Part 32 (1/2)

”That is very clear and satisfactory,” observed Mr. Stanley, ironically; not seeing anything but confusion confounded in the whole of it. ”What is your view,” he asked again, ”of the Hegelian 'Absolute'?”

”This,” said the Professor, ”is nothing but a continual process of thinking, without beginning and without end. Now that the evolution of ideas in the human mind is the process of all existence--the essence of the Absolute--of a Deity, so that Deity is nothing more than the Absolute ever striving to realize itself in human consciousness.”

Without questioning the truthfulness of such a doctrine, so _plainly expressed_, Mr. Stanley proceeded to ask, in a way rather beyond himself, ”Whether there was not a little to be said for Sch.e.l.ling's notion that the rhythmical law of all existence is cognisable at the same time by the internal consciousness of the subjective self, in the objective operation of Nature?”

To this question, somewhat mystical it must be confessed, the Professor replied in his usual style of profundity:--

”I see clearly enough Sch.e.l.ling's great ingenuity; but think his three movements or potencies--that of 'Reflexion,' whereby the Infinite strives to realize itself in the Finite--that of 'Subsumption,' which is the striving of the Absolute to return from the Finite to the Infinite--and that of the 'Indifference-point,' or point of junction of the two first--were not to be admitted; for is it not clear as the day that the poles ever persist in remaining apart, the indifference-point having never been fixed by Sch.e.l.ling?”

In these ways Mr. Stanley and the Professor kept up the conversation until I and the rest of the company were perfectly involved in dense mists and fogs, wis.h.i.+ng that the sun of simple truth would s.h.i.+ne, to bring us into clear seeing and firm foot-standing. We longed for the day without a cloud. At last they ceased, and after a brief interval we found ourselves where we were before they began, with no more knowledge of the mystical, and no less love to the simplicity of truth spoken in words of plain meaning and thoughts of undisguised transparency.

XIX. THE WONDERER.--This is a talker with whom one very often meets in the walks of life. His peculiarity in conversation is the use of the word _wonder_ in almost every statement he makes and question he asks.

It is a strange peculiarity, and I _wonder_ that he should so frequently indulge in its use; I _wonder_ that he does not discover some other mode of expression.

I once met with him at a railway station, and after wis.h.i.+ng him the compliments of the day, almost his first word was, ”I _wonder_ how long my train will be before it starts?” Scarcely had he time to get his breath, when he said, ”I _wonder_ what o'clock it is.” I looked at my watch and told him. Instantly he said, ”I _wonder_ whether it rains; I hope not.” I a.s.sured him that it did not when I came on the platform; then he quickly said, ”I _wonder_ whether it will rain to-morrow; I hope not, for I have a long journey to take by coach.”

I remember once travelling with a gentleman in a railway carriage between London and Bristol. Besides him and me there were three or four more pa.s.sengers in the compartment, ladies and gentlemen.

Scarcely had we left the Paddington station ere he began _wondering_.

”I _wonder_,” said he, ”how fast this train goes.”

Oh, about forty miles an hour, I replied.

”I _wonder_, does this train stop at Reading?”

I think it does, I answered.

Then whispering in my ear, he said, ”I _wonder_ who that old gentleman is in yon corner of the carriage.”

I really do not know; he is a stranger to me, I observed.

After a few minutes' pause, in which he seemed to have indulged a profound meditation, he again whispered in my ears, saying, ”I _wonder_ who that lady is sitting next to you.”

I cannot say, I replied.

The train travelled on at a great speed, pa.s.sing station after station in rapid succession.

Again he said, ”I _wonder_ how fast we are travelling now.”

Oh, perhaps sixty miles an hour.

Quickly, he said, ”I _wonder_ what station that is we have just pa.s.sed.”

I think it is Swindon.

After a brief pause:--

”I _wonder_ what time this train gets into Bristol.”