第19部分(第4/7 頁)

and　the　globe　that　bare　them　circling　dead　and　cold　through　soundless　space。　The　most　tragic　aspect　of　such　a　tragedy　is　that　it　is　not　unthinkable。　The　soul　revolts；　but　dare　not　see　in　this　revolt　the　assurance　of　its　higher　destiny。　Viewing　our　life　thus；　is　it　not　easier　to　believe　that　the　tragedy　is　played　with　no　spectator？　And　of　a　truth；　of　a　truth；　what　spectator　can　there　be？　The　day　may　e　when；　to　all　who　live；　the　Name　of　Names　will　be　but　an　empty　symbol；　rejected　by　reason　and　by　faith。　Yet　the　tragedy　will　be　played　on。

It　is　not；　I　say；　unthinkable；　but　that　is　not　the　same　thing　as　to　declare　that　life　has　no　meaning　beyond　the　sense　it　bears　to　human　intelligence。　The　intelligence　itself　rejects　such　a　supposition；　in　my　case；　with　impatience　and　scorn。　No　theory　of　the　world　which　ever　came　to　my　knowledge　is　to　me　for　one　moment　acceptable；　the　possibility　of　an　explanation　which　would　set　my　mind　at　rest　is　to　me　inconceivable；　no　whit　the　less　am　I　convinced　that　there　is　a　Reason　of　the　All；　one　which　transcends　my　understanding；　one　no　glimmer　of　which　will　ever　touch　my　apprehension；　a　Reason　which　must　imply　a　creative　power；　and　therefore；　even　whilst　a　necessity　of　my　thought；　is　by　the　same　criticized　into　nothing。　A　like　antinomy　with　that　which　affects　our　conception　of　the　infinite　in　time　and　space。　Whether　the　rational　processes　have　reached　their　final　development；　who　shall　say？　Perhaps　what　seem　to　us　the　impassable　limits　of　thought　are　but　the　conditions　of　a　yet　early　stage　in　the　history　of　man。　Those　who　make　them　a　proof　of　a　〃future　state〃　must　necessarily　suppose　gradations　in　that　futurity；　does　the　savage；　scarce　risen　above　the　brute；　enter　upon　the　same　〃new　life〃　as　the　man　of　highest　civilization？　Such　gropings