第19部分(第2/7 頁)

ory　examined　by　the　Psychical　Society　were　set　before　me　with　irresistible　evidence　of　its　truth；　my　feeling　（call　it　my　prejudice）　would　undergo　no　change　whatever。　No　whit　the　less　should　I　yawn　over　the　next　batch；　and　lay　the　narratives　aside　with……yes；　with　a　sort　of　disgust。　〃An　ounce　of　civet；　good　apothecary！〃　Why　it　should　be　so　with　me　I　cannot　say。　I　am　as　indifferent　to　the　facts　or　fancies　of　spiritualism　as　I　am；　for　instance；　to　the　latest　mechanical　application　of　electricity。　Edisons　and　Marconis　may　thrill　the　world　with　astounding　novelties；　they　astound　me；　as　every　one　else；　but　straightway　I　forget　my　astonishment；　and　am　in　every　respect　the　man　I　was　before。　The　thing　has　simply　no　concern　for　me；　and　I　care　not　a　volt　if　to…morrow　the　proclaimed　discovery　be　proved　a　journalist's　mistake　or　invention。

Am　I；　then；　a　hidebound　materialist？　If　I　know　myself；　hardly　that。　Once；　in　conversation　with　G。　A。；　I　referred　to　his　position　as　that　of　the　agnostic。　He　corrected　me。　〃The　agnostic　grants　that　there　MAY　be　something　beyond　the　sphere　of　man's　knowledge；　I　can　make　no　such　admission。　For　me；　what　is　called　the　unknowable　is　simply　the　non…existent。　We　see　what　is；　and　we　see　all。〃　Now　this　gave　me　a　sort　of　shock；　it　seemed　incredible　to　me　that　a　man　of　so　much　intelligence　could　hold　such　a　view。　So　far　am　I　from　feeling　satisfied　with　any　explanation；　scientific　or　other；　of　myself　and　of　the　world　about　me；　that　not　a　day　goes　by　but　I　fall　a…　marvelling　before　the　mystery　of　the　universe。　To　trumpet　the　triumphs　of　human　knowledge　seems　to　me　worse　than　childishness；　now；　as　of　old；　we　know　but　one　thing……that　we　know　nothing。　What！　Can　I　pluck　the　flower　by　the　wayside；　and；　as　I　gaze　at　it；　feel　that；　if　I　knew　all　the　teachings　of