Shamsanddelusionsareesteemedforsoundesttruths,whilerealityisfabulous.Ifmenwouldsteadilyobserverealitiesonly,andnotallowthemselvestobedeluded,life,tocompareitwithsuchthingsasweknow,wouldbelikeafairytaleandtheArabianNights’Entertainments.Ifwerespectedonlywhatisinevitableandhasarighttobe,musicandpoetrywouldresoundalongthestreets.Whenweareunhurriedandwise,weperceivethatonlygreatandworthythingshaveanypermanentandabsoluteexistence,--thatpettyfearsandpettypleasurearebuttheshadowofreality.Thisisalwaysexhilaratingandsublime.Byclosingtheeyesandslumbering,byconsentingtobedeceivedbyshows,menestablishandconfirmtheirdailylifeofroutineandhabiteverywhere,whichstillisbuiltonpurelyillusoryfoundation.Children,whoplaylife,discernitstruelawandrelationsmoreclearlythanmen,whofailtoliveworthily,butwhothinkthattheyarewiserbyexperience,thatis,byfailure.IhavereadinaHindoobook,that“therewasaking’sson,who,beingexpelledininfancyfromhisnativecity,wasbroughtupbyaforester,and,growinguptomaturityinthatstate,imaginedhimselftobelongtothebarbarousracewithwhichbelived.Oneofhisfather’sministershavingdiscoveredhim,revealedtohimwhathewas,andthemisconceptionofhischaracterwasremoved,andheknewhimselftobeaprince.Sosoul,fromthecircumstancesinwhichitisplaced,mistakesitsowncharacter,untilthetruthisrevealedtoitbysomeholyteacher,andthenitknowsitselftobeBrahme.”Wethinkthatthatiswhichappearstobe.Ifamanshouldgiveusanaccountoftherealitieshebeheld,weshouldnotrecognizetheplaceinhisdescription.Lookatameeting-house,oracourt-house,orajail,orashop.Oradwelling-house,andsaywhatthatthingreallyisbeforeatruegaze,andtheywouldallgotopiecesinyouraccountofthem.Menesteemtruthremote,intheoutskirtsofthesystem,behindthefartheststar,beforeAdamandafterthelastman.Ineternitythereisindeedsomethingtrueandsublime.Butallthesetimesandplacesandoccasionsarenowandhere.Godhimselfculminatesinthepresentmoment,andwillneverbemoredivineinthelapseofallages.Andweareenabledtoapprehendatallwhatissublimeandnobleonlybytheperpetualinstillinganddrenchingoftherealitythatsurroundsus.Theuniverseconstantlyandobedientlyanswerstoourconceptions;whetherwetravelfastorslow,thetrackislaidforus.Letusspendourlivesinconceivingthen.Thepoetortheartistneveryethadasfairandnobleadesignbutsomeofhisposterityatleastcouldaccomplishit.
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