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therefore as in a way united to the personality of the parents
from which they sprang； and therefore as members one of another；
and therefore as forming a single growth of gold…fish； as boughs
and buds unite to form a tree； but we cannot by any effort of the
imagination introduce the bowl and the water into the
personality； for we have never been accustomed to think of such
things as living and personal。 Those； therefore； who tell us that
〃God is everything； and everything is God；〃 require us to see
〃everything〃 as a person； which we cannot； or God as not a
person； which again we cannot。
Continuing the article of Mr。 Blunt from which I have already
quoted； I read ：…
〃Linus； in a passage which has been preserved by Stobaeus；
exactly expresses the notion afterwards adopted by Spinoza： 'One
sole energy governs all things； all things are unity； and each
portion is All； for of one integer all things were born； in the
end of time all things shall again become unity； the unity of
multiplicity。' Orpheus； his disciple； taught no other doctrine。〃
According to Pythagoras； 〃an adept in the Orphic philosophy；〃
〃the soul of the world is the Divine energy which interpenetrates
every portion of the mass； and the soul of man is an efflux of
that energy。 The world； too； is an exact impress of the Eternal
Idea； which is the mind of God。〃 John Scotus Erigena taught that
〃all is God and God is all。〃 William of Champeaux； again； two
hundred years later； maintained that 〃all individuality is one in
substance； and varies only in its non…essential accidents and
transient properties。〃 Amalric of Bena and David of Dinant
followed the theory out 〃into a thoroughgoing Pantheism。〃
Amalric held that 〃All is God and God is all。 The Creator and the
creature are one Being。 Ideas are at once creative and created；
subjective and objective。 God is the end of all； and all return
to Him。 As every variety of humanity forms one manhood； so the
world contains individual forms of one eternal essence。〃 David
of Dinant only varied upon this by 〃imagining a corporeal unity。
Although body； soul； and eternal substance are three； these three
are one and the same being。〃
Giordano Bruno maintained the world of sense to be 〃a vast animal
having the Deity for its living。 soul。〃 The inanimate part of the
world is thus excluded from participation in the Deity； and a
conception that our minds can embrace is offered us instead of
one which they cannot entertain； except as in a dream；
incoherently。 But without such a view of evolution as was
prevalent at the beginning of this century； it was impossible to
see 〃the world of sense〃 intelligently； as forming 〃a vast
animal。〃 Unless； therefore； Giordano Bruno held the opinions of
Buffon； Dr。 Erasmus Darwin； and Lamarck； with more definiteness
than I am yet aware of his having done； his contention must be
considered as a splendid prophecy； but as little more than a
prophecy。 He continues； 〃Birth is expansion from the one centre
of Life； life is its continuance； and death is the necessary
return of the ray to the centre of light。〃 This begins finely；
but ends mystically。 I have not； however； compared the English
translation with the original； and must reserve a fuller
examination of Giordano Bruno's teaching for another opportunity。
Spinoza disbelieved in the world rather than in God。 He was an
Acosmist； to use Jacobi's expression； rather than an Atheist。
According to him； 〃the Deity and the Universe are but one
substance； at the same time both spirit and matter； thought and
extension； which are the only known attributes of the Deity。〃
My readers will； I think； agree with me that there is very little
of the above which conveys ideas with the fluency and comfort
which accompany good words。 Words are like servants： it is not
enough that we should have them…we must have the most able and
willing that we can find； and at the smallest wages that will
content them。 Having got them we must make the best and not the
worst of them。 Surely； in the greater part of what has been
quoted above； the words are barren letters only： they do not
quicken within us and enable us to conceive a thought； such as we
can in our turn impress upon dead matter； and mould ＇sic＇ that
matter into another shape than its own； through the thought which
has become alive within us。 No offspring of ideas has followed
upon them； or； if any at all； yet in such unwonted shape； and
with such want of alacrity； that we loathe them as malformations
and miscarriages of our minds。 Granted that if we examine them
closely we shall at length find them to embody a little germ of
truth…that is to say； of coherency with our other ideas； but
there is too little truth in proportion to the trouble necessary
to get at it。 We can get more truth； that is to say； more
coherency…for truth and coherency are one…for less trouble in
other ways。
But it may be urged that the beginnings of all tasks are
difficult and unremunerative； and that later developments of
Pantheism may be more intelligible than the earlier ones。
Unfortunately； this is not the case。 On continuing Mr。 Blunt's
article； I find the later Pantheists a hundredfold more
perplexing than the earlier ones。 With Kant； Schelling； Fichte；
and Hegel； we feel that we are with men who have been decoyed
into a hopeless quagmire； we understand nothing of their
language…we doubt whether they understand themselves； and feel
that we can do nothing with them but look at them and pass them
by。
In my next chapter I propose to show the end which the early
Pantheists were striving after； and the reason and naturalness of
their error。
CHAPTER IV
PANTHEISM。 II
The earlier Pantheists were misled by the endeavour ＇sic＇ to lay
hold of two distinct ideas； the one of which was a reality that
has since been grasped and is of inestimable value； the other a
phantom which has misled all who have followed it。 The reality is
the unity of Life； the oneness of the guiding and animating
spirit which quickens animals and plants； so that they are all
the outcome and expression of a common mind； and are in truth one
animal； the phantom is the endeavour ＇sic＇ to find the origin of
things； to reach the fountain…head of all energy； and thus to lay
the foundations on which a philosophy may be constructed which
none can accuse of being baseless； or of arguing in a circle。
In following as through a thick wood after the phantom our
forefathers from time to time caught glimpses of the reality；
which seemed so wonderful as it eluded them； and flitted back
again into the thickets； that they declared it must be the
phantom they were in search of； which was thus evidenced as
actually existing。 Whereon； instead of mastering su