The Star in the West

THE NEW WINE 205 chain of events , which may be expressed under the symbolization of A , B , A , B , A , B , the ultimate issue being the triumph of Agnosticism . All the wisest from all ages with all their wisdom finally have had to utter “ We Know Not ," and write " ignoramus " across their life's work . Yet is not this infallibly as it must be , if we search for an absolute truth by relative means ; we cannot prove that it does not exist , any more than we can prove that it does ; for if we dare to attempt to tread so thorny a path with the utmost success the land we reach is but the land of Weissnichtwo . The world does not exist outside me . I am the world ; but what am I ? Herein lies the greatest of riddles . This question , this gigantic “ What ?" Crowley sets forth lucidly enough in “ Pentecost ” and “ Ascension Day ." He writes : To calculate one hour's result I find surpassing difficult ; One year's effect , one moment's cause ; What mind could estimate such laws ? Who then ( much more !) may act aright Judged by and in ten centuries ' sight ?! He shows us how utterly inadequate are our powers , how utterly absurd it is of us to hanker after infinite ideals with our finite minds . As a child cries for the moon , so do we cry for our ideal , ultimate , absolute , call it what you will ; the First Cause in Philosophy , the God of Religion . In the end our finite understand ings burst like bubbles . The rampant positivism of to - day is so drunk on I Sword of Song , Ascension Day , vol . ii, p . 155 .