FOLLOW A WORD THROUGH THE COLLECTION
Search the corpus.
Phrase search ignores case and repeated whitespace. All-words search finds whole words anywhere on the same page. OCR errors can affect results.
10 matching pages
Page 1 of 11909 · PDF PAGE 6
…his slackness and stupidity. This true sceptic is indeed the man of science; as Wells’ “ Moreau ” tells us. He has devised some means of answering his first question, and its answer is another question. It is difficult to conceive of any question, indeed, whose answer does not imply a thousand further questions. So simple an inquiry as “Why is sugar sweet ?” involves an infinity of chemical researches, each leading ultimately to the blank wall—what is matter? and an infinity of physiological researches, each (similarly) leading to the blank wal…
1909 · PDF PAGE 5
… perfectly unbiassed. Second, I exclude “vital scepticism.” What's the good of anyfink? expects (as we used to learn about “nonne?”) the answer, ‘Why, nuffink !” and again is prejudiced. Indolence is no virtue in a questioner. Eagerness, intentness, concen- H 113
1909 · PDF PAGE 12
…. Either He is unknowable, or He is less than we are. Then, too, that which is unknowable is unknown; and “God” or “ There is God” as an answer to our question becomes as meaningless as any other. Who are we, then? We are Spencerian Agnostics, poor silly, damned Spen- cerian Agnostics ! And there is an end of the matter. VI It is surely time that we began to question the validity of some of our data. So far our scepticism has not only knocked 120
1909 · PDF PAGE 7
…the use of the verb to be, so, that, after all, existence is implied. Nor do we readily conceive that contemptuous silence is sufficient answer to the further query, “ By whom is 115
1909 · PDF PAGE 16
…deavour to oblige. It is necessary if a question is to be intelligibly put that the querent should be on the same plane as the quesited. Answer is impossible if you ask: Are round squares triangular? or Is butter virtuous? or How many ounces go to the shilling? for the “questions” are not really questions at all. So if you ask me Is Samadhi real? I reply: First, I pray you, establish a connection between the terms. What do you mean by Samadhi? There is a physiological (or pathological; never mind now!) state which I call Samadhi; and that state…
1909 · PDF PAGE 9
THE SOLDIER AND THE HUNCHBACK What is Existence? The question is so fundamental that it finds no answer. The most profound meditation only leads to an exasperating sense of impotence. There is, it seems, no simple rational idea in the mind which corresponds to the word. It is easy of course to drown the question in definitions, leading us to further complexity—but “ Existence is the gift of Divine Providence,” “ Existence is the opposite of Non-Existence,” do not help us much ! The plain Existence is Existence of the Hebrews goes farther. It is…
1909 · PDF PAGE 13
…d logic by logic—if Satan cast out Satan, how shall his kingdom stand? Let us stand on the Mount, Saviours of the World that we are, and answer “Get thee behind me, Satan!” though refraining from quoting texts or giving reasons. Oho! says somebody; is Aleister Crowley here ?—Samson blinded and bound, grinding corn for the Philistines! Not at all, dear boy! We shall put all the questions that we can put—but we may find a tower built upon a rock, against which the winds beat in vain. Not what Christians call faith, be sure! But what (pos- sibly) …
1909 · PDF PAGE 24
…e with debauchery in the first place, and asceticism in the second. A weak, dirty, paltry cur, sir, your Gautama! Yes, I think I have no answer to that. The sudden apprehension of some vital catastrophe may have been the exciting cause of my conscious devotion to the attainment of Adeptship—but surely the capacity was there, inborn. Mere despair and desire can do little; anyway, the first impulse of 132
1909 · PDF PAGE 23
…ur time—we are as ridiculous with our Arahats as Herod the Tetrarch with his peacocks! We pose Life with the question Why? and the first answer is: To obtain the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. To attach meaning to this statement we must obtain that Knowledge and Conversation : and when we have done that, we may proceed to the next Question. Itis no good asking it now. 131
1909 · PDF PAGE 18
…OX You, they say, claim to be a man in Kether (I don’t). Why then, do you not wear boots on your head and hats on your feet ? I can only answer that I the man in Kether (‘tis but an argument) am out of all relation as much with feet and heads as with boots and hats. But why should I (from my exalted pinnacle) stoop down and worry the headed and footed gentle- man in Malkuth, who after all doesn’t exist for me, by these drastic alterations in his toilet? There is no distinction whatever ; I might easily put the boots on his shoulders, with his h…