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also in a way never to be forgotten； the excess of what we see
over what we can demonstrate。
〃And so on！these things may seem to you delusions； or truisms；
but for me they are dark truths； and the power to put them into
even such words as these has been given me by an ether dream。〃
With this we make connection with religious mysticism pure and
simple。 Symonds's question takes us back to those examples which
you will remember my quoting in the lecture on the Reality of the
Unseen； of sudden realization of the immediate presence of God。
The phenomenon in one shape or another is not uncommon。
〃I know；〃 writes Mr。 Trine； 〃an officer on our police force who
has told me that many times when off duty； and on his way home in
the evening； there comes to him such a vivid and vital
realization of his oneness with this Infinite Power； and this
Spirit of Infinite Peace so takes hold of and so fills him； that
it seems as if his feet could hardly keep to the pavement； so
buoyant and so exhilarated does he become by reason of this
inflowing tide。〃＇236＇
＇236＇ In Tune with the Infinite； p。 137。
Certain aspects of nature seem to have a peculiar power of
awakening such mystical moods。＇237＇ Most of the striking cases
which I have collected have occurred out of doors。 Literature
has commemorated this fact in many passages of great beautythis
extract； for example； from Amiel's Journal Intime：
＇237＇ The larger God may then swallow up the smaller one。 I take
this from Starbuck's manuscript collection：
〃I never lost the consciousness of the presence of God until I
stood at the foot of the Horseshoe Falls； Niagara。 Then I lost
him in the immensity of what I saw。 I also lost myself； feeling
that I was an atom too small for the notice of Almighty God。〃
I subjoin another similar case from Starbuck's collection：
〃In that time the consciousness of God's nearness came to me
sometimes。 I say God； to describe what is indescribable。 A
presence； I might say； yet that is too suggestive of personality；
and the moments of which I speak did not hold the consciousness
of a personality； but something in myself made me feel myself a
part of something bigger than I； that was controlling。 I felt
myself one with the grass； the trees； birds； insects； everything
in Nature。 I exulted in the mere fact of existence； of being a
part of it allthe drizzling rain； the shadows of the clouds；
the tree…trunks； and so on。 In the years following； such moments
continued to come； but I wanted them constantly。 I knew so well
the satisfaction of losing self in a perception of supreme power
and love； that I was unhappy because that perception was not
constant。〃 The cases quoted in my third lecture； pp。 65； 66； 69；
are still better ones of this type。 In her essay； The Loss of
Personality； in The Atlantic Monthly （vol。 lxxxv。 p。 195）； Miss
Ethel D。 Puffer explains that the vanishing of the sense of self；
and the feeling of immediate unity with the object； is due to the
disappearance； in these rapturous experiences； of the motor
adjustments which habitually intermediate between the constant
background of consciousness （which is the Self） and the object in
the foreground； whatever it may be。 I must refer the reader to
the highly instructive article； which seems to me to throw light
upon the psychological conditions； though it fails to account for
the rapture or the revelation…value of the experience in the
Subject's eyes。
〃Shall I ever again have any of those prodigious reveries which
sometimes came to me in former days？ One day； in youth； at
sunrise； sitting in the ruins of the castle of Faucigny； and
again in the mountains； under the noonday sun； above Lavey； lying
at the foot of a tree and visited by three butterflies； once more
at night upon the shingly shore of the Northern Ocean； my back
upon the sand and my vision ranging through the Milky Way；such
grand and spacious； immortal； cosmogonic reveries； when one
reaches to the stars； when one owns the infinite！ Moments
divine； ecstatic hours； in which our thought flies from world to
world； pierces the great enigma； breathes with a respiration
broad； tranquil； and deep as the respiration of the ocean； serene
and limitless as the blue firmament； 。 。 。 instants of
irresistible intuition in which one feels one's self great as the
universe； and calm as a god。 。 。 。 What hours； what memories！
The vestiges they leave behind are enough to fill us with belief
and enthusiasm； as if they were visits of the Holy Ghost。〃＇238＇
＇238＇ Op cit。； i。 43…44
Here is a similar record from the memoirs of that interesting
German idealist； Malwida von Meysenbug：
〃I was alone upon the seashore as all these thoughts flowed over
me； liberating and reconciling； and now again； as once before in
distant days in the Alps of Dauphine； I was impelled to kneel
down； this time before the illimitable ocean； symbol of the
Infinite。 I felt that I prayed as I had never prayed before； and
knew now what prayer really is： to return from the solitude of
individuation into the consciousness of unity with all that is；
to kneel down as one that passes away； and to rise up as one
imperishable。 Earth； heaven； and sea resounded as in one vast
world…encircling harmony。 It was as if the chorus of all the
great who had ever lived were about me。 I felt myself one with
them； and it appeared as if I heard their greeting： 'Thou too
belongest to the company of those who overcome。'〃＇239＇
＇239＇ Memoiren einer Idealistin； Ste Auflage； 1900； iii。 166。
For years she had been unable to pray； owing to materialistic
belief。
The well known passage from Walt Whitman is a classical
expression of this sporadic type of mystical experience。
〃I believe in you； my Soul 。 。 。
Loaf with me on the grass； loose the stop from your throat；。 。 。
Only the lull I like； the hum of your valved voice。
I mind how once we lay； such a transparent summer morning。
Swiftly arose and spread around me the peace and knowledge
that pass all the argument of the earth；
And I know that the hand of God is the promise of my own；
And I know that the spirit of God is the brother of my own；
And that all the men ever born are also my brothers and the
women my sisters and lovers；
And that a kelson of the creation is love。〃＇240＇
＇240＇ Whitman in another place expresses in a quieter way what
was probably with him a chronic mystical perception： 〃There is；〃
he writes； 〃apart from mere intellect； in the make…up of every
superior human identity； a wondrous something that realizes
without argument； frequently without what is called education
（though I think it the goal and apex of all education deserving
the name）； an intuition of the absolute balance； in time and
space； of the whole of this multifariousness this revel of fools；
and incredible make…believe and general unsettiedness； we call
THE WORLD； a soul…sight of that divine clue and unseen thread
which holds the whole congeries of things； all history and time；
and all events； however trivial； however momentous； like a
leashed dog in the hand of the hunter。 ＇Of＇ such soul…sight and
root…centre for the mind mere optimism explains only the
surface。〃 Whitman charges it against Carlyle that he lacked this
perception。 Specimen Days and Collect； Philadelphia； 1882； p。
174。
I could easily give more instances； but one will suffice。 I take
it from the Autobiography of J。 Trevor。＇241＇
＇241＇ My Quest for God； London； 1897； pp。 268； 269； abridged。
〃One brilliant Sunday morning； my wife and boys went to the
Unitarian Chapel in Macclesfield。 I felt it impossible to
accompany themas though to leave the sunshine on the hills； and
go down there to the chapel； would be for the time an act of
spiritual suicide。 And I felt such need for new inspiration and
expansion in my life。 So； very reluctantly and sadly； I left my
wife and boys to go down into the town； while I went further up
into the hills with my stick and my dog。 In the loveliness of
the morning； and the beauty of the hills and valleys； I soon lost
my sense of sadness and regret。 For nearly an hour I walked
alon