第20部分(第1/7 頁)

Of　course　the　intellectual　assumption　which　makes　his　system　untenable　by　the　thinker　of　our　time　is：　that　we　possess　a　knowledge　of　the　absolute。　Noble　is　the　belief　that　by　exercise　of　his　reason　a　man　may　enter　into　munion　with　that　Rational　Essence　which　is　the　soul　of　the　world；　but　precisely　because　of　our　inability　to　find　within　ourselves　any　such　sure　and　certain　guidance　do　we　of　to…day　accept　the　barren　doom　of　scepticism。　Otherwise；　the　Stoic's　sense　of　man's　subordination　in　the　universal　scheme；　and　of　the　all…ruling　destiny；　brings　him　into　touch　with　our　own　philosophical　views；　and　his　doctrine　concerning　the　〃sociable〃　nature　of　man；　of　the　reciprocal　obligations　which　exist　between　all　who　live；　are　entirely　congenial　to　the　better　spirit　of　our　day。　His　fatalism　is　not　mere　resignation；　one　has　not　only　to　accept　one's　lot；　whatever　it　is；　as　inevitable；　but　to　accept　it　with　joy；　with　praises。　Why　are　we　here？　For　the　same　reason　that　has　brought　about　the　existence　of　a　horse；　or　of　a　vine；　to　play　the　part　allotted　to　us　by　Nature。　As　it　is　within　our　power　to　understand　the　order　of　things；　so　are　we　capable　of　guiding　ourselves　in　accordance　therewith；　the　will；　powerless　over　circumstance；　is　free　to　determine　the　habits　of　the　soul。　The　first　duty　is　self…discipline；　its　correspondent　first　privilege　is　an　inborn　knowledge　of　the　law　of　life。

But　we　are　fronted　by　that　persistent　questioner　who　will　accept　no　a　priori　assumption；　however　noble　in　its　character　and　beneficent　in　its　tendency。　How　do　we　know　that　the　reason　of　the　Stoic　is　at　harmony　with　the　world's　law？　I；　perhaps；　may　see　life　from　a　very　different　point　of　view；　to　me　reason　may　dictate；　not　self…subdual；　but　self…indulgence；　I　may　find　in　the　free　exercise　of　all