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fire with quarrels over nothing； and I laugh again； and； thank
God； I can look upon the world as a farce even when it becomes as
tragic as it sometimes does。 All comes out even at the end of the
day； and all comes out still more even when all the days are
over。〃
Much as we may admire such a robust old gamecock spirit in a
valetudinarian； to call it a religious spirit would be odd。 Yet
it is for the moment Voltaire's reaction on the whole of life。
Je me'n fiche is the vulgar French equivalent for our English
ejaculation 〃Who cares？〃 And the happy term je me'n fichisme
recently has been invented to designate the systematic
determination not to take anything in life too solemnly。
〃All is vanity〃 is the relieving word in all difficult crises for
this mode of thought； which that exquisite literary genius Renan
took pleasure； in his later days of sweet decay； in putting into
coquettishly sacrilegious forms which remain to us as excellent
expressions of the 〃all is vanity〃 state of mind。 Take the
following passage； for examplewe must hold to duty； even
against the evidence； Renan saysbut he then goes on：
〃There are many chances that the world may be nothing but a fairy
pantomime of which no God has care。 We must therefore arrange
ourselves so that on neither hypothesis we shall be completely
wrong。 We must listen to the superior voices； but in such a way
that if the second hypothesis were true we should not have been
too completely duped。 If in effect the world be not a serious
thing； it is the dogmatic people who will be the shallow ones；
and the worldly minded whom the theologians now call frivolous
will be those who are really wise。
〃In utrumque paratus； then。 Be ready for anythingthat perhaps
is wisdom。 Give ourselves up； according to the hour； to
confidence； to skepticism； to optimism； to irony and we may be
sure that at certain moments at least we shall be with the truth。
。 。 。 Good…humor is a philosophic state of mind； it seems to say
to Nature that we take her no more seriously than she takes us。
I maintain that one should always talk of philosophy with a
smile。 We owe it to the Eternal to be virtuous but we have the
right to add to this tribute our irony as a sort of personal
reprisal。 In this way we return to the right quarter jest for
jest； we play the trick that has been played on us。 Saint
Augustine's phrase： Lord； if we arc deceived； it is by thee！
remains a fine one； well suited to our modern feeling。 Only we
wish the Eternal to know that if we accept the fraud； we accept
it knowingly and willingly。 We are resigned in advance to losing
the interest on our investments of virtue； but we wish not to
appear ridiculous by having counted on them too securely。〃＇12＇
＇12＇ Feuilles detachees； pp。 394…398 （abridged）。
Surely all the usual associations of the word 〃religion〃 would
have to be stripped away if such a systematic parti pris of irony
were also to be denoted by the name。 For common men 〃religion；〃
whatever more special meanings it may have； signifies always a
SERIOUS state of mind。 If any one phrase could gather its
universal message； that phrase would be； 〃All is not vanity in
this Universe； whatever the appearances may suggest。〃 If it can
stop anything； religion as commonly apprehended can stop just
such chaffing talk as Renan's。 It favors gravity； not pertness；
it says 〃hush〃 to all vain chatter and smart wit。
But if hostile to light irony； religion is equally hostile to
heavy grumbling and complaint。 The world appears tragic enough
in some religions； but the tragedy is realized as purging； and a
way of deliverance is held to exist。 We shall see enough of the
religious melancholy in a future lecture； but melancholy；
according to our ordinary use of language； forfeits all title to
be called religious when； in Marcus Aurelius's racy words； the
sufferer simply lies kicking and screaming after the fashion of a
sacrificed pig。 The mood of a Schopenhauer or a Nietzscheand
in a less degree one may sometimes say the same of our own sad
Carlylethough often an ennobling sadness； is almost as often
only peevishness running away with the bit between its teeth。
The sallies of the two German authors remind one； half the time；
of the sick shriekings of two dying rats。 They lack the
purgatorial note which religious sadness gives forth。
There must be something solemn； serious； and tender about any
attitude which we denominate religious。 If glad； it must not
grin or snicker； if sad； it must not scream or curse。 It is
precisely as being SOLEMN experiences that I wish to interest you
in religious experiences。 So I proposearbitrarily again； if
you pleaseto narrow our definition once more by saying that the
word 〃divine；〃 as employed therein； shall mean for us not merely
the primal and enveloping and real； for that meaning if taken
without restriction might prove too broad。 The divine shall mean
for us only such a primal reality as the individual feels
impelled to respond to solemnly and gravely； and neither by a
curse nor a jest。
But solemnity； and gravity； and all such emotional attributes；
admit of various shades； and； do what we will with our defining；
the truth must at last be confronted that we are dealing with a
field of experience where there is not a single conception that
can be sharply drawn。 The pretension； under such conditions； to
be rigorously 〃scientific〃 or 〃exact〃 in our terms would only
stamp us as lacking in understanding of our task。 Things are
more or less divine； states of mind are more or less religious；
reactions are more or less total； but the boundaries are always
misty； and it is everywhere a question of amount and degree。
Nevertheless； at their extreme of development； there can never be
any question as to what experiences are religious。 The divinity
of the object and the solemnity of the reaction are too well
marked for doubt。 Hesitation as to whether a state of mind is
〃religious；〃 or 〃irreligious；〃 or 〃moral；〃 or 〃philosophical；〃 is
only likely to arise when the state of mind is weakly
characterized； but in that case it will be hardly worthy of our
study at all。 With states that can only by courtesy be called
religious we need have nothing to do； our only profitable
business being with what nobody can possibly feel tempted to call
anything else。 I said in my former lecture that we learn most
about a thing when we view it under a microscope； as it were； or
in its most