 ,it is only when   
absolute doubt1 in its full energy1 is  
set up purposely and forever as the     
final conclusion of all thought and     
reflection1 as the supreme science      
itself1 being developed with cool1 calm 
self-possession1 and applied to all     
things without exception1 that this     
spirit of absolute negation becomes     
totally erroneous4 ,in this case1       
indeed1 it is irredeemably bad2 as the  
hostile antagonist of all that is good  
and precious1 it overturns truth itself 
together with science4  ,and who1 then1 

is the author of all evil in man        
himself1 and in all his thoughts1       
knowledge1 and volitions1 as well as in 
all the rest of creation8 ,it is the    
dark spirit of negation who so well     
knows how to veil himself in the false  
light of apparently brightest clearness4
 ,and since we have reached up to the   
height1 or1 rather1 down to the depths1 
of this primary source of all error1 it 
may perhaps be necessary to add a       
further remark or two on this prime     
author of untruth1 with a view of       
guarding against the misconceptions that
 otherwise might arise only too         
naturally4 ,in ,holy ,writ he is called 
the ,spirit and the ,prince of this     
world4 ,in ancient times1 this          
description has been greatly            
misunderstood4 ,it was taken to mean    
that he is properly the demiurge and    
subordinate creator of this sensible    
world1 in which there are so many traces
 of fearful dissension1 profound        
corruption1 and disorder4 ,the intrinsic

 state of nature in its present         
condition appeared to many thinkers so  
inexpressibly miserable and so full of  
deadly evil1 that they could not bring  
themselves to ascribe its origination to
 the true ,god4 ,but even though nature 
be in fact ever so heavily laden with   
woes and intrinsically miserable--7and  
indeed it is spoken of in the ,book of  
,truth as the creature 8groaning and    
travailing in pain07--though the world  
were even far more fearfully rent with  
disorder and corruption1 and chained and
 fettered to a shape stranger to        
goodness and truth than seems at the    
first glance to be the case1 still there
 would be no ground for adopting the    
oriental view of two principles4 ,and   
indeed the wonder is how it could ever  
have found adherents2 since this world1 
already sufficiently distracted1 is     
thereby but involved in still deeper    
dissension1 and actually rent into two  
distinct parts1 so that it becomes no   
longer possible to think or conceive of 

such a thing as truth1 or to hope for   
any veritable and satisfactory scheme of
 knowledge4 ,this strange religious     
error1 into which the primal world of   
,asia1 with its deep and profound       
emotions1 fell1 is so remote and foreign
 to the more moderate1 not to say       
colder1 sentiments of the ,west1 that it
 is extremely difficult to set it forth 
and understand it in all its actual     
awfulness4 ,it would1 therefore1 be as  
idle as it would be inappropriate for me
 to enter further into this false1 but  
ancient system of dualism4 ,still there 
is one remark which essentially belongs 
to our present subject1 and is also     
closely connected with what has gone    
before4 ,the first author of untruth1 we
 have seen1 can not for a moment be     
regarded as the true demiurge and       
creator of the world1 as the oriental   
view would represent him4 ,nevertheless1
 inasmuch as evil1 universally and      
individually1 in great and in little1 is
 a deceptive image and imitation of     

good1 this spirit of everlasting        
negation has unquestionably a world of  
his own1 which is his production1 and in
 a certain degree called forth and      
created by him4 ,and that is the null   
and seeing world of void naught1 which1 
however1 through a fatal delusion and   
belief in its reality1 and through its  
opposition to the good as well as the   
true1 has become a real naught1 and must
 be considered as such4 ,the actual     
world of the beneficent ,creator was    
created out of nothing1 since1 besides  
,himself1 all is nothing but a mirror of
 ,his perfection1 a mere reflection of  
,his infinite power and glory4 ,but     
though it was made out of nothing1 it   
was yet created for something1 or1      
rather1 for very much1 even for an      
ever-advancing approximation to1 and a  
finally complete identity with1 its     
,maker4 ,this good and noble something1 
as the supreme end of the true creation1
 is1 however1 opposed by the naught of  
the dark world of shadows1 which has now

 become real1 and1 consequently1 evil4  
,thus created1 however1 or at least     
shaped and produced out of something1 it
 exists for nothing1 even for that      
naught which constitutes the proper     
world1 the field of action and vital    
atmosphere of the evil principle4 ,in   
the case of an individual whose         
delusions have been carried to the      
height of passion1 and whose soul is    
torn and distracted by a perfect despair
 of all truth1 it is sometimes said that
 he has hell itself in his heart2 such a
 mode of speaking 7as is usually the    
case with such images and metaphors1    
which we use without associating with   
them any very clear or definite ideas71 
is perfectly and in sober earnestness   
quite true4 ,in a metaphysical sense    
even1 it is perfectly precise and       
correct4  ,if this absolute doubt1 which
 is so often set up for the supreme     
principle of all thought and knowledge1 
were always to show and exhibit itself  
such as it really is1 and in its inmost 

nature1 and if what it ultimately leads 
to1 and from what source it originally  
springs1 were fully known1 then would   
this skeptical view of things1 with its 
wild exaggerations1 which go beyond all 
the analogy of human nature1 prove far  
less baneful than it does at present4   
,in general it would less easily gain   
assent and make a far weaker impression4
 ,but inasmuch as this fatally          
pernicious and most absurd paradox does 
not stand out here so sharply and       
clearly as it does in the genuine       
idealistic theory1 but is mostly veiled 
and hidden beneath the manifold beauties
 of an exquisite skill of exposition1   
which very often drops the rigor of     
scientific form1 it consequently numbers
 far more adherents than could have been
 believed to be possible4 ,indeed1 they 
are almost as numerous as the admirers  
of a poetical pantheism1 with which it  
contrives occasionally to form a half   
compact and seemingly identifies itself4
 ,and this fact alone furnishes a       

sufficient reason why we should not pass
 it over altogether unnoticed in these  
,lectures4 ,however1 it must be borne in
 mind that all our objections and       
exceptions are directed exclusively     
against an absolute skepticism1 as      
exercising by its perverted application 
and undue extension1 a fatally          
destructive influence on science and on 
life4  ,the true doubt1 which keeps     
within its proper limits and on the road
 to its appointed goal of a constantly  
advancing but never perfect knowledge1  
deserves to be regarded as an ever      
active and co-operative power for the   
development of truth and science4 ,it   
must therefore be confessed that the    
appointed guardians of the publicly     
acknowledged truth 7which1 as such1     
ought to possess universal authority1   
both in the state and the spiritual     
domain7 do not always exhibit the       
greatest wisdom and discretion4 ,too    
often do they violently suppress every  
movement of doubt without distinction1  

and allow no opening to it in any shape4
 ,for by this course they do but        
exaggerate the spiritual and            
intellectual evil that already exists4  
,at least this purely negative method   
can never totally eradicate it4  ,we    
have now1 then1 completely depicted1 in 
their leading features at least1 the    
principal errors to which science is    
exposed4 ,and if we have enabled you to 
regard them as errors both in their     
origin and their subsequent character1  
we must at the same time1 by means of   
the contrast1 have thrown additional    
light and distinctness on the idea of   
science1 not only as regards its        
different elements and constituents1 but
 also the whole periphery and center of 
internal certainty4 ,if1 now1 it should 
be required of us to give a common      
characteristic of all the fundamental   
errors which1 potentially at least1     
exist in the human consciousness--if it 
be wished that we should comprise under 
one general designation the false       

phantom of absolute unity and necessity 
in science--the imaginary fiction of    
death brought into nature by a dead and 
atomistic mode of thinking--the         
prejudices of the ,ego or ,me1 and the  
spirit of eternal negation1 which is    
utterly fatal to truth--then1 for this  
purpose1 nothing else would remain but  
an empty formula or unsubstantial       
notion1 viz41 the dead absolute4 ,at    
least this would be thoroughly          
appropriate to convey that intrinsic    
indifference of all forms of scientific 
untruth4  ,opposed thereto1 and forming 
the center of a true and valid          
knowledge1 is that source of eternal    
love within the feeling to which we have
 already so often alluded1 designating  
it by either similar or somewhat        
different expressions4 ,to defend and   
securely to settle this living center of
 all higher truth and true science      
against the attacks of absolute         
skepticism1 was even the task which we  
proposed to ourselves from the outset4  

,it was however far from our intention1 
while discharging this duty1 wholly to  
put doubt itself under a ban4 ,on the   
contrary1 we look upon the latter as an 
essential means of improvement1 and as  
an almost indispensable organ of        
development in a living progression of  
knowledge4  ,now in these definite      
limits1 both for the exclusion of       
absolute skepticism and for the         
recognition and correct application at  
all times of a genuine and salutary     
doubt1 we have1 we think1 found a       
satisfactory answer to the great        
question of truth and of the possibility
 of man's attaining to a knowledge of   
it4 ,and if so1 we have at the same time
 shown completely that doubt forms a    
decisive crisis in the human mind1 and  
thereby happily solved the problem which
 at an earlier period we propounded with
 regard to it4 ,and moreover1 as was    
then declared to be necessary1 the      
instinctive feeling of truth within the 
very center of love has been raised to  

and established in the dignity of an    
intelligent feeling or a solid judgment 
of inward certainty1 and of an immediate
 perception thereof4 ,and this immediate
 perception of inward certainty must    
serve as the transition from the first  
developed notion of the consciousness to
 our now more enlightened idea of       
science1 and also form the connecting   
link between them4 ,before1 however1 we 
can close our present development with  
this notion of judgment or intelligent  
feeling of inward certainty1 one        
question remains to be answered1 or     
perhaps one remark to be added4 ,and    
this relates to truth itself1 as the    
inmost center of such an immediate      
perception1 while the question that     
occurs is1 what is it1 per se1 to know1 
and what is it that in the act of       
knowing really takes place in the human 
mind8  ,now it has been long admitted   
that true knowing consists in this3 that
 a man discerns things1 not merely as   
they outwardly appear1 but as they are  

really and truly in themselves4 ,but    
this true intrinsic essence of things is
 seized or understood by him only who   
perceives them such as they proceeded   
from the ,deity1 have their being in    
,him1 and such as they stand before ,his
 omniscient eye and are seen by him4    
,what1 then1 is true knowledge1 if such 
be possible for man8 ,now1 supposing the
 existence of a living ,god--and how1   
without this universal primary and      
imperishable hypothesis1 could there be 
either talk or question about truth or  
knowledge in general8--this supposition 
then involves the idea of an omnipresent
 ,deity1 in whom all existing things    
8live and move1 and have their being10  
even though ,he does not visibly appear1
 and is hidden to the outward eye of    
sense4 ,truly to know1 therefore1 would 
be1 if we may so express it1 to feel and
 draw out the latent presence of ,god in
 objects1 and thereby to seize and      
perceive their true intrinsic essence4  
,now1 if it is necessary to distinguish 

the several grades of development of    
this spiritual or intellectual feeling  
which draws out the inner truth of      
things1 its first step must be described
 as a perception1 which1 however1 is    
both from without and remote4 ,the      
second would be a sensation1 i4e41 the  
full certain finding the truth in one's 
self4#ge ,as to the last step of        
consummation1 that would amount to an   
intellectual intuition1 even though1 by 
reason of human finiteness1 it must ever
 remain indirect4 ,still it would not1  
on that account1 be less profoundly     
searching and penetrating1 while1 in it1
 that of which we have now first become 
certain comes forth externally perfect1 
and admits of being imparted to others4 
,and unquestionably for that philosophy 
which pretends to open and unveil a true
 and right understanding of the inner   
and higher life1 after the first grade1 
which took for its basis the full and   
complete notion of the consciousness2   
and after the second1 in which the idea 

of science is unfolded1 this intuition  
of truth forms the third degree1 and    
also the final close and completion1 of 
the whole4 ,in order1 however1 to       
understand how such an intuitive        
knowledge is possible1 we must bear in  
mind that it is not we who raise        
ourselves to the divine idea2 but that1 
on the contrary1 it is it that takes    
hold of our minds1 being imparted to and
 working within us4  ,the deadly attacks
 of skepticism may1 no doubt1 be        
directed successfully enough against an 
unconditional science of reason1 where  
its action or reaction1 which brings out
 the intrinsic contradiction of such a  
system1 is both salutary and desirable1 
in order to destroy the false semblance 
of a spurious necessity4 ,all its blows1
 however1 glance off from a real and    
solid experience1 and soon cease        
entirely4 ,and just so1 also1 the limit 
of an assumed or credited impossibility1
 which is too hastily and too nearly set
 up1 is quickly overstepped by facts    

themselves4 ,very often1 before now1 has
 it happened1 in experimental science1  
that what man once not merely           
questioned1 but actually declared to be 
incredible1 nay1 even impossible1 has   
unexpectedly proved1 afterward1 to be an
 actual fact1 and gained general        
credence as undeniably certain4 ,how    
much is there not in nature that        
deserves to be called marvelous1 and    
borders close upon the miraculous1 and  
which makes1 at least1 some such        
impression on our minds and             
understandings as they have been        
hitherto developed8 ,to one1 indeed1 who
 takes his stand on revelation1 it      
becomes extremely difficult to draw a   
strict line of demarkation1 and to raise
 an impassable boundary between that    
which is called natural and that which  
is termed supernatural1 in the usual    
sense of these words4 ,and1 if all      
higher truth is imparted1 and can not   
but be such1 who will presume to set a  
limit or a measure here8 ,who will set  

bounds to the ,author of revelation     
which ,he shall not pass8 ,if1 then1    
even in philosophy1 all science and     
truth is really a revelation1 and if it 
were recognized and understood in this  
light1 then should we be able to put    
this matter to the test of experience1  
provided1 only1 that we be careful to   
draw from the right source1 and to treat
 philosophy really and truly as a       
science of an experience higher than any
 internal or external one4  ,but man    
must not expect1 even according to this 
point of view1 to penetrate at once into
 the fullness of the divine mysteries1  
and arbitrarily to play with and mold   
them at his pleasure4 ,the development  
of truth in the human mind always       
proceeds slowly1 and step by step4 ,even
 when the whole beginning and sure      
foundation is already found1 or1 rather1
 given1 the inner evolution and external
 application of true science unfolds    
itself with extreme tardiness4 ,at each 
point of progress much still remains to 

be overcome1 much to be improved1 and   
even to be thought upon once more1 and  
reconsidered over and over again4       
,often1 too1 at the very last moment1 an
 unexpected obstacle presents itself1 or
 some new procrastination of a          
conscientious doubt or care4 ,to show   
that all this is to be expected1 even   
according to the theory which makes     
science to be a divine communication1   
and that all higher knowledge is and    
must be such1 ,i have a remark or two   
more to add4 ,and here ,i shall not     
follow the same course that ,i took in  
my exposition of the possible forms of  
error1 tracing the origin of each to    
some predisposing cause in the several  
faculties of the mind4 ,it will suffice 
to take for granted the keenest         
susceptibility in the truth-loving soul1
 the greatest activity and energy of the
 spirit in its search after and         
cognition of science1 and a perfectly   
pure will co-existing and having a      
common foundation in a purified1        

newly-invigorated1 and enhanced state of
 the human consciousness4  ,very often1 
even in the noblest minds1 a lively1    
open sense and profound sensibility of  
the soul for the higher truth is found  
associated with a secret dread and      
profound apprehension before it4 ,at    
this1 however1 we need not to feel      
surprised4 ,it is not so much a lasting 
illusion1 as rather a slight            
partition-wall between the first new    
impression and our habitual self2 for   
each fresh influence of higher truth    
draws us noticeably away from our usual 
circle of ideas1 and often painfully    
eradicates some favorite notion and     
cherished opinion4 ,this fact1 then1    
will serve to explain this slight       
feeling of resistance which precedes a  
complete adhesion and identification1   
and as such requires to be treated with 
the utmost delicacy and tenderness4 ,or 
let us take the case of a great mind in 
possession of a higher and comprehensive
 knowledge1 and most assuredly he could 

never have attained to it without many a
 bold venture in living thought2 for    
without boldness nothing good or        
beautiful1 much less great1 is ever     
reached or attainable4 ,and this is true
 also of language1 for the bold thought 
demands a correspondent boldness of     
expression4 ,where1 then1 is such a one 
to look for the limits and the standard 
of a legitimate venture--the guide and  
safeguard against temerity--when his    
boldness of speculation springs really  
from a profound love of truth1 and a    
pure enthusiasm for science8 ,the risk  
of error and mistake1 and even a sense  
of solemn accountability1 meets him on  
all sides1 and fills him with anxiety   
and reserve4 ,the hypothesis has been   
deemed allowable1 at least it has been  
advanced1 invented by way of simile1 of 
a man being intrusted with and holding  
in his hand the full truth--or1 rather1 
let me say all truth in heaven and in   
earth--since1 if we suppose science to  
be imparted and a gift1 there can be no 

limits set or predetermined to its      
extent4 ,now1 it has been asserted that 
such a person would be seized with      
hesitation1 fear1 and doubt1 whether he 
ought to open his hand all at once1 or  
only half open it at first1 or whether  
he ought not even to keep it a long time
 closed4 ,but to turn away from this    
fiction1 which1 in reality1 transcends  
altogether the measure of human         
capacity1 then1 as regards the necessary
 gradation and salutary slowness that   
marks1 and even the hesitation that must
 take place in all human learning and   
development1 and even in philosophy1 no 
less than in the internal region of the 
consciousness1 what rule or guide has   
man8 ,for such a standard nothing1      
apparently1 remains to us but to assume 
the notion of a logical conscience as a 
quality in the true thinker necessary to
 preserve him from every false step1    
either within or without4 ,that there is
 such a logical conscience1 wholly      
independent of all moral relation1 is   

perfectly obvious4 ,by it we must       
understand not only a careful measuring 
and weighing of all thoughts1 but even  
of every word and expression2 and we    
have chosen this term as well fitted to 
enforce the great importance of this    
sensibility in matters of scientific    
truth1 and to indicate the place in the 
consciousness where it properly has its 
seat1 and the principle from which it   
must take its rise4 ,the genius-gifted  
boldness of a great thinker would be    
little likely to convey confidence1 if  
it were not at the same time associated 
and harmoniously united with the        
essential element of a cautious and     
gradual procedure4 ,in its essential    
features1 though in a somewhat different
 form and relation1 the ,greeks1 in     
their philosophy1 were acquainted with  
and possessed this notion of a logical  
conscience2 for1 in some measure1 it is 
even implied in this very word          
philosophy1 which was intended to       
indicate1 and intrinsically means1 an   

unselfish and pure pursuit of truth4    
,but the fact becomes still more evident
 by the contrast with1 or1 rather1 by   
the notion of1 the sophist1 as opposed  
to that of the philosopher4 ,by the     
former they understood a common and     
vulgar traffic with wisdom1 or even an  
interested and wholly unconscientious   
abuse of scientific truth to personal   
interest1 or the gratification of       
selfish humors and passions1 and even of
 vain glory4 ,all this the ,greeks      
regarded as absolutely worthless and    
despicable4 ,and much is it to be wished
 that we1 in our days1 remembered a     
little better1 and strove to imitate    
this stern morality of the old          
,athenians in their notion of the high  
dignity of truth1 and of the respect due
 to this sanctuary of science1 which1 at
 the distance that they were allowed to 
approach to it1 they reverently         
worshiped and honored4     ,,lecture ,x4
   ,the apprehending of a real object in
 thought1 unquestionably involves an act

 of knowing1 so long1 at least1 as it is
 no empty thought1 but has a real       
subject-matter4 ,it is a piece of       
knowledge1 even though it may be as yet 
very incomplete1 both as regards its    
external connection with others and its 
inward development1 and though it be    
highly defective also in form and       
expression4 ,it is1 moreover1 possible  
that subsequently1 by an incorrect      
analysis or other erroneous treatment of
 it1 its usefulness may be destroyed1   
itself dissolved into naught1 and       
stripped of true vital significance4    
,and thus by our own fault1 the thought1
 which originally possessed a true and  
real object1 is reduced into a mere     
wordy formula1 conveying actually no    
meaning at all4 ,in order1 then1 to     
indicate the real distinction between   
the two1 and at the same time to guard  
against all possible misconception1 we  
would define as follows the intrinsic   
essence of knowledge3 to know is the    
living thought of something real4 ,the  

general indefinite term1 thought1 which 
we have here employed1 is the right one 
and the most appropriate in this place1 
for it comprises every kind of          
perceiving and understanding1 of judging
 and comprehending1 of cognition and    
recognition1 and serves to indicate the 
several elements and relations or       
differing degrees of knowledge1 and of  
that intuitive inward certainty which is
 combined and associated with it4 ,it   
would be far less accurate to say that  
knowledge is the correct thought1       
instead of the living thought of a real 
object2 although1 indeed1 the former is 
involved in and inseparable from the    
latter4 ,when a thought which in any    
degree apprehends or comprehends a real 
object1 is said to be incorrect1 this is
 as much as to say that it comprises    
much that is not found in the object    
itself1 and consequently does not       
coincide with it4 ,but that which is not
 contained in the object itself is1 so  
far as it is concerned1 unreal and does 

not belong to it4 ,and all such is      
necessarily excluded from the notion of 
the thought of a real object1 since     
otherwise it would be a thinking of what
 is unreal4 ,the expression1 too1 of an 
incorrect thinking of what is real1     
would1 no doubt1 point to and indicate  
the same fact in every case where such  
thinking is a thoroughly defective and  
incomplete knowing1 if1 for instance1   
much that is essential and is really    
found in the particular object were not 
comprised in the thought or were wanting
 in it4 ,this expression1 consequently1 
is perfectly applicable1 and indeed     
appropriate1 when we wish to speak of a 
complete and perfect knowledge1 and to  
distinguish it from one that is faulty  
and defective4 ,but such knowledge      
slowly and gradually develops itself2   
the notion of knowing in general must   
precede that of perfect knowledge4 ,the 
living thought of a real object1 however
 imperfect and incomplete it may be1    
contains1 nevertheless1 the first       

beginning and germ of a knowing4 ,it is 
only out of a dead thought that a true  
knowing can never arise2 properly1      
indeed1 when it is but a mere formula1  
it is not even a true thinking4         
,knowledge1 therefore1 in general is the
 living thought of some real object2 but
 perfect and complete knowledge is the  
full and correct development of this    
thought1 by means of which it becomes   
perfectly defined1 both outwardly and   
inwardly4 ,but a real object is         
invariably the first foundation and     
beginning1 from which all knowledge     
springs up1 and to which all thought    
must be immediately directed and also   
closely attach itself4  ,in an older    
form of philosophy1 the supreme1 or--as 
it was called1 not very appropriately1  
if all its various relations be         
considered--necessary ,being1 was       
usually declared to be that of which the
 reality was at once given in its       
possibility1 so that the proof of its   
actual existence would immediately      

follow from the mere idea of its        
perfection4 ,this1 however1 is but one  
of the many forms of expression for the 
absolute unity of being and knowledge4  
,we have already expressed ourselves    
sufficiently at large on the general    
topic1 and we have only adduced this    
particular instance to serve as a       
passage to our exposition of another    
view1 in the hope of throwing out the   
latter more distinctly and definitely by
 means of the contrast4  ,in that method
 of philosophy which takes its rise in  
no dead and abstract thinking1 but      
rather in life itself and the living    
thought1 reality1 together with the     
immediate feeling of whatever is thus   
real and actual in the inward           
perception1 as well as in external      
experience1 and also in the revelation  
from above1 forms the first beginning   
out of which all is developed4 ,this is 
the fixed1 stable point to which all    
that follows attaches itself4 ,the      
necessary1 which comes first after this 

reality1 is simply the inner essential  
and complete connection of this first   
data4 ,but the possible1 which is not   
any mere arbitrary conception and       
chimerical invention1 but something     
truly1 and we might almost say really   
possible1 forms the conclusion1 as that 
which by a natural development results  
from the two former--the initiatory fact
 and its intrinsic essentiality4 ,this  
simple series or natural progression in 
living thought forms and constitutes in 
the next place the different degrees of 
understanding1 and even the internal    
grades of certainty and clearness in a  
continuously advancing development4 ,the
 foundation of the whole is formed by   
the feeling of a reality1 the perception
 of a fact1 existing somewhere within   
the limits of that triple experience    
which takes in an inner and an outer and
 also a higher world4 ,now1 the first   
step in this progressive intellectual   
development is formed by the notion or  
general term1 which1 as ,i formerly     

explained it1 is a thought or conception
 that is mathematically determined and  
precisely limited1 both inwardly and    
outwardly1 according to the three       
dimensions of number1 measure1 and      
weight4 ,in it all the several elements 
which1 taken together1 form the original
 thought or conception of the real      
object1 are first of all duly separated 
and arranged1 and then again united as  
organic members into a regular whole1   
or1 after the manner of geometry1       
brought into a construction4 ,but this  
act of comprising into a general notion 
,begreifen is by no means a perfect     
explanation of the matter4 ,it is not1  
as it were1 an analysis carried out     
fully and completely1 so that nothing   
still remains to be explained4 ,for even
 according to the ordinary usage of     
speech1 we may very easily form and have
 a notion of any system1 whether purely 
ideal or experimental1 philosophical or 
unphilosophical1 or belonging to any    
other domain of science1 and even of a  

work of art1 at the same time that we   
are forced to admit that there is much  
in it that we do not understand1 or     
which appears to us inexplicable and    
unintelligible4 ,this comprehending1    
which externally consists in the correct
 marking out of the whole circumference 
of an object1 and inwardly1 in the clear
 division and arrangement of its several
 organic members1 is not the complete   
act of understanding2 it is only its    
first step4 ,as such1 however1 it may   
afterward attain to an internal         
confirmation1 and become thereby the    
second degree in the approach to        
completeness of understanding4 ,and this
 it does as soon as a cognition of the  
error which may either possibly rise up 
in1 about1 or together with itself1 or  
is actually combined with it1 is        
attained1 and when1 consequently1 a     
clearer recognition of the opposing     
truth advances the mere feeling of a    
something real into an intelligent      
feeling or judgment of inward certainty4

 ,and this is the very essence of       
knowing4 ,the third step in the further 
development or enhancement of the first 
living thought1 or of its progressive   
approach toward completeness of         
understanding1 is formed by the idea4   
,the idea is distinct from the notion1  
even in its form4 ,unlike the latter1 it
 does not set forth all that1 under the 
given conditions1 necessarily and       
essentially belongs together4 ,in other 
words1 it does not give the full and    
complete extent of the reality which was
 taken up by the original feeling and   
perception4 ,it rather propounds the    
thought of a possibility1 which1 in a   
certain and definite view or direction1 
appears attainable4 ,for instance1 in   
our present development of the inner and
 higher life1 the notion of the         
consciousness was followed by the idea  
of science1 and the question how far it 
is possible and within the reach of man4
 ,even in ordinary language this        
distinction is observed4 ,how often do  

we hear it observed1 that this or that  
scheme is a mere idea1 signifying that  
it is a thought whose object is a       
something possible1 but of which the    
reality or realization appears at the   
time highly problematical4 ,on the other
 hand1 by the term notion1 strictly     
taken1 it is usual to understand a      
thought which has for its subject-matter
 something relatively true at least1    
since1 otherwise there would be nothing 
that we could have a notion of or       
comprehend4 ,and simply on this account 
it is not possible that the idea should 
contain a perfectly definite and        
organically articulated construction of 
its object4 ,for1 in fact1 an idea is   
merely the indication1 the standard1 and
 the rule of the possible4 ,it is simply
 designed to show what is to be1 and in 
what way it can be1 attained1 and       
perhaps1 also1 in what law of           
progression its attainment will be      
actually realized4  ,however1 a truly   
scientific and scientifically useful    

idea is before all things closely and   
essentially dependent on the foundation 
of an inward certainty1 or a feeling and
 conviction that the object which forms 
its problem1 or the problem which is its
 object1 is really and actually         
attainable4 ,consequently1 it intimately
 depends on the intelligent feeling or  
judgment as to this inward certainty and
 truth in knowledge4     ,,analytical   
,,index4   ,a  ,absolute knowledge1     
false character of1 #fj4   power        
considered1 #age4  ,abstraction1 not the
 true method of philosophy1 #ced4  ther 
of the nerves1 #gf4  ,age1 the early    
,christian1 #adh4   the middle1 #adi1   
#bdf4   that of the restoration of      
letters1 #aej4   anti-,christian spirit 
of the present1 #aea4   a struggle for  
truth the conflict of the present1 #aeh4
   the spirit of the present a spirit of
 untruth1 #aei4   different ages of the 
history of the world1 #afc4             
characteristics of the present1 #afd1   
#deg4   the middle contained all the    

elements of the ,christian state1 #ahb4 
rationalism to be feared in the present1
 #bbg4   spirit of the present1 #dji4   
,alphabet1 the psychological1 #deb4     
,angels1 the neutral1 #acf4  ,animals1  
soul of1 #aba4  ,antediluvian--see      
,world4  ,architecture1 its alliance to 
sculpture1 #bfj4  ,ariana1 the1 #bdf4   
,aristotle1 his system1 #bdc4           
,aristotelian schoolmen1 #bdg4  ,art1   
symbolical nature and constitution of   
life with reference to it1 #bef4  ,art1 
all symbolical1 #beg4   religious origin
 of1 #bfe   a feeling of the infinite1  
#dae4   a universal language1 #dba4     
evil influences of1 #dee4   hope the    
soul of1 #def4   present state of1 #deh4
   spurious1 #dfa4  ,astronomy1 modern1 
#hd4   seven the traditionary number of 
the planets1 #he4   ,pythagorean system 
of1 #he4  ,atheism1 produced by ,french 
philosophy1 #ah4   tendency of modern   
science to1 #aee4  ,atlantis1 legend of1
 #hc4  ,authority1 ,god the source of1  
#afh4  ,avarice1 its character1 #cd4    

apart from industry1 #ce4   ,b  ,beauty1
 #ejf4   source of in fiction1 #eaj4    
,bible--see ,scriptures4  ,body1 the    
spiritual1 #gd4  ,byron1 his ,cain1 #ba1
 #daj4   ,c  ,cause1 final1 doctrine of1
 #abe4  ,creation intelligible1 #abg4   
,chemical analysis1 modern1 results of1 
#hh4  ,china1 its state of separation1  
#aha4  ,christianity1 revelation of1    
#adf4   first eight ,christian          
centuries1 #adh4   the middle ages1     
#adi4   anti-,christian spirit of this  
era1 #aea4   universal peace1 #ahd4     
its dispensation1 struggle between light
 and darkness in1 #bjg4   its science   
and philosophy1 #bde4   the ,gnostics   
and ,arians1 #bdf4   the middle         
ages--the ,aristotelian schoolmen1 #bdg4
   disputations of the schoolmen1 #bdh4 
of the eighteenth century1 #bdi4        
without an altar1 #bfh4   the ,christian
 state an hereditary monarchy1 #bhb4    
the true guardian of liberty1 #bhg4     
its jurisprudence1 #bif4   spread among 
the ,mohammedans1 #big4   its priests   

not hereditary1 #cjh4   its justice the 
basis of ,european peace1 #caa4         
confederation of its states1 #cab4      
,church1 its collision with the state1  
#bii1 #cjd4   separation of1 #cjf4      
,communion1 the highest symbol of faith1
 #bfg4  ,compass1 the invention of1 #hc4
  ,candillac1 his philosophy1 #ag4      
,conscience1 its relationship to reason1
 #ed4   imperfection of1 #dce4          
,consistency the criterion of truth1    
#beb4  ,creation1 final cause of1       
intelligible1 #abg4   ,d  ,death1 final 
emancipation of nature from1 #ic4       
destruction of1 #cdj4  ,deluge1 the1 how
 to be considered1 #bah4  ,despotism1   
#bij4   the natural result of anarchy1  
#bia4  ,dialogue the natural form of    
philosophy1 #fh4   the true form assumed
 by all living thought1 #cha4           
,discernment the link between faith and 
science1 #aie4  ,divine--see ,god4      
,doubt1 a necessary condition of man's  
mind1 #dbf4   essential to man1 #ebf4   
the passage from ignorance to knowledge1

 #ebg4   absolute1 a source of error1   
#ecj4   true1 and limited1 indispensable
 to advance of knowledge1 #eca4         
,dreams1 their character1 #bi4   ,e     
,earth1 man's affinity to1 #ha4         
,education1 its symbolical character1   
#bfb4   philosophy the crown of1 #cdh4  
,english1 the ,reformation among1 #bii4 
their constitution1 #cjc4   ,church and 
,state4 #cjd4  ,enthusiasm springs from 
love1 #cg4   the origin of patriotism1  
#ch4   its longing for the eternal and  
divine1 #ch1 #dba1 #dgi4  ,epicureans1  
the1 #bdd4  ,error1 rapid growth of1    
#fj4   four sources of1 #aje4           
intermediate conflict of1 with truth1   
#aec4   religious1 two forms of1 #agf4  
twofold spirit of truth and error1 #bjf4
   struggle between1 #bjg4   reason and 
fancy the ultimate sources of1 #bba4    
understanding and will co-operating     
causes in its formation and diffusion1  
#bbc4   truth not established by its    
refutation1 #bbi4   controversy with1   
begets it1 #cad4   knowledge of1 #dhi4  

co-ordinate with knowledge1 #ejf4   two 
sources of1 in philosophy1 #ebb4        
subjective1 #ebc4   absolute doubt a    
source of1 #ecj4  ,eternal punishments1 
#acc4   the unquenchable fire1 #acd4    
,eternity1 #dja4   not reconcilable with
 time1 #dje4   of the world1 #djf4      
,europe1 peace of1 based on ,christian  
justice1 #caa4  ,evil1 moral1 a result  
of man's freedom1 #acj4   physical1 a   
means of purification1 #aca4   influence
 of1 in nature1 #cch4   ,f  ,faith1     
man's1 not sufficiently childlike1 #aab4
   can restore unity to the mind1 #aac4 
its dissension between faith and        
science1 #aic4   discernment the link   
between them1 #aif4   reconcilable with 
science1 #aii4   choice between that and
 infidelity1 #baj4   not a negative     
limitation of reason1 #bad4   its       
identity with supreme science1 #baf4    
the soul's firmament1 #bah4   communion 
its highest symbol1 #bfg4   genuine and 
spurious1 #dec4   true and false faith1 
#dgf4   universal1 #dhf4   in relation  

to time1 #dih4   its relation to        
knowledge1 #dii4   knowledge impossible 
without it1 #ejj4  ,fall1 the1 physical 
consequences of1 #ib4   discord of the  
mind one of its consequences1 #ih4      
,falsehood to be fought with its own    
weapons1 #aef4   trifling with oaths1   
#aei4   the present spirit of the age1  
#aei4  ,fancy1 man's distinctive        
property1 #be4   a division of the soul 
apart from reason1 #cj4   its influence 
on the sense1 #ca4   on the passions1   
#cb4   its influence on the nobler      
feelings1 #ce4   on love and marriage1  
#cg4   on enthusiasm1 #cg4   on all     
man's emotions1 #dj4   the poetical1    
#dj4   its powers1 #ge4   fancy and     
reason the ultimate sources of error1   
#bba4   seldom harmonizes with reason1  
#cfa4   not attributable to ,god1 #cgj4 
,feeling1 the center of consciousness1  
#dgc4   its spurious and genuine        
manifestations1 #dgd4   a source of     
revelation1 #eah4  ,fichte1 his         
philosophy1 #ai4  ,final causes1        

doctrine of1 #abe4   of creation        
intelligible1 #abg4  ,freedom1 man's1   
#abh4   moral evil a result of it1 #acj4
   created spirits without it1 #acd4    
of philosophy1 #ahf4  ,french1 their    
modern philosophy1 #ag4   its atheism1  
#ah4   its fatal results1 #ah4   their  
advancement in physical science1 #bb4   
,g  ,generation1 spontaneous1 creatures 
of1 #abb4  ,genius1 worship of1 #dee4   
,geology1 analogy of philology to1 #chh4
   must maintain the union of soul and  
spirit1 #ddc4  ,germans1 their          
philosophy1 #ai4   ,kant1 #ai4          
,jacobi1 ,fichte1 #ai4   ,schelling1    
#bj4   ,hegel1 #ba4   its superiority to
 the ,french1 #bb4   its old ,christian 
empire1 #bhh4   its customary law1 #bid4
   confederation of states1 #cjh1 #cab4 
,gnostics1 the1 #bdf4  ,god1 his        
attributes1 #ee4   figurative language  
as applied to ,him1 #ef4   ,his divine  
nature unappreciated by reason1 #eg4    
the understanding the only proper organ 
for acquiring    a knowledge of ,him1   

#eh4   limitation of ,his justice and   
mercy1 #fj4   knowledge of ,him a       
science of experience1 #fa4   ,his      
revelation to man1 #fe4   knowledge of1 
illimitable1 #gc4   condescension of the
 divine essence1 #ajh4   self-denial    
bringing us near ,him1 #aji4   the      
author and preserver of nature's laws1  
#aag4   ,his divine nature not subject  
to necessity1 #abi4   ,his divine wisdom
 manifested in the realm of truth1 #ada4
   ,his divine order in the history of  
the world and relations of ,states1     
#afb4   the source of justice and       
authority1 #afh4   kings ,his           
vicegerents1 #afi4   priests1 #aga4     
,his temporal judgments on the world1   
#agh4   the ,greeks ,his second chosen  
people1 #ahj4   ,his being not a matter 
of reasoning1 #aij4   can alone bring   
about the theory of science1 #ccd4      
restoration of ,his image in man1 #ccg4 
the mind's consummation in ,him1 #cff4  
understanding may be predicated of ,him1
 #cga4   can not be said to have a soul1

 #cgb4   the idea of1 the only idea1    
#dde4   unintelligible without love1    
#ddf4  ,greeks1 their philosophers1     
different cosmogonies of1 #h4   a second
 chosen people of ,god1 #ahj4   rise and
 decline of their philosophy1 #bci4     
their logic1 #bed4   ,h  ,heathenism a  
corruption of a purer ,gentilism1 #bcd4 
,hegel1 his philosophy1 #ba4            
,hieroglyphics1 illustrated symbolism of
 life1 #bgj4  ,hindoos1 their trinity1  
character of1 #bjb4   their logic1 #bed4
  ,history1 a prelude of the final      
judgment1 #agb4   a rehearsal of the    
first temptation1 #agc4   ancient1 its  
results1 #bia4  ,honor apart from pride1
 #ce4  ,hope1 the vital flame of faith  
and love1 #aad1 #dbj4   universal1 #dhf4
   in relation to time1 #dih4   ,i      
,idealism1 #eaa1 #ebc4  ,ideas1 innate1 
#gi4   of death1 #gi4  ,identity1 system
 of1 #eaa4  ,idolatry of science1 #baf4 
of rationalism1 #bba4  ,incarnation1 the
 principle of new life1 #bgb4  ,indians1
 their affinity to the ,teutons1 #cjg4  

,industry apart from avarice1 #ce4      
,infidelity1 choice between1 and faith1 
#baj4   its identity with superstition1 
#baa4  ,infinite1 the1 poetry a feeling 
of1 #dad4   art1 a feeling of1 #dae4    
effects of a perverted sense of1 #daf4  
influence of pure longing for1 #dah4    
,innocence1 remembrances of primeval1   
#dif4  ,instincts1 divided from the     
senses1 #ca4   become passions1 #cb4    
their pernicious character1 #cc4   their
 nobler character1 #ce4   the external1 
#dbi4  ,intuition1 intellectual1 theory 
of1 #bec4  ,irony1 #chj4   ,j  ,jacobi1 
his philosophy1 #ai4  ,jews1 the        
prophetic people1 #adf4   their present 
state1 #aha4   their dispensation1      
struggle between light and darkness in1 
#bag4   their theocracy--see ,theocracy4
   their monarchy1 #cbe4  ,john1 ,st41  
,gospel of1 #bjd4  ,judges1 the         
ministers of the ,jewish theocracy1     
#cbd4  ,judgment1 the faculty of1 #aff4 
final1 history a prelude of1 #agb4   the
 last1 #agg4   ,god's temporal          

judgments1 #agh4   phenomena of1 #dch4  
essentially a feeling1 #dci4  ,judicial1
 the1 the highest function of kings1    
#bge4   constitute all prerogatives of  
supreme power1 #bgh4   the throne and   
scepter its symbols1 #bgi4              
,jurisprudence1 ,christian1 #bie4       
,justice1 divine1 limited1 #fa4   ,god  
the source of1 #afh4   ,christian1 the  
basis of ,european peace1 #caa1 #caf4   
,k  ,kant1 his philosophy1 #ai4  ,kings1
 the vicegerents of ,god1 #afi1 #bhj4   
their power1 #bgc4   sanctity of1 #bgd4 
the judicial1 the highest function of1  
#bge4  ,knowledge1 true1 slow progress  
of1 #ei4   absolute1 false character of1
 #fj4   of ,god1 a science of           
experience1 #fa4   or divine things1    
illimitable1 #gc4   pursuit of1 must    
have a real basis1 #dia4   relation of  
faith to1 #dii4   impossible without    
faith1 #ejj4   true1 #ecb4   must start 
from a real object1 #ech4   its second  
step a generalization1 #eci4   its third
 step an idea1 #edj4   ,l  ,language1   

how produced1 #di4   the joint produce  
of tool and spirit1 #cgh4   origin of1  
#chc4   the original1 now lost1 #chf4   
original unity of1 probable1 #chg4      
primary and secondary1 #chi4   ,english1
 ,persian1 and ,french1 #cij4   perfect 
in its origin1 #cia4   classification   
of1 #cic4   the picture of              
consciousness1 #cie4   the common memory
 of mankind1 #cig4   elements of1 #ddh4 
ten1 the true number of elementary      
sounds1 #ddi4   vowels1 consonants1 and 
aspirates1 #dea4   the psychological    
alphabet1 #deb4  ,life1 its symbolical  
nature and constitution   with reference
 to art and man's moral relations1 #bef4
   symbolical equation of1 #bfi4   its  
symbolisms illustrated by hieroglyphics1
 #bgj4   new1 incarnation1 the principle
 of1 #bgb4   philosophy conversant with 
it1 #cej4   the final object of physical
 research1 #ejb4   the unity of being   
and thought1 #eab4   see also           
,philosophy4  ,logic of the ,greeks and 
,hindoos1 #bed4   utility of a higher   

one1 #bed4   true1 a grammar1 #dfe4     
,love1 the foundation of happiness and  
moral welfare1 #cf4   marriage1 #cf4    
the origin of enthusiasm1 patriotism1   
c41 #cg4   its connection with marriage1
 #da4   difference between genuine and  
spurious1 #db4   the means of reuniting 
the reason and fancy1 #cfb4   universal1
 #dhf4   in relation to time1 #dih4   ,m
  ,magnetism1 phenomena of1 #hc4        
,mohammedan empire1 #ahj4   change in   
their position1 #ahb4   compared with   
the ,roman1 #big4   spread of ,christian
 ideas in1 #big4  ,man1 compared with   
spiritual beings1 #bd4   fancy his      
distinctive property1 #be4   his triple 
nature1 #bf4   his fourfold             
consciousness1 #bg4   physiology of1    
#gf4   his affinity to the earth1 #ha4  
concurrence of his will in faith1 #aji4 
his faith not sufficiently childlike1   
#aab4   his longing after the eternal   
and sublime1 #aac4   his freedom1 #abh4 
moral evil a result of his freedom1     
#acj4   physical evil a means of        

purification1 #aca4   eternal punishment
 of1 #acb4   doctrine of his            
pre-existence1 #acg4   nature considered
 relatively to him1 #aci4   his gradual 
development1 #ada4   his general sense  
for truth1 #add4   philosophy of life a 
science of1 #ahg4   his nature          
symbolical1 #bfc4   restoration of the  
divine image in1 #ccg4   compared with  
brutes1 #cfj4   with angels1 #cfj1 #cfh4
   ascription of his faculties to ,god1 
#cfi4   his free will1 #cgc4            
manifested in doubt1 #cge4   the created
 word1 #dbe4   doubt a necessary        
condition of his mind1 #dbf4   partial  
development of his faculties1 #dcc4     
his knowledge1 #dha4   can it be        
perfect8 #dhd4   limits to his          
speculation1 #ece4  ,marriage1 the      
foundation of human and political       
society1 #cf4   the world's judgment of 
it1 #db4   difference between genuine   
and spurious love1 #db4   its three     
conditions1 #dc4   reciprocal influence1
 #dd4  ,materialism has its rise in     

imagination1 #eai4  ,mathematics1 formul
 of1 inappropriate to   philosophy1 #ad4
   that of nature1 #ha4   use of1 in    
philosophy1 #cde4   principles of       
empirical1 #ejh4  ,medicine1 a basis of 
the science of nature1 #gh4  ,memory1 a 
faculty of the soul1 #ea1 #cih4         
essential to rationality1 #eb4          
imperfections of1 #dcd4  ,mercy1 divine1
 limited1 #fa4  ,method1 right use of1  
in philosophy4 #ac1 #ahf4  ,middle      
age--see ,age4  ,mind1 the1 intrinsic   
discord of1 #if4   a consequence of the 
fall1 #ih4   restoration of unity1 #ii4 
originally simple1 #ajb4   its essence  
in pure spirits1 #ajd4   unity of1 only 
to be restored by faith1 #aad4          
struggle between light and darkness in1 
#bji4   the principle of supreme        
science1 #bae4   restoration of         
perfection to it1 #cce4   a prey to     
discord4 #cef4   the1 fourfold discord  
of1 #cei4   its consummation in ,god1   
#cff4   inherent discord of1 #cgf4   its
 yearnings after unity1 #cgg4   doubt a 

necessary condition of1 #dbf4   feeling 
the center of unity in1 #dcf4           
,miracles1 possibility of1 #aag4        
,monarchy1 hereditary1 the true         
,christian polity1 #bhf4   mixed1 #bhi4 
,moses fought falsehood with its own    
weapons1 #aef4   founder of the ,jewish 
theocracy1 #cba4  ,music the            
representation of ideas1 #beg4          
,mysteries in nature1 #abf4  ,mythology1
 the subjective the principle of1 #bai4 
its pantheism1 #bbj4   ancient1 #eag4   
vestiges in it of divine truth1 #eah4   
,n  ,nature1 science of1 based on       
medicine1 #gh4   possibility of         
attaining it1 #gi4   innate ideal of its
 true mathematics1 #hj4   man's affinity
 to the earth1 #ha4   magnetism1 #hc4   
the compass1 #hc4   legend of ,atlantis1
 #hc4   modern astronomy1 #hd4   seven  
the traditionary number of the planets1 
#he4   ,pythagorean system of astronomy1
 #he4   results of modern chemical      
analysis1 #hg4   nature1 a system of    
living forces1 #hh4   sleep an essential

 law of1 #hi4   intelligible to the     
spiritual only1 #ij4   physical         
consequences of the fall1 #ib4   final  
emancipation of from death1 #ic4   its  
divine order1 #aae4   a living          
reproductive power1 #aaf4   ,god the    
author and preserver of its laws1 #aag4 
miracles1 the ,deluge1 #aah4   no blind 
necessary force1 #aai4   a ,theodice1 or
 justification of ,god's ways in the    
world--its perplexities1 #abj4   the    
soul of animals1 #aba4   creatures of   
spontaneous generation1 #abb4           
influence of the evil spirits1 #abd4    
doctrine of final cause1 #abe4   the    
preadamite world a paradise for angels1 
#abe4   mysteries in1 #abf4   final     
cause of creation intelligible1 #abg4   
divine nature not subject to necessity1 
#abi4   created spirits without freedom1
 #acd4   immortal spirits with animal   
forms1 #ace4   nature considered        
relatively to man1 #aci4   best         
described by symbols1 #adj4   influence 
of evil in1 #cch4   originally created  

immortal1 #cdj4   perfection of1 #cdj4  
,nerves1 ther of1 #gf4  ,numbers1       
,pythagorean theory of1 #dfb4   ,p      
,painting1 the true spiritual art1 #bei4
  ,pantheism1 mythological and          
scientific1 #bbj4   as fatal to truth as
 rationalism1 #bbf4  ,parental power1   
#bgc4   sanctity of1 #bgc4  ,passions1  
arise from the higher instincts1 #cb4   
the pernicious1 #cc4   the nobler1 #ce4 
,patriotism springs from enthusiasm and 
love1 #dj4  ,peace1 ,christian1         
universal1 #ahc4  ,philology1 its       
analogy to geology1 #chh4  ,philosophy1 
its dreamy character1 #g4               
unfeasibility of ,plato's ideal1 #h4    
cosmogonies of the ,ionian school1 #h4  
objects and limits1 #i4   form and      
method of true philosophy1 #aj4   that  
of the schools unintelligible1 #aa4     
distinction between that of life and    
that of the schools1 #aa4               
intelligibility of the former1 #ab4     
right use of method1 #ac4   mathematical
 formul inappropriate1 #ad4   unity of  

its thoughts1 #ae4   modern ,french     
systems1 #ag4   modern ,german1 #ai4    
,french physical science1 #bb4   natural
 ,german philosophy superior to the     
,french1 #bb4   the false starting-point
 contrasted with the true center1 #bb4  
dialogue its natural form1 #fh4         
improperly confined to a school1 #fi4   
that of life can not be a mere science  
of reason1 #ahe4   free to use any form 
or method1 #ahf4   that of life a       
science of man1 #ahg4   differs from    
theology1 #ahh4   the relation of truth 
and science to it1 #bcb4   of the       
,greeks1 rise and decline of1 #bcd4     
,ionian schools not materialistic1 #bdj4
   religious tendency of ,pythagorean   
and ,plato1 #bdj4   the                 
,sophists--,aristotle1 #bdc4   the      
,stoics and ,epicureans1 #bdd4   of the 
,christians--see ,christianity4   of    
life1 its symbolical nature and         
constitution1 #bef4   true method of1   
#cdc4   use of scholastic or            
mathematical forms1 #cde4   use and     

abuse of system1 #cdf4   the crown of   
education1 #cdh4   conversant with life1
 #cej4   deals chiefly with facts1 #dbh4
   from natural science1 #dfg4   method 
of multiform1 #dgj4   its true method   
conversational1 #dgb4   two sources of  
error in1 #ebb4  ,physiology of man1    
#gf4  ,planets1 seven the traditionary  
number1 #he4  ,plato1 his ideal         
unfeasible1 #h4  trinity of1 #bjb4      
religious tendency of1 #bdj4  ,poetry   
embraces music1 poetry1 and             
architecture1 #bfa4   a feeling of the  
infinite1 #dad4   spurious1 #dfa4       
philosophical1 #eaf4  ,power1 absolute1 
considered1 #age4  ,preadamite world1 a 
paradise for angels1 #abe4              
,pre-existence1 doctrine of1 #acg4      
,prerogative1 all of supreme power      
judicial1 #bgh4  ,pride1 its character1 
#cc4  ,priests1 the vicegerents of ,god1
 #aga4   their power1 #bgc4   sanctity  
of1 #bgd4   ,christian1 not hereditary1 
#cjg4  ,principle1 doctrine of a good   
and evil1 #ebh4  ,prophets1 the1 kept   

alive the ,jewish theocracy1 #cbf4      
,public opinion1 #afe4  ,punishments1   
eternal1 #acc4  ,pythagoreans1 their    
system of astronomy1 #he4   their       
religious tendency1 #bdj4   their noble 
political views1 #bdb4   their theory of
 numbers1 #dfb4   ,r  ,rationalism1     
idolatry of1 #bba4   as fatal to truth  
as pantheism1 #bbf4   more to be feared 
at present1 #bbg4   danger of1 #ded4    
,reason1 a division of the soul apart   
from fancy1 #bi4   its essence1 #ej4    
relationship of the faculties of the    
soul to it1 #ej4   its power and value1 
#ec4   derivation of the ,german name1  
#ed4   distinction between1 and         
understanding1 #ee4   not properly      
attributable to ,god1 #fc4   faith not a
 negative limitation of1 #bad4   reason 
and fancy the ultimate sources of error1
 #bba4   seldom harmonizes with fancy1  
#cfa4   not attributable to ,god1 #cgj4 
discursive1 not creative1 #ejg4   use   
and abuse of1 #eji4  ,reformation1 the  
,english1 #bii4  ,religion1 its         

symbolism1 #bfd4   in its essence       
symbolical1 #bff4  ,religious error1 two
 forms of1 #agf4  ,representative       
governments1 #bhj4  ,republics1 their   
liability to adverse changes1 #bhd4     
disadvantages of their polity1 #bhe4    
,revelation1 power to understand it the 
gift of ,god1 #fa4   its fourfold       
character1 #fe4   of ,scripture1 #fe4   
an ante-,mosaic revelation1 #ff4   the  
soul its receptive organ1 #fh4   its    
first step preparatory1 #adc4   gradual1
 #add4   that of ,christianity1 #adg4   
unwritten to the antediluvian world1    
#bce4   both old and new in its         
doctrine1 #cbc4   sources of1 manifold1 
#ejc4  ,roman ,empire1 law of1 #bic4    
compared with the ,mohammedan1 #big4    
,s  ,skepticism1 the author of it1 #ebh4
  ,scepter1 the1 a judicial symbol1     
#bgi4  ,schelling1 his philosophy1 #bj4 
,schools1 philosophy of1 unintelligible1
 #aa4   their compared with that of     
life1 #aa4   philosophy improperly      
confined to them1 #fi4   disputations of

 the schoolmen1 #bdh4  ,science1        
physical1 no system of1 in the ,bible1  
#ga4   its imperfect character1 #gc4    
of nature1 medicine a basis of1 #gh4    
modern1 its atheistical tendency1 #aee4 
dissension between science and faith1   
#aic4   discernment the link between1   
and faith1 #aie4   reconcilable with    
faith1 #aih4   supreme1 the mind the    
principle of1 #bae4   idolatry of1 #baf4
   its identity with faith1 #bag4   its 
pantheism1 #bbj4   its relation to life1
 #bcb4   that of ,christianity--see     
,christianity4   a great power for good1
 #cae4   free development of1 #cag4   a 
real power for good1 #cai4   theocracy  
of1 #cbi4   illustrations of1 #ccj4   to
 be brought about only by ,god1 #ccc4   
the idea of1 #dhh4  ,scripture not the  
original revelation1 #ff4   contains no 
system of physical science1 #ga4        
considered as the sword of the ,spirit1 
#bcj4  ,sculpture1 its symbolical       
character1 #beg4   its alliance to      
architecture1 #bfj4  ,self1 sacrifice   

of1 brings us near to ,god1 #aji4   how 
far necessary1 #aaj4  ,senses1 their    
triple character1 #ca1 #dca4   influence
 of fancy on1 #ca4   the external1 #dcj4
   higher sensuality1 its character1    
#cc4   developments of1 #dcb4  ,sleep an
 essential law of nature1 #hi4  ,soul1  
the thinking1 the center of thought1    
#bc4   the center of moral life1 #bh4   
its unconscious conceptions1 #bi4       
divided between the abstracting and     
classifying    reason and the inventive 
fancy1 #bi4   its four principal        
branches1 #cj4   the loving1 the center 
of moral life1 #da4   its share in      
knowledge1 #dh4   furnishes the         
cognitive mind with language1 #dh4   its
 faculties in relationship to the       
reason1 #ej4   the receptive organ of   
revelation1 #fh4   considered in        
relation to nature1 #gj4   considered in
 relation to ,god1 #ie4   of animals1   
#aba4   its migration among the stars1  
#ach4   the principle of faith1 #bac4   
faith its firmament1 #bag4   the mutual 

dependence of it with thought1 #cfe4    
its identity with spirit1 #cfg4   its   
union with the spirit1 #ddb4   the idea 
of ,god must maintain it1 #ddc4   see   
,mind4  ,speech the outward projection  
of thought1 #cgi4   varied by moral     
diversities1 #cib4  ,spinosa1 system of1
 #dha4   its influence1 #dhd4  ,spirits 
besides those of men1 #bd4   the higher1
 incorporeal1 #be4   contain the essence
 of mind1 #ajc4  ,spirits1 influence of 
evil1 on nature1 #abd4   created1       
without freedom1 #acd4   immortal ones  
with animal forms1 #ace4   ,scriptures  
the sword of the ,spirit1 #bcj4   see   
,soul4  ,stars1 migration of the soul   
among1 #ach4  ,state1 the1 its collision
 with the ,church1 #bii1 #cjd4          
separation of1 #cjf4  ,stoics1 the1     
#bdd4  ,subjective1 the1 the principle  
of mythology1 #bah4  ,superstition1 its 
identity with infidelity1 #baa4         
,symbols1 nature best described by1     
#adj4   characterize all art1 #beg4     
characterize education1 #bfb4           

characterizes man's nature1 #bfc4       
those of religion1 #bfd4   their        
equation of life1 #bfi4   those of the  
judicial1 #bgi4  ,system1 use and abuse 
of1 #cdf4   consistency of idea1 the    
essence of1 #cdg4   ,t  ,talmud1 trinity
 of1 #bjd4  ,teutons1 their affinity to 
the ,indians1 #cjg4  ,theocracy1 the    
true idea of1 #cbj4   the ,jewish1 #cba4
   ,moses1 as founder of1 #cba4         
revelation both old and new in its      
doctrine1 #cbc4   the ,judges1 as       
ministers of1 #cbd4   kept alive by the 
,prophets1 #cbf4   false notions of1    
#cbg4   exists in overruling            
,providence1 #cbg4   that of science1   
#cbi4   illustrations of1 from ,greek1  
,roman1 ,medieval1 and ,hindoo          
literature1 #cca4   illustrations of1   
from ,old and ,new ,testament and       
,christian literature1 #ccb4   only to  
be brought about by ,god1 #ccc4         
,theodice1 its perplexities1 #abj4      
,theology1 difference of philosophy of  
life from1 #ahh4   natural1 #aib4   in  

method must be rational1 #eaj4          
,thought1 the mutual dependence of it   
with feeling1 #cfe4   speech its outward
 projection1 #cgi4   an inward speech or
 dialogue1 #chj4   dialogue the true    
form assumed by1 #cha4   innate ideas   
and forms of1 #cii4   pure1 its         
character1 #dfa4  ,throne1 the1 a       
judicial symbol1 #bgi4  ,time1 #dja4    
its twofold character1 #djc4   not      
excluded from the idea of ,god1 #djd4   
not irreconcilable with eternity1 #dje4 
,trinity1 the1 of ,god1 #aig4   of the  
,hindoos1 #bjb4   of the ,platonists1   
#bjb4   of the ,talmud1 #bjd4  ,truth1  
man's general sense for1 #add4   final  
manifestation of1 #aeb4   intermediate  
conflict of1 with error1 #aec4          
falsehood to be fought with its own     
weapons1 #aef4   a struggle for truth   
the conflict of the age1 #aeh4   untruth
 the spirit of the age1 #aei4   call for
 union among the friends of1 #afj4      
final triumph of1 #afa4   patience      
essential to the pursuit of1 #aii4   the

 twofold spirit of truth and error1     
#bjf4   struggle between1 and error1    
#bjg4   pantheism and rationalism alike 
fatal to it1 #bbf4   not established by 
refutation of error1 #bbi4   right      
method of propagating it1 #bbi4   its   
relation to life1 #bcb4   consistency   
the criterion of1 #beb4   progress of1  
#dfg4   knowledge of possible1 #dij4    
development of1 slow and gradual1 #ecd4 
,u  ,understanding1 the1 considered     
apart from reason1 #ee4   the only      
proper organ for acquiring a knowledge  
of ,god1 #eg4   a co-operating cause in 
the formation and diffusion of error1   
#bbc4   may be predicated of ,god1 #cga4
  ,unity1 means of restoration to1 #aic4
   yearnings of the mind after1 #cgg4   
,w  ,westphalia1 peace of1 a            
master-stroke of policy1 #ahc  ,will1   
its concurrence in faith a co-operating 
cause in    the formation and diffusion 
of error1 #bbc4   freedom of1 #cgc4   in
 man and angels1 #cgd4   manifested in  
doubt1 #cge4  ,wisdom1 created1 #die4   

,wit1 origin and forms of1 #ddg4        
,women1 the soul pre-eminent in their   
mental constitution1 #df4  ,world1 the  
preadamite1 a paradise for angels1 #abe4
   antediluvian1 mental state of1 #bcc4 
unwritten revelations to it1 #bce4      
conceptions of the antediluvian         
inadequate1 #bcf4   ,,the ,,end4        
99       99       99       99       99  
,,valuable ,,school ,,classics          
,,recently ,,published ,,by  ,,harper   
,,and ,,brothers1 ,,new ,,york4         
,,eclectic ,,moral ,,philosophy4     ,by
 ,rev4 ,j4 ,r4 ,,boyd1 ,a4,m4 #abmo1 #a 
#jj4    ,,elements ,,of ,,rhetoric ,,and
 ,,literary ,,criticism4     ,on the    
,basis of the recent ,works of ,reid and
 ,connell3 with     other ,additions ,by
 ,j4 ,r4 ,,boyd1 ,a4,m4 #ahmo1 half     
bound1 #ej cents4    ,,letters ,,on     
,,astronomy4     ,by ,,denison          
,,olmsted1 ,,ll4,d4 #abmo1 #ge cents4   
,,the ,,useful ,,arts1     ,considered  
in connection with the ,application of  
,science4     ,by ,j4 ,,bigelow1 ,m4,d4 

#b vols4 #abmo1 #a #ej4    ,,loomis',s  
,,treatise ,,on ,,algebra4     #hvo1    
,sheep1 #a #be4    ,,clark',s ,,elements
 ,,of ,,algebra4     #hvo1 ,sheep extra1
 #a #jj4    ,,hackley',s ,,treatise ,,on
 ,,algebra4     ,containing the latest  
improvements4 #hvo1 ,sheep extra1 #a    
#ej4    ,,prof4 ,,salkeld',s ,,first    
,,book ,,in ,,spanish4 7,in press47     
,,prof4 ,,salkeld',s ,,classical        
,,antiquities4     #a vol4 #abmo1 #cg   
cents4    ,m',,clintock ,,and           
,,crooks',s ,,first ,,book ,,in ,,latin4
     #abmo1 ,sheep extra1 #ge cents4    
,,treatise ,,on ,,organic ,,chemistry4  
,by ,,john ,,william ,,draper1 ,m4,d4   
,engravings4 #dto1 ,muslin gilt1 #b #ej4
    ,,text-,,book ,,on ,,chemistry4     
,by ,,john ,,william ,,draper1 ,m4,d4   
,nearly #cjj ,engravings4     #abmo1    
,sheep1 #ge cents4    ,,kane',s         
,,elements ,,of ,,chemistry4     ,edited
 by ,,john ,,william ,,draper1 ,m4,d4   
#bej ,plates4 #hvo1 ,muslin1 #b #jj4    
,,first ,,principles ,,of ,,natural     

,,philosophy4     ,by ,,james ,,renwick1
 ,,ll4,d4 ,engravings4 #ahmo1 #ge cents4
    ,,first ,,principles ,,of           
,,chemistry4     ,by ,,james ,,renwick1 
,,ll4,d4 ,engravings4 #ahmo1 #ge cents4 
,,practical ,,mechanics4     ,by ,,james
 ,,renwick1 ,,ll4,d4 ,engravings4 #ahmo1
 half ,sheep1 #ij cents4    ,,logic1    
,,ratiocinative ,,and ,,inductive4      
,by ,j4 ,,stuart ,,mill4 #hvo1 ,muslin  
gilt1 #b #jj4    ,,aids ,,to ,,english  
,,composition4     ,by ,,richard ,,green
 ,,parker1 ,a4,m4 #ahmo1 ,muslin1       
#hj cents2 ,sheep extra1 #ij cts4       
,,new ,,pictorial ,,school ,,geography4 
,by ,,sidney ,e4 ,,morse1 ,a4,m4        
,embellished by nearly ,one ,hundred and
     ,fifty ,engravings1 and about      
,fifty ,cerographic ,maps1 in ,colors4  
,price #ej cents4    ,,plato ,,against  
,,the ,,atheists4     ,by ,,tayler      
,,lewis1 ,,ll4,d4 #abmo1 ,muslin gilt1  
#a #ej4    ,,the ,,practical            
,,astronomer4     ,by ,,thomas ,,dick1  
,,ll4,d4 ,illustrated with ,one ,hundred

 ,engravings4 #abmo1       ,muslin gilt1
 #ej cents4    ,,elements ,,of          
,,morality4     ,including ,polity4 ,by 
,,william ,,whewell1 ,d4,d4 #b vols4    
#abmo1 ,muslin gilt1       #a #jj4      
,,the ,,captives1 ,a ,,comedy ,,of      
,,plautus4     ,with ,english ,notes1   
for the ,use of ,students4 ,by ,,john   
,,proudfit1 ,d4,d4 #ahmo1       #cg     
cents4    ,a ,,classical ,,dictionary4  
,by ,,charles ,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4 ,royal 
#hvo1 ,sheep1 #d #ge4    ,a ,,dictionary
 ,,of ,,greek ,,and ,,roman             
,,antiquities4     ,edited by ,w4       
,,smith1 ,ph4,d4 ,first ,american       
edition1 corrected and     enlarged by  
,,charles ,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4 #hvo1      
,sheep1 #a #ge4  ,classical ,works      
published by ,harper  ,brothers4        
,,dictionary ,,of ,,antiquities1        
,,abridged4     ,with ,corrections and  
,improvements1 by ,,charles ,,anthon1   
,,ll4,d4 #abmo1 half       ,sheep1 #a   
#be4    ,,new ,,greek ,,and ,,english   
,,lexicon4     ,by ,,henry ,,drisler1   

,a4,m41 under the ,supervision of ,prof4
 ,anthon4     #hvo1 #e #jj4    ,a       
,,grammar ,,of ,,the ,,latin ,,language4
     ,by ,c4 ,g4 ,,zumpt1 ,ph4,d4       
,corrected and enlarged by ,,charles    
,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4       #abmo1 ,sheep  
extra1 #ij cents4    ,,the ,,eclogues   
,,and ,,georgics ,,of ,,virgil4         
,with ,english ,notes1 critical and     
explanatory4 ,by ,,charles ,,anthon1    
,,ll4,d4       #abmo1 ,sheep extra1 #a  
#ej4    ,,the ,,anabasis ,,of           
,,xenophon4     ,with ,english ,notes1  
critical and explanatory4 ,by ,,charles 
,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4       #abmo1 ,sheep  
extra4 7,in press47    ,,greek ,,reader4
     ,principally from ,jacobs4 ,edited 
by ,,charles ,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4 #abmo1  
,sheep       extra1 #a #ge4             
,c,,sar',s ,,commentaries ,,on ,,the    
,,gallic ,,war4     ,edited by ,,charles
 ,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4 ,map1 ,portrait1 c4 
#abmo1 ,sheep extra1       #a #dj4      
,,system ,,of ,,latin ,,versification4  
,by ,,charles ,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4 #abmo1 

,sheep extra1 #ij cents4    ,,the ,,neid
 ,,of ,,virgil4     ,edited by ,,charles
 ,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4 ,portrait and many  
,illustrations4 #abmo1       ,sheep     
extra1 #b #jj4    ,,the ,,works ,,of    
,,horace4     ,edited by ,,charles      
,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4 #abmo1 ,sheep extra1 
#a #ge4    ,,latin ,,grammar1 ,,part ,i4
     ,by ,,charles ,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4   
#abmo1 ,sheep extra1 #ij cents4         
,,latin ,,grammar1 ,,part ,,ii4     ,by 
,,charles ,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4 #abmo1     
,sheep extra1 #ij cents4    ,,system    
,,of ,,latin ,,prosody ,,and ,,metre4   
,by ,,charles ,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4 #abmo1 
,sheep extra1 #ij cents4    ,,select    
,,orations ,,of ,,cicero4     ,edited by
 ,,charles ,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4 ,portrait1
 #abmo1 ,sheep extra1 #a #bj4           
,,sallust',s ,,jugurthine ,,war ,,and   
,,conspiracy ,,of ,,catiline4           
,edited by ,,charles ,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4 
#abmo1 ,sheep extra1 #hg cents4         
,,greek ,,lessons1 ,,part ,i4     ,by   
,,charles ,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4 #abmo1     

,sheep extra1 #ij cents4    ,,greek     
,,lessons1 ,,part ,,ii4     ,by         
,,charles ,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4 #abmo1     
,sheep extra1 #ij cents4    ,,system    
,,of ,,greek ,,prosody ,,and ,,metre4   
,by ,,charles ,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4 #abmo1 
,sheep extra1 #ij cents4    ,,homer',s  
,,iliad4     ,edited by ,,charles       
,,anthon1 ,,ll4,d4 #abmo1 ,sheep extra1 
#a #ej4    ,,grammar ,,of ,,the ,,greek 
,,language4     ,by ,,charles ,,anthon1 
,,ll4,d4 #abmo1 ,sheep extra1 #ij cents4
    ,,new ,,grammar ,,of ,,the ,,greek  
,,language4     ,from the ,german of    
,khner1 ,matthi1 ,buttmann1 ,rost1 and  
,thiersch4 ,by ,,chas       ,,anthon1   
,,ll4,d4 #abmo4 ,sheep extra1 #ij cents4
    ,,family ,,classical ,,library4     
,comprising ,translations of the best   
,classics4 #cf vols4     #ahmo1 ,muslin 
gilt1 #de cents each4    ,,elements ,,of
 ,,mental ,,philosophy4     ,by         
,professor ,,thomas ,c4 ,,upham4 #b     
vols4 #abmo1 ,sheep extra1 #b #ej4      
,the same ,work abridged4 #abmo1 ,sheep 

extra1 #a #be4    ,a ,,philosophical    
,,and ,,practical ,,treatise ,,on ,,the 
,,will4 ,by ,professor ,,thomas ,c4     
,,upham4 #abmo1 ,sheep extra1 #a #be4   
,,footnotes3  #a ,shakspeare4 ,hamlet1  
,act ,i41 ,scene ,v4      8,there are   
more things in heaven and earth1        
,horatio1      ,than are dreamt of in   
your philosophy40  ,schlegel seems to   
have read our1 which is the reading of  
the folio of #afbc4--,trans4  #b ,the   
of ,anaxagoras4 ,a brief1 but           
characteristic sketch of these earlier  
philosophemes is given in ,thirlwall's  
,history of ,greece1 vol ii4 ,see1 also1
 ,ritter's ,history of ,philosophy1 vol4
 i--,trans4  #c ,schlegel is here       
alluding to ,condillac and his theory of
 transformed sensations4--,trans4  #d   
,kant4 ,for a full and systematic view  
or modern ,german philosophy1 see       
,michelet's ,geschichte d4 letzten      
,systeme d4 ,phil4 in ,deutschland1     
,berlin1 #ahcg-h4 ,some able and        
ingenious essays on its errors and      

abuses are to be found in ,fred4        
,ancillon's ,essais de ,philosophie1 de 
,politique1 et de ,littrature4--,trans4 
#e ,jacobi1 in his                      
,glauben's-,philosophie4--,trans4  #f   
,fichte's ,wissenschaftslehre4--,trans4 
#g ,schelling's                         
,natur-,philosophie4--,trans4  #h       
,schlegel is alluding to those systems  
which suppose a primary and original    
essence1 which1 by its successive       
spontaneous developments1 produce every 
thing else out of itself4 ,this absolute
 original of all things was by          
,schelling1 after ,spinosa1 called      
natura naturans1 while1 by a phraseology
 which happily indicates the identity of
 the self-developing subject and its    
objective developments1 the totality of 
the objects derived from it are termed  
natura naturata4--,trans4  #i ,hegel4   
,for a view of his philosophy1 see the  
,article ,hegel1 in the ,penny          
,cyclopdia1 and ,morel's ,speculative   
,philosophy of ,europe in the           

,nineteenth ,century1 vol4 ii41 p4      
#aca4--,trans4  #aj ,schlegel is        
speaking of ,byron1 and his ,cain1 a    
,mystery4--,trans4  #aa      8,dein     
,wissen theilest du mit vorgezogenen    
,geistern2      ,die ,kunst1 o ,mensch1 
hast du allein40                        
,,schiller',s ,kunstlehre4--,trans4     
#ab ,that by geist1 spirit1 and not mind
 merely1 is here meant1 will be doubted 
by no one who considers the scriptural  
basis of these ,lectures4 ,schlegel     
seems to have had in view #a ,thess41   
v41 #bc4 ,in the ,german geist stands   
both for mind and spirit1 which1        
however1 in ,english are equivalent     
neither in use nor meaning4 ,whenever1  
therefore1 the translator is compelled  
by the ,english idiom to translate geist
 and its derivatives by mind and its    
cognates1 and it is essential to keep in
 view the identity of the matter by the 
sameness of expression1 he will indicate
 it by adding the ,german original in a 
bracket4  #ac ,st4 ,john1 iii41         

#h4--,trans4  #ad ,leibnitz4--,trans4   
#ae ,it is clear from what follows1 that
 ,schlegel used the term ,fancy in a    
wide and general sense1 which embraces1 
first1 its original use in ancient      
philosophy1 as the faculty of conception
 771 which reproduces the images of     
objects whether present or absent2      
secondly1 imagination1 which is         
essential to all authors2 and thirdly1  
fancy1 in a narrow sense--or the poetic 
fancy4 ,it is in this wide sense that   
the translator employs it after ,milton 
who uses it1 as more extensive than     
imagination1 when he says of fancy1     
8,of all the external things     ,which 
the five watchful senses represent1     
,she forms imaginations1 aery shapes40  
,par4 ,lost1 ,book ,v4  ,indeed the     
whole of the speech of ,raphael in this 
fifth book contains a striking affinity 
of thought and idea with ,schlegel4 ,we 
have there man's triple constituents1   
body1 soul1 and spirit--reason and fancy
 in the soul1 of which reason is the    

being or essence--while discursive      
reason is appropriated to man1 but      
intuitive reason is made the prerogative
 of the 8purest spirits0--8the pure     
intelligential substances40--,trans4    
#af ,in the original zugetheilte1 said  
of a matter assigned for investigation  
to a particular judge1 or of the judge  
appointed to examine and report upon    
it4--,trans4  #ag ,vernunft1 from       
,vernehmen4  #ah ,the ,rosetta stone1   
which led to the hieroglyphical         
discoveries of ,young and of            
,champollion4--,trans4  #ai 8,god is a  
loving ,spirit10 page #eg4--,trans4  #bj
 ,schlegel is here alluding to1 and     
adapting to the purpose of his          
illustration1 ,acts1 v41 #ae1           
#af4--,trans4  #ba #b ,peter1 iii41 #h4 
#bb ,these words were uttered scarcely  
twenty years ago1 and now beyond        
,uranus1 another planet1 whose          
8vibrations have been long felt upon    
paper10 is added to the heavenly choir4 
,on the other hand1 if ,sir ,wm4        

,hamilton's hopes are realized1 will not
 the discovery of the center around     
which the solar system revolves         
establish another point of resemblance  
between modern astronomy and the        
,pythagorean system with its central    
fire2 and1 also1 as ,schlegel           
subsequently implies1 that the former   
has yet further advances to             
make8--,trans4  #bc ,or the central     
fire1 according to ,boeckh1 around which
 the whole planetary heavens revolve1   
and which is also the source of light1  
which being collected by the visible    
sun1 is transmitted to the earth4 ,by   
the  or counter-earth1 whose revolution 
is parallel and concentric with that of 
the earth1 ,boeckh understands that half
 of the terrestrial globe which1 as     
turned away from the sun1 is in         
darkness4 ,sea ,august4 ,boeckh 8de     
,platonico systemate clestium globorum1 
et de vere indole astronomi ,philolaic10
 or his 8,philolaus10 pp4 #aad-acf1 and 
,ideler 8,ueber d4 ,verhaltniss d4      

,copernicus zum ,alterthum10 in the     
,museum d4 ,alterthumswissenschaft1 ,bd4
 ii41 ,st4 ii41  #dje1 c4--,trans4  #bd 
,romans1 viii41 #bj4  #be ,schlegel is  
alluding to such principles as the      
8,cogito ergo sum0 of ,des ,cartes1 and 
especially to the cognate axiom of      
,fichte3 8,das ich setzt sich selbst40  
8,the ,me posits or affirms             
itself40--,trans4  #bf ,hegel4  #bg     
,daniel1 ix41 #bc4 ,in our authorized   
translation it stands 8greatly beloved10
 but in the ,hebrew it is as given in   
the margin1 8a man of desires20 in the  
,septuagint1  4--,trans4  #bh #a ,cor41 
xiii41 #ac4  #bi ,theodice1 or          
justification of the ways of ,god in the
 world4 ,the word originated with       
,leibnitz1 who1 in his 8,essai de       
,theodice sur la bont de ,dieu1 la      
libert de l'homme et l'origine du mal10 
published in #agaj1 maintained that the 
existence of moral evil has its origin  
in the free will of the creature1 while 
metaphysical evil is nothing but the    

limitation which is involved in the     
essence of finite beings1 and that out  
of this both physical and moral evil    
naturally flow4 ,but these finite beings
 are designed to attain to the utmost   
felicity they are capable of enjoying1  
which each1 as a part1 contributes to   
the perfection of the whole1 which1 of  
the many worlds that were possible1 is  
the very best4 ,on this account it has  
been called the theory of               
,optimism4--,trans4  #cj ,does not this 
appearance of a common character among  
brutes of the same species arise rather 
from the imperfection of our            
observation8 ,is not every sheep an     
individual to the shepherd8--,trans4    
#ca ,schlegel appears to have believed  
in the theory of equivocal generation4  
,but microscopic research and           
experiments forbid us any longer to     
believe that fermentative or            
putrefactive matter spontaneously gives 
birth to living creatures4 ,such matters
 do but furnish the necessary           

circumstances for hatching the germs or 
ova which are present in such immense   
numbers in the atmosphere4 ,the doctrine
 of equivocal or spontaneous generation 
seems conclusively refuted by the       
experiment of ,schulze1 detailed in     
volume #bc of ,jameson's ,journal4 8,i  
filled a glass flask half full with     
distilled water1 in which ,i had mixed  
various vegetable and animal substances4
 ,i then closed it with a good cork1    
through which ,i passed two glass tubes1
 bent at right angles1 the whole being  
air-tight4 ,it was next placed in a     
sand-bath and heated until the water    
boiled violently1 and thus all parts had
 reached a temperature of #bab          
,fahrenheit4 ,while the watery vapor was
 escaping by the glass tubes1 ,i        
fastened at each end an apparatus which 
chemists employ for collecting carbonic 
acid2 that to the left was filled with  
sulphuric acid1 and the other with a    
solution of potash4 ,by means of the    
boiling heat1 every thing living and all

 the germs in the flask or in the tubes 
were destroyed1 and all access was cut  
off by the sulphuric acid on the one    
side1 and by the potash on the other4 ,i
 placed this easily-moved apparatus     
before my window1 where it was exposed  
to the action of light1 and also1 as ,i 
performed my experiments in the summer1 
to that of heat4 ,at the same time ,i   
placed near it an open vessel with the  
same substances that had been introduced
 into the flask1 and also after having  
subjected them to a boiling temperature4
 ,in order now to renew the air         
constantly within the flask1 ,i sucked  
with my mouth1 several times a-day1 the 
open end of the apparatus filled with   
solution of potash2 by which process1   
the air entered my mouth from the flask1
 through the caustic liquid1 and the    
atmospheric air from without entered the
 flask through the sulphuric acid4 ,the 
air was1 of course1 not altered in its  
composition by passing through the      
sulphuric acid into the flask2 but if   

sufficient time was allowed for the     
passage1 all the portions of living     
matter1 or of matter capable of becoming
 animated1 were taken up by the         
sulphuric acid and destroyed4 ,from the 
#bhth of ,may until the early part of   
,august1 ,i continued uninterruptedly   
the renewal of the air in the flask1    
without being able1 by the aid of a     
microscope1 to perceive any living      
animal or vegetable substance1 although1
 during the whole of the time1 ,i made  
my observations almost daily on the edge
 of the liquid2 and when at last ,i     
separated the different parts of the    
apparatus1 ,i could not find in the     
whole liquid the slightest trace of     
,infusoria1 ,conferv1 or of ,mold4 ,but 
all the three presented themselves in a 
few days after ,i left the flask open4  
,and the open vessel too1 which ,i      
placed near the apparatus1 contained on 
the following day1 ,vibriones and       
,monades1 to which were soon added      
larger ,polygastric ,infusoria1 and     

afterward1 ,rotatoria40--,trans4  #cb   
,although1 in the case of the entozoa1  
the induction is not very large1 still1 
of some of them it is an established    
fact that they are generated from ova1  
and it is therefore a fair presumption  
that such is the general law1 and that  
these parasitical beings are1 in every  
case1 hatched from ova1 which are every 
where present1 but remain undeveloped   
until they meet with the necessary      
nutriment and heat for their            
development4--,trans4  #cc ,isaiah1     
lxv41 #ag4  #cd ,in this and the        
following paragraph it is necessary to  
bear in mind that ,schlegel1 as a member
 of the ,roman ,catholic ,church1 held  
the doctrine of a purgatory1 which the  
catechism of the ,council of ,trent     
describes as a fire1 8in which the souls
 of the pious are tortured for a certain
 time1 and expiated1 that they may be   
qualified to enter that eternal country 
into which nothing enters that is       
unclean40 8,purgatorius ignis1 quo      

piorum anim ad definitum tempus cruciat 
expiantur1 ut eis in ternam patriam     
ingressus patere possit1 in quam nihil  
coinquinatum ingreditur40--,cat4 ,conc4 
,trid41 pars i41 art4 v41 c4            
#e4--,trans4  #ce ,eph41 vi41 #ab2      
,col41 ii41 #ae1 c4  #cf ,dell'         
,inferno1 ,canto ,,iii4                 
8444444444444 quel cattivo coro         
,degli angeli che non furon rebelli1    
,n fur fedeli a ,dio1 ma per ae foro4   
,cacciarli i ,ciel1 per non esser men   
belli2       ,n lo profundo ,inferno gli
 riceve1       ,ch' alcuna gloria i rel 
avrebber d' elli40  ,thus rendered by   
,carey3--      84444444444444 with that 
ill-band     ,of angels mixed1 who nor  
rebellious proved     ,nor yet were true
 to ,god1 but for themselves     ,were  
only4 ,from his bounds ,heaven drove    
them1     ,not to impair his luster2 nor
 the depth     ,of ,hell receives them1 
lest th' accursed tribe     ,should     
glory thence with exultation            
vain40--,trans4   #cg ,gal41 iii41 #bd4 

#ch ,the ,gnostics and the              
,manichees4--,trans4  #ci ,the ,arians1 
with all the other rationalizing sects  
of ,notus1 ,paul of ,samosata1          
,sabellius1 and the like4--,trans4  #dj 
,the schism of the ,east and ,west--of  
the ,greek and ,roman churches--produced
 by the illegal interference of the     
bishops of ,rome1 in the diocese of the 
,patriarch of ,constantinople4--,trans4 
#da ,luke xxii41 #ch4  #db ,rev41 xiv41 
#f4  #dc #a ,kings1 iii41 #af4  #dd ,the
 ,apocalypse or ,revelations of ,st4    
,john the ,divine4--,trans4  #de ,matt41
 xxiii41 #ac4  #df ,acts1 vii41 #bb4    
#dg ,schlegel is apparently alluding to 
the triumph of ,mohammedism in ,asia and
 ,africa1 and the almost total          
extinction of ,christianity in those    
quarters of the world4--,trans4  #dh    
8,die ,weltgeschichte ist das           
,weltgericht40  ,,schiller',s ,ode to   
,resignation4   #di ,the following      
passage forcibly expresses ,schlegel's  
thoughts on this point3--8,les individus

 de l'espce humaine s'chappent          
quelquefois aux suites de leurs actions1
 qui dans la rgle doivent tre regardes  
comme les justes chtimens des           
infractions faites  la loi de ,dieu4    
,les nations ne sauraient s'y           
soustraire2 car leur existence se       
prolonge et se projette dans un espace  
immense1 o les lois eternelles trouvent 
leur sanction et leur entier            
accomplissement4 ,c'est l que la        
terrible ,nmsis se dploie tout entire1  
et exerce sur le crime sa bienfaisante  
raction2 c'est sur la longue route que  
dcrivent les nations que1 dans sa marche
 lente1 silencieuse1 mais sre1 elle     
punit la licence par le despotisme1 et  
le despotisme par l'insurrection1 o par 
la dgnration des peuples2 c'est l que   
l'goisme et immoralit des peuples1 la   
lchet et la faiblesse des souverains et 
la servilit amnent des rsultats aussi   
terribles qu'invitables4 ,on peut dire  
d'eux3 #8,habuerent vitia opatium       
exemplorum4'0--,,ancillon4 ,essais de   

,philosophe1 de ,politique1 et de la    
,littrature1 tom4 ii4--,trans4  #ej     
,voltaire4  #ea ,in the book of ,job we 
have a picture of this earlier and purer
 religion of nature1 as professed by    
this ,iduman ,gentile1 while1 in his    
vindication of himself1 we read a       
testimony to the existence of the       
beginnings of idolatry in the worship of
 the host of heaven4 xxxi41 #e4--,trans4
  #eb ,this statement does not          
necessarily imply the ,romish doctrine  
of transubstantiation4 ,it is fully met 
in an unobjectionable sense by the      
,catholic tenet of the real             
presence4--,trans4  #ec ,schlegel is    
apparently referring to the ,constituent
 ,assembly of the ,french               
,revolution4--,trans4  #ed #b ,sam41    
xxiv41 #ad4  #ee ,john1 viii41 #cf4  #ef
 ,in this and the following sentence    
,schlegel is alluding to ,holland and   
,poland4--,trans4  #eg ,the ,kaiser was 
in theory the temporal lord of the whole
 earth2 according to the words of the   

,sachsen-,spiegel1 8,zwei swert liess   
,got in ertriche zu beschirmene dy      
,christenheit1 dem ,pabste das          
geistliche1 den ,keiser das werltliche40
 8,two swords has ,god left to the world
 to protect ,christianity2 7having      
given7 to the ,pope the spiritual1 and  
the temporal to the ,emperor40 ,the     
claim of the ,empire to universal       
dominion was indicated by the sword     
pointing to the four points of the      
heavens1 while as the 8,holy ,empire0 it
 was its duty to exterminate not only   
the ,heathens and the ,moslems1 but also
 the false ,christians1 as the members  
of the ,greek ,church were regarded by  
the ,west4 ,in the medieval constitution
 of the ,empire1 a symbolical character 
prevails throughout4 ,seven were its    
shields3 of these the first was borne by
 the ,emperor2 the second by the        
spiritual ,electors2 the third by the   
temporal ,princes2 the fourth and fifth 
by the ,counts and ,knights of the      
,empire2 the sixth by their vassals2 and

 the seventh by the free burghers and   
peasants4 ,seven1 also1 was the original
 number of the ,hereditary ,electors of 
the ,empire4 ,three spiritual ,princes1 
the ,archbishops of ,mayence1 ,cologne1 
and ,treves1 as chancellors1            
respectively of the ,empire1 of         
,burgundy1 and of ,italy4 ,four temporal
 ,electors3 the ,prince ,palatine of the
 ,rhine1 who1 as grand-carver1 carried  
the imperial apple at the coronation2   
the ,duke of ,saxony ,wittemberg1 who1  
as marshal1 carried the sword2 the      
,margrave of ,brandenburg1 who1 as      
grand-chamberlain1 bore the scepter2 and
 the ,king of ,bohemia1 who1 as         
cupbearer1 presented the cup4 ,the      
election of the ,emperor was held at    
,frankfort-on-the-,maine2 the coronation
 at ,aix2 and the new ,emperor held his 
first diet at ,nuremberg4--,trans4  #eh 
#b ,tim41 iv41 #g4  #ei ,the words in   
the bracket are not in the original4 ,as
 a loyal priest of a true branch of that
 ,church which is built on the          

foundation of the ,apostles1 the        
translator could not help to give       
currency to such a misrepresentation of 
it4 ,henry ,,viii4 can stand on his own 
merits1 or1 rather1 demerits4 ,it seems1
 however1 to be what ,schlegel would    
call an historical retribution1 that the
 universal supremacy claimed by the     
bishops of ,rome1 as it was confirmed by
 a ,phocas1 should be first shaken by a 
,henry ,,viii4--,trans4  #fj ,pius      
,,vii4  #fa ,cshatriyas4 7,see          
8,philosophy of ,history10 p4 #adf47    
#fb ,see ,philosophy of ,life1 p4 #be4  
#fc ,see quotation from the 8,die       
,kunstlehre0 of ,schiller1 8,philosophy 
of ,life10 p4 #be4  #fd ,alexander von  
,humboldt4  #fe ,the passages thus      
indicated were marked by ,schlegel      
himself for revision4  #ff ,shakspeare4 
,hamlet1 ,act i41 ,scene v4  #fg        
,philosophy of ,life1 p4 #aac4  #fh ,st4
 ,james1 c4 ii41 v4 #e4  #fi ,in the    
original the three terms are--,gewissen1
 ,wissen1 and ,gewissheit4  #gj ,the    

three primary vowels1 according to ,bopp
 and ,grimm1 are a1 i1 u1 e and o being 
dipthongal compounds of ai and ao       
respectively4 ,the former appears from a
 comparison between the ,greek 1 ,latin 
sphra1 and our sphere2 or1 again1 from 1
 ,mus1 pronounced by us ,mus2 or from   
the ,ionic form 1 of dat4 plur4 4 ,to   
prove that au gives o1 it will be       
sufficient from many instances to give  
one3--the ,latin pauci1 in the ,spanish 
and ,italian dialects of the ,romance is
 poco4  ,the simple alphabet of ten     
elementary sounds may stand thus3--     
,three vowels        a1 i1 u4   ,three  
consonants    p1 t1 k1 or b1 d1 g in the
 mediate form1 given as by              
,schlegel4   ,three liquids       l1 n1 
r4   ,sibilant            s4--,trans4   
#ga ,on the ,hebrew alphabet1 see       
,latham's 8,the ,english ,language10 p4 
#ahd4--,trans4  #gb      8,die ,zeit hat
 ,glauben nicht1 noch ,liebe2      ,wo  
wre dann die ,hoffnung die ihr bleibe80 
#gc ,the philosophy of ,schelling       

professed to be a system of identity1   
and had for its basis the principle of  
the sameness of subject and             
object4--,see ,philosophy of ,life1     
note1 p4 #bj4--,trans4  #gd ,schlegel is
 here again alluding to the philosophy  
of ,schelling4--,trans4  #ge ,our       
language can not give the etymological  
connection of the thoughts in this      
sentence4 ,the original is3 ,die zweyte 
wre dann ein ,empfinden1 nmlich das     
volle gewisse ,in sich finden einer     
,wahrehit4         99       99       99 
99       99  ,typographical errors      
corrected by the etext transcriber3     
these rerespects these respects pg #ab  
genuiue longing genuine longing pg #ci  
however often and painsfully however    
often and painfully pg #hj  the the     
whole human race the whole human race pg
 #aaf  there will over remain there will
 ever remain pg #aah  the world out of  
eunui the world out of ennui pg #abh    
pride and siffneckedness pride and      
stiffneckedness pg #bjg  that can can   

extricate that can extricate pg #bbg    
numbered numberbered pg #bdd  betwen the
 imperial and the between the imperial  
and the pg #bgi  from beginnind to end2 
into a gespotism from beginning to end2 
into a despotism pg #bih  extremly      
extremely pg #bih  mamely namely pg #cbc
  characteristies characteristics pg    
#cbc  some higher impluse some higher   
impulse pg #cbh  external realtions     
external relations pg #cde  passed      
though the first passed through the     
first pg #cej  confusion of lanage      
confusion of language pg #cee           
necessarrily necessarily pg #cfg        
explaning explaining pg #che  ,sancrit  
,sanscrit pg #chi  adopted thoughout    
,asia adopted throughout ,asia pg #cij  
considered perfecly deaf considered     
perfectly deaf pg #dce  die ihr blebe   
die ihr bleibe pg #deg note  scienitfic 
imagination scientific imagination pg   
#dia  deficiences deficiencies pg #dii  
if the term be perferred if the term be 
prerferred pg #ejd  materialzing system 

materializing system pg #eba  patience  
esssential to the pursuit of1 #aii4     
patience essential to the pursuit of1   
#aii4 pg #edi