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Alexandria would have astonished Plotinus or Hypatia as much as it
would Clement or Origen。 I do not say that there is； or ought to be； a
Christian Metaphysic。 I am speaking； as you know； merely as a historian；
dealing with facts； and I say that there was one； as profound； as scientific；
as severe； as that of the Pagan Neoplatonists； starting indeed； as I shall
show hereafter； on many points from common ground with theirs。 One
can hardly doubt； I should fancy； that many parts of St。 John's Gospel and
Epistles； whatever view we may take of them； if they are to be called
anything； are to be called metaphysic and philosophic。 And one can no
more doubt that before writing them he had studied Philo； and was
expanding Philo's thought in the direction which seemed fit to him； than
we can doubt it of the earlier Neoplatonists。 The technical language is
often identical； so are the primary ideas from which he starts； howsoever
widely the conclusions may differ。 If Plotinus considered himself an
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intellectual disciple of Plato； so did Origen and Clemens。 And I must； as
I said before； speak of both； or of neither。 My only hope of escaping
delicate ground lies in the curious fact； that rightly or wrongly； the form in
which Christianity presented itself to the old Alexandrian thinkers was so
utterly different from the popular conception of it in modern England； that
one may very likely be able to tell what little one knows about it； almost
without mentioning a single doctrine which now influences the religious
world。
But far greater is my fear； that to a modern British auditory； trained in
the school of Locke； much of ancient thought； heathen as well as Christian；
may seem so utterly the product of the imagination； so utterly without any
corresponding reality in the universe； as to look like mere unintelligible
madness。 Still； I must try； only entreating my hearers to consider； that
how much soever we may honour Locke and his great Scotch followers；
we are not bound to believe them either infallible； or altogether world…
embracing； that there have been other methods than theirs of conceiving
the Unseen； that the common ground from which both Christian and
heathen Alexandrians start； is not merely a private vagary of their own； but
one which has been accepted undoubtingly； under so many various forms；
by so many different races； as to give something of an inductive
probability that it is not a mere dream； but may be a right and true instinct
of the human mind。 I mean the belief that the things which we see
nature and all her phenomena are temporal； and born only to die； mere
shadows of some unseen realities； from whom their laws and life are
derived； while the eternal things which subsist without growth； decay； or
change； the only real； only truly existing things； in short； are certain things
which are not seen； inappreciable by sense； or understanding； or
imagination； perceived only by the conscience and the reason。 And that；
again； the problem of philosophy； the highest good for man； that for the
sake of which death were a gain； without which life is worthless； a
drudgery； a degradation； a failure； and a ruin； is to discover what those
unseen eternal things are； to know them； possess them； be in harmony with
them； and thereby alone to rise to any real and solid power； or safety； or
nobleness。 It is a strange dream。 But you will see that it is one which
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does not bear much upon 〃points of controversy；〃 any more than on
〃Locke's philosophy；〃 nevertheless； when we find this same strange dream
arising； apparently without intercommunion of thought； among the old
Hindoos； among the Greeks； among the Jews； and lastly； when we see it
springing again in the Middle Age； in the mind of the almost forgotten
author of the 〃Deutsche Theologie；〃 and so becoming the parent； not
merely of Luther's deepest belief； or of the German mystic schools of the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries； but of the great German Philosophy
itself as developed by Kant； and Fichte； and Schelling； and Hegel； we must
at least confess it to be a popular delusion； if nothing better； vast enough
and common enough to be worth a little patient investigation； wheresoever
we may find it stirring the human mind。
But I have hope； still； that I may find sympathy and comprehension
among some； at least； of my audience； as I proceed to examine the ancient
realist schools of Alexandria； on account of their knowledge of the modern
realist schools of Germany。 For I cannot but see； that a revulsion is
taking place in the thoughts of our nation upon metaphysic subjects； and
that Scotland； as usual； is taking the lead therein。 That most illustrious
Scotchman； Mr。 Thomas Carlyle； first vindicated the great German
Realists from the vulgar misconceptions about them which were so
common at the beginning of this century； and brought the minds of
studious men to a more just appreciation of the philosophic severity； the
moral grandeur； of such thinkers as Emmanuel Kant； and Gottlieb Fichte。
To another Scotch gentleman； who； I believe； has honoured me by his
presence here to…night； we owe most valuable translations of some of
Fichte's works； to be followed； I trust； by more。 And though； as a humble
disciple of Bacon； I cannot but think that the method both of Kant and
Fichte possesses somewhat of the same inherent defect as the method of
the Neoplatonist school； yet I should be most unfair did I not express my
deep obligations to them； and advise all those to study them carefully； who
wish to gain a clear conception either of the old Alexandrian schools； or of
those intellectual movements which are agitating the modern mind； and
which will； I doubt not； issue in a clearer light； and in a nobler life； if not
for us； yet