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opposite extreme of insubstantial reflection of self into self； but beyond this too。 It has not merely
lost its essential and concrete life； it is also conscious of this loss and of the transitory finitude
characteristic of its content。 Turning away from the husks it has to feed on； and confessing that it
lies in wickedness and sin； it reviles itself for so doing； and now desires from philosophy not so
much to bring it to a knowledge of what it is； as to obtain once again through philosophy the
restoration of that sense of solidity and substantiality of existence it has lost。 Philosophy is thus
expected not so much to meet this want by opening up the compact solidity of substantial
existence； and bringing this to the light and level of self…consciousness …is not so much to bring
chaotic conscious life back to the orderly ways of thought； and the simplicity of the notion； as to
run together what thought has divided asunder suppress the notion with its distinctions； and restore
the feeling of existence。 What it wants from philosophy is not so much insight as edification。 The
beautiful the holy； the eternal； religion； love…these are the bait required to awaken the desire to
bite： not the notion； but ecstasy； not the march of cold necessity in the subject…matter； but ferment
and enthusiasm…these are to be the ways by which the wealth of the concrete substance is to be
stored and increasingly extended。
With this demand there goes the strenuous effort； almost perfervidly zealous in its activity； to
rescue mankind from being sunken in what is sensuous； vulgar； and of fleeting importance； and to
raise men's eyes to the stars； as if men had quite forgotten the divine； and were on the verge of
finding satisfaction； like worms； in mud and water。 Time was when man had a heaven； decked and
fitted out with endless wealth of thoughts and pictures。 The significance of all that is； lay in the
thread of light by which it was attached to heaven； instead of dwelling in the present as it is here
and now； the eye glanced away over the present to the Divine； away； so to say； to a present that
lies beyond。 The mind's gaze had to be directed under compulsion to what is earthly； and kept
fixed there； and it has needed a long time to introduce that clearness； which only celestial realities
had； into the crassness and confusion shrouding the sense of things ；earthly； and to make attention
to the immediate present as such； which was called Experience； of interest and of value。 Now we
have apparently the need for the opposite of all this； man's mind and interest are so deeply rooted
in the earthly that we require a like power to have them raised above that level。 His spirit shows
such poverty of nature that it seems to long for the mere pitiful feeling of the divine in the abstract；
and to get refreshment from that； like a wanderer in the desert craving for the merest mouthful of
water。 By the little which can thus satisfy the needs of the human spirit we can measure the extent
of its loss。
This easy contentment in receiving； or stinginess in giving； does not suit the character of science。
The man who only seeks edification； who wants to envelop in mist the manifold diversity of his
earthly existence and thought； and craves after the vague enjoyment of this vague and
indeterminate Divinity…he may look where he likes to find this： he will easily find for himself the
means to procure something he can rave over and puff himself up withal。 But philosophy must
beware of wishing to be edifying。
Still less must this kind of contentment； which holds science in contempt； take upon itself to claim
that raving obscurantism of this sort is something higher than science。 These apocalyptic utterances
pretend to occupy the very centre and the deepest depths； they look askance at all definiteness
and preciseness meaning； and they deliberately hold back from conceptual thinking and the
constraining necessities of thought； as being the sort of reflection which； they say； can only feel at
home in the sphere of finitude。 But just as the…re is a breadth which is emptiness； there is a depth
which is empty too： as we may have an extension of substance which overflows into finite
multiplicity without the power of keeping the manifold together； in the same way we may have an
insubstantial intensity which； keeping itself in as mere force without actual expression； is no better
than superficiality。 The force of mind is only as great as its expression； its depth only as deep as its
power to expand and lose itself when spending and giving out its substance。 Moreover； when this
unreflective emotional knowledge makes a pretence of having immersed its own very self in the
depths of the absolute Being； and of philosophizing in all holiness and truth； it hides from itself the
fact that instead of devotion to God； it rather； by this contempt for all measurable precision and
definiteness； simply attests in its own case the fortuitous character of its content； and in the other
endows God with its own caprice。 When such minds commit themselves to the unrestrained
ferment of sheer emotion； they think that； by putting a veil over self…consciousness； and
surrendering all understanding； they are thus God's beloved ones to whom He gives His wisdom in
sleep。 This is the reason； too； that in point of fact； what they do conceive and bring forth in sleep is
dreams。
For the rest it is not difficult to see that our epoch is a birth…time； and a period of transition。 The
spirit of man has broken with the old order of things hitherto prevailing； and with the old ways of
thinking； and is in the mind to let them all sink into the depths of the past and to set about its own
transformation。 It is indeed never at rest； but carried along the stream of progress ever onward。
But it is here as in the case of the birth of a child； after a long period of nutrition in silence； the
continuity of the gradual growth in size； of quantitative change； is suddenly cut short by the first
breath drawn…there is a break in the process； a qualitative change and the child is born。 In like
manner the spirit of the time； growing slowly and quietly ripe for the new form it is to assume；
disintegrates one fragment after another of the structure of its previous world。 That it is tottering to
its fall is indicated only by symptoms here and there。 Frivolity and again ennui； which are spreading
in the established order of things； the undefined foreboding of something unknown…all these
betoken that there is something else approaching。 This gradual crumbling to pieces； which did not
alter the general look and aspect of the whole； is interrupted by the sunrise； which； in a flash and at
a single stroke； brings to …view the form and structure of the new world。
But this new world is perfectly realized just as little as the new…born child； and it is essential to
bear this in mind。 It comes on the stage to begin with in its immediacy； in its bare generality。 A
building is not finished when its foundation is laid； and just as little； is the attainment of a general
notion of a whole the whole itself。 When we want to see an oak with all its vigour of trunk； its
sprea