Part 8

It is very seldom that we satisfy ourselves; all the more consoling is it to have satisfied others.

587

We look back upon our life only as on a thing of broken pieces, because our misses and failures are always the first to strike us, and outweigh in our imagination what we have done, and attained.

588

The sympathetic youth sees nothing of this; he reads, enjoys, and uses the youth of one who has gone before him, and rejoices in it with all his heart, as though he had once been what he now is.

589

Science helps us before all things in this, that it somewhat lightens the feeling of wonder with which Nature fills us; then, however, as life becomes more and more complex, it creates new facilities for the avoidance of what would do us harm and the promotion of what will do us good.

590

It is always our eyes alone, our way of looking at things. Nature alone knows what she means now, and what she had meant in the past.

NATURE: APHORISMS

Nature! We are surrounded by her and locked in her clasp: powerless to leave her, and powerless to come closer to her. Unasked and unwarned she takes us up into the whirl of her dance, and hurries on with us till we are weary and fall from her arms.

She creates new forms without end: what exists now, never was before; what was, comes not again; all is new and yet always the old.

We live in the midst of her and are strangers. She speaks to us unceasingly and betrays not her secret. We are always influencing her and yet can do her no violence.

Individuality seems to be all her aim, and she cares nought for individuals. She is always building and always destroying, and her workshop is not to be approached.

Nature lives in her children only, and the mother, where is she? She is the sole artist,--out of the simplest materials the greatest diversity; attaining, with no trace of effort, the finest perfection, the closest precision, always softly veiled. Each of her works has an essence of its own; every shape that she takes is in idea utterly isolated; and yet all forms one.

She plays a drama; whether she sees it herself, we know not; and yet she plays it for us, who stand but a little way off.

There is constant life in her, motion and development; and yet she remains where she was. She is eternally changing, nor for a moment does she stand still. Of rest she knows nothing, and to all stagnation she has affixed her curse. She is steadfast; her step is measured, her exceptions rare, her laws immutable.

She has thought, and she ponders unceasingly; not as a man, but as Nature. The meaning of the whole she keeps to herself, and no one can learn it of her.

Men are all in her, and she in all men. With all she plays a friendly game, and rejoices the more a man wins from her. With many her game is so secret, that she brings it to an end before they are aware of it.

Even what is most unnatural is Nature; even the coarsest Philistinism has something of her genius. Who does not see her everywhere, sees her nowhere aright.

She loves herself, and clings eternally to herself with eyes and hearts innumerable. She has divided herself that she may be her own delight. She is ever making new creatures spring up to delight in her, and imparts herself insatiably.

She rejoices in illusion. If a man destroys this in himself and others, she punishes him like the hardest tyrant. If he follows her in confidence, she presses him to her heart as it were her child.

Her children are numberless. To no one of them is she altogether niggardly; but she has her favourites, on whom she lavishes much, and for whom she makes many a sacrifice. Over the great she has spread the shield of her protection.

She spurts forth her creatures out of nothing, and tells them not whence they come and whither they go. They have only to go their way: she knows the path.

Her springs of action are few, but they never wear out: they are always working, always manifold.

The drama she plays is always new, because she is always bringing new spectators. Life is her fairest invention, and Death is her device for having life in abundance.

She envelops man in darkness, and urges him constantly to the light. She makes him dependent on the earth, heavy and sluggish, and always rouses him up afresh.

She creates wants, because she loves movement. How marvellous that she gains it all so easily! Every want is a benefit, soon satisfied, soon growing again. If she gives more, it is a new source of desire; but the balance quickly rights itself.

Every moment she starts on the longest journeys, and every moment reaches her goal.

She amuses herself with a vain show; but to us her play is all-important.

She lets every child work at her, every fool judge of her, and thousands pass her by and see nothing; and she has her joy in them all, and in them all finds her account.

Man obeys her laws even in opposing them: he works with her even when he wants to work against her.

Everything she gives is found to be good, for first of all she makes it indispensable. She lingers, that we may long for presence; she hurries by, that we may not grow weary of her.

Speech or language she has none; but she creates tongues and hearts through which she feels and speaks.

Her crown is Love. Only through Love can we come near her. She puts gulfs between all things, and all things strive to be interfused. She isolates everything, that she may draw everything together. With a few draughts from the cup of Love she repays for a life full of trouble.

She is all things. She rewards herself and punishes herself; and in herself rejoices and is distressed. She is rough and gentle, loving and terrible, powerless and almighty. In her everything is always present. Past or Future she knows not. The Present is her Eternity. She is kind. I praise her with all her works. She is wise and still. No one can force her to explain herself, or frighten her into a gift that she does not give willingly. She is crafty, but for a good end; and it is best not to notice her cunning.

She is whole and yet never finished. As she works now, so can she work for ever.

To every one she appears in a form of his own. She hides herself in a thousand names and terms, and is always the same.

She has placed me in this world; she will also lead me out of it. I trust myself to her. She may do with me as she pleases. She will not hate her work. I did not speak of her. No! what is true and what is false, she has spoken it all. Everything is her fault, everything is her merit.

INDEX

Absent, the, 47. Absolute, the, 238. Abstractions, how destroyed, 203. Absurdities, 229, 575. Acquaintances, new, 432. Acquirements, 344. Acting unlike oneself, 298. Activity, 342, 368, 372, 401. Æschylus, saying of, 121. Age, 391. Age and Youth, 37, 233-4, 237, 295, 321, 374. Ages of life, 390. Agreement and disagreement, 384. Aims, 278, 342, 500. Altruism, 167, 214, 583. Analogies, 46, 523. Analysis, 568. Ancient literature, 447. Ancients, the, 443, 445, 570. Anthropomorphism, 165. Antiquities, 325. Antiquity and posterity, 190. Architecture, a speechless music, 493. Aristotle, 559. Art, 492, 494, 499, 508. Art and Nature, 482-3, 490-1, 509, 512. Art and the World, 485-6. Artist, the, 495-8. Artistic criticism, 116. Assemblies, 281. Attainable, the, 48. Attainments, 584, 587. Authority, 534-7. Authorship, 418.

Ballads, 477-8. Beauty, 136, 232, 481. Bible, the, 457-9. Books, 417, 420, 432, 456.

Cause and effect, 394. Century, the, and the individual, 581. Character, 367. Characteristics, 7, 29, 74, 91, 110, 179, 291, 297, 311, 344. Children, 245-7. Christ, 314. Classicism, 462-3. Clever folly, 175. Common-sense, 49, 217. Complications, 45. Confession of error, 529. Confidences, 142. Conscience, 125. Conscience and intellect, 530. Contemporaries, 386, 454. Contradictions, 87, 102, 223, 288-9, 378, 382. Converts, 170. Criticism, 146, 182, 304, 456. Critique of common-sense, 393. Critique of the senses, 514. Cryptogamy, 574. Culture, 328-9, 412.

Dangerous men, 275-6. Debtor and creditor, 282-3. Deception, 320, 400. Defects, 89. Despotism, advantages of, 209. Dialectic, 379. Difficulties, 277-8, 330, 398. Dilettanti, 159. Discovery, 397, 553. Dispositions, like and unlike, 380. Distinctions, 166. Doggerel, 506. Doing good, 98. Dürer, Albrecht, 502-3. Duties and rights, 150. Duty, 3, 38, 402.

Eclecticism, 436-7. Education, 444. Education, overpressure in, 371. Eighteenth century, 568. _Emboîtement_, theory of, 550. Empirical morality, 140. Encyclopædia, the best, 161. Enemies, 582. Enemies' merits, 387, 583. Enthusiasm, 211, 471. Erasmus, saying of, 63. Error and half-truth, 59, 61, 72, 564. Errors of the age, 521. Excellence unfathomable, 406. Existence of evil, 572-3. Experience, 43, 556.

Facts and theories, 557. Facts and thoughts, 188. Facts newly stated, 526. Faith, 117. False notions, 5, 200. False tendencies, 64. Familiarity, 262. Fashion, 392. Fastidiousness, 260. Faults, 296-7, 299, 304-5. Favour, 83. Fear, 275. Figurative sayings: a leaf and a bird, 359. an old man warming himself, 363. blowing the flute, 16. buttoning one's coat, 362. curds and cream, 58. dirt and the sun, 99. dust and the storm, 66. frogs and water, 71. heroes and valets, 272. Hindoos of the desert, 106. hitting the nail, 78. lamps and the light of heaven, 361. lifting the stone, 208. mankind and the Red Sea, 187. names for the sea, 95. snow, 92. the Antipodes, disputing about, 90. the forester and the tree, 358. the iron in the smithy, 310. the millstream, 42. the rainbow, 115. the sparrow and the stork, 360. the world a bell, 158. turnips and chestnuts, 507.

Flattery, 145, 287, 289. Fools, 271, 276. Forethought, 103. Form, the human, 513. Freedom and slavery, 268-9. Friends' defects, 387. Friendship, 248, 582. Fulfilment of desire, 228, 267. Fulfilment of duty, 38. Future, the, 280.

General ideas, 15,177. Generosity, 65. Genius, 232, 273, 336-9, 425. Gentle judgments, 124. German art, 501. Germans, the, 326. God, 307, 353. Godlike, the, 308. Good advice, 206. Good manners, 254-7, 263-5. Good will of others, 34. Government, the best, 225. Graceful misery, 126. Gratitude, 283. Great ideas, 239, 349, 350-2. Great men, 274. Great men and little men, 69, 119, 271. Great men and the masses, 147. Greek and Latin, study of, 444, 446. Greek and Latin writers, 469. Greek art, 484. Greeks, the, 189, 443, 559.

Habit, 129. Hatred and envy, 130. Hearing and understanding, 383. High positions, 335. Historian's duty, the, 452-3, 455. Historic sense, 460. History, 80, 451. History of knowledge, 55. Honour and rascality, 144. Hope, 194, 280, 315. Hypotheses, 560.

Ideals, 141, 348. Ideas and sensations, 93. Ignorance, 231. Illusions, 186. Imagination, how regulated, 489. Imprudence, 50, 105. Incompetence and imperfection, 17, 18. Incompetency, 579-80. Individuals and the age, 201, 581. Influencing one's age, 365. Ingratitude, 152. Inquiry, limits of, 327, 554, 558, 576-7. Insight, 370. Intelligence, 322. Intention, 334. Interest in public events, 331. Introspection, 75. Investigator, the true, 543-4. Irregular circumstances, 143. Isolation of the good, 224. Italian art, 505.

Judgment, 85-6. Justice and law, 54.

Kepler, saying of, 354. Knowledge, 235, 324, 370, 525-6, 538. Knowledge and doubt, 178. Knowledge and new ideas, 82. Knowledge, branches of, 539. Knowledge of one another, 67-70, 251-3. Knowledge, the contempt for, 113.

Language and thought, 317, 407. Languages, knowledge of, 414. Laws, 321. Laws, study of, 168. Leasing, saying of, 52. Lessons, 139. Liberal ideas, 174, 375. Liberality, the truest, 385. Life, the art of, 101, 192, 282, 584. Limitations, 578. Literature a fragment, 404-5. Literature, corrupt, 465-7. Literature, new, 409. Love, 195, 270. Love of truth, 28. Loving one's like, 180. Lucidity, 413. Lyrics, 421.

Majorities, 544-6, 566. Malignance of scholars, 135. Man and his organs, 347. Masters, 94, 310. Mastery, 204. Matter, contents and form, 183. Maxims and anecdotes, 156. Maxims of the ancients, 438-42. Means and end, 11. Mediocrity, 221, 273. Memoirs, 149. Memory, 157. Men and women, 226, 295. Metaphysics, 551. Metempsychosis, the best, 585. Method in art and knowledge, 112. Mischief, 160. Misfortunes, 227. Mistakes, 13, 40, 153, 162, 210, 218, 285-6, 524, 561. Misunderstanding, 122. Moment, the, a kind of public, 369. Monarchs and the press, 375. Moods, 100. Morality, 319. Motive, 10. Mottoes, 207. Music, 488. Mysteries and miracles, 169. Mysticism, 430.

Napoleon, 240-1. National character, 73, 374, 429. Nature, 572, 590. Nature and art, 482-3, 490-1, 509, 512. Nature and culture, 284, 477. Nature-poets, 419. Nature, study of, 561. Newspapers, 23, 375, 461.

Obscurantism, 88. Obscurity in an author, 431. Observation and conclusion, 517, 559. Obstinacy, 579. Opinions, 107, 552. Opponents, 381-2. Opposition, 88. Originality, 1, 134, 409-11, 536-7. Origins, 550. Ovid, 463.

Parties, 516. Passions, 300-3. Past, the, 138. Patience, 357. Patriotism in art and science, 448. Patrons, 133. Paying for one's humanity, 173. Peace, 53. Pedantry, 132, 535, 555. _Pereant qui ante nos nostra dizerunt!_ 333. Perfection, 343, 578, 580. Perseverance, 193, 537. Perversities of the day, 244. Pessimism, 181, 184. Phenomena, how to approach, 399. Philosophy and the ages of life, 390. Piety, 35-6. Plain speaking, 172. Plans and designs, 12. Poetical talent, 449. Poetry, 176. Posterity, the appeal to, 408. Power of conviction, 84. Practical men and thinkers, 395. Praising a man, 323. Prayer, 315. Predestination, 355. Prejudices, 215. Primeval powers, 236. Problem of science, 515, 551. Problematical natures, 97. Problematical opinions, 30. Problematical talents, 171. Problems, 527. Productive energy, 164. Productivity, 415. Progress and problems, 398. Progress, conflicts of, 219. Progress of science, 567. Propædeutics, 212, 511. Protestants, 205. Prudent energy, 16. Psychology, 433. Public, the, 96, 369, 389, 416, 541.

Questions, 532.

Reason, 4. Reformation, the, 313, 316. Religion, 312. Religious controversy, 460. Renaissance, the, 313. Revolution, saying on the, 373. Revolutionary sentiments, 216. Rhythm, 131. Riddles, 62. Ridiculous, the, 291-4. Right, doing what is, 77. Rocks of offence, 306. Roland, Madame, 403. Romances, 422. Romantic landscape, 480. Romanticism, 462, 464.

_Sakontala_, 472. Satisfaction, 586. Scepticism, 340-1. Schiller, Goethe and, 434-5. Scholar, the real, 309. Schön, Martin, 504. Schools of thought, 569. Science: its course, 518, 540-1, 545-6, 567, 570-1, 589. Science: its problem, 515. Sects, 522. Self-appreciation, 20, 56, 111, 249, 366. Self-guidance, 21-2, 24-5, 33. Self-knowledge, 2. Senses, 345-6. Senses, false tendencies of, 487. Sentimental poetry, 423. Sentimentality, national, 429. Service, 196. Shakespeare, 473-5. Silence, 32. Sincerity and impartiality, 151. Sketches, 510. Society, 250. Society, soldiers and civilians in, 258-9. Society, the best, 230, 289. Soporifics, 76. Sowing and reaping, 279. Spectacles, 261. Speech, 382. Speech and language, 123. Speech and writing, 377. Speeches, 287. Spinozism in poetry, 427. Steady activity, 154. Sterne, 476. Subordination, 191. Success in the world, 6, 19, 368. Superiority of another, 270. Superstition, 31, 424. Symbolism, 202.

Tact, 26-7. Tattle, 148. Tattooing, 79. Teaching, 519, 562-3. Theatre, effect of the, 197. Theory, 44, 520, 557. Theory and experience, 198. "Things of another world," 242-3. Thinkers, 416. Thinking for oneself, 8. Thoroughness, 41. Thought, 1, 396, 412, 533, 563. Thoughts at the close of life, 403. Timon, saying of, 127. Toleration, 356. Tradition, 392, 563. Tragedies, 470. Translation, 426, 479. Troubles, 104. Truth, 14, 28, 60, 120, 163, 336, 531, 547, 553. Truth and error, 108-9, 137, 185, 199, 213, 468, 528, 549, 552. Truth to oneself and others, 337. Tyranny of great ideas, 51.

Ultimate facts, 558. Unconditioned, striving after the, 372. Understanding, 81, 383, 388. Unfathomable, the, 576-7. Unities, the three, 428. Unjust blame, 96. Unqualified activity, 9. Use and value, 541-2.

Value of each day, 332. _Vanitas vanitatum!_ 114. Vanity, 376. _Veni Creator Spiritus_, 425. Visitors, 252-3. Voluntary dependence, 266. Vulgarity, 222.

Wisdom of this world, 307. Wishing people well, 128. Will, 324. Word and picture, 155. Words of praise and blame, 468. Work, 57. Work for the past and the future, 364. Work, how it limits us, 220. World, the, 158, 565. Worthiest lot, the, 342.

Youth, 588.

THE END