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thing existent at any given moment； and surely a 〃more〃 is not to be made out by adding to something actually present something that has passed away。 No： true happiness is not vague and fluid： it is an unchanging state。 If there is in this matter any increase besides that of mere time； it is in the sense that a greater happiness is the reward of a higher virtue： this is not counting up to the credit of happiness the years of its continuance； it is simply noting the high…water mark once for all attained。 7。 But if we are to consider only the present and may not call in the past to make the total； why do we not reckon so in the case of time itself； where； in fact； we do not hesitate to add the past to the present and call the total greater？ Why not suppose a quantity of happiness equivalent to a quantity of time？ This would be no more than taking it lap by lap to correspond with time…laps instead of choosing to consider it as an indivisible； measurable only by the content of a given instant。 There is no absurdity in taking count of time which has ceased to be： we are merely counting what is past and finished； as we might count the dead： but to treat past happiness as actually existent and as outweighing present happiness； that is an absurdity。 For Happiness must be an achieved and existent state； whereas any time over and apart from the present is nonexistent： all progress of time means the extinction of all the time that has been。 Hence time is aptly described as a mimic of eternity that seeks to break up in its fragmentary flight the permanence of its exemplar。 Thus whatever time seizes and seals to itself of what stands permanent in eternity is annihilated… saved only in so far as in some degree it still belongs to eternity； but wholly destroyed if it be unreservedly absorbed into time。 If Happiness demands the possession of the good of life； it clearly has to do with the life of Authentic…Existence for that life is the Best。 Now the life of Authentic…Existence is measurable not by time but by eternity； and eternity is not a more or a less or a thing of any magnitude but is the unchangeable； the indivisible； is timeless Being。 We must not muddle together Being and Non…Being； time and eternity； not even everlasting time with the eternal； we cannot make laps and stages of an absolute unity； all must be taken together； wheresoever and howsoever we handle it； and it must be taken at that； not even as an undivided block of time but as the Life of Eternity； a stretch not made up of periods but completely rounded； outside of all notion of time。 8。 It may be urged that the actual presence of past experiences； kept present by Memory； gives the advantage to the man of the longer felicity。 But； Memory of what sort of experiences？ Memory either of formerly attained wisdom and virtue… in which case we have a better man and the argument from memory is given up… or memory of past pleasures； as if the man that has arrived at felicity must roam far and wide in search of gratifications and is not contented by the bliss actually within him。 And what is there pleasant in the memory of pleasure？ What is it to recall yesterday's excellent dinner？ Still more ridiculous； one of ten years ago。 So； too； of last year's morality。 9。 But is there not something to be said for the memory of the various forms of beauty？ That is the resource of a man whose life is without beauty in the present； so that； for lack of it now； he grasps at the memory of what has been。 10。 But； it may be said； length of time produces an abundance of good actions missed by the man whose attainment of the happy state is recent… if indeed we can think at all of a state of happiness where good actions have been few。 Now to make multiplicity； whether in time or in action； essential to Happiness is to put it together by combining non…existents； represented by the past； with some one thing that actually is。 This consideration it was that led us at the very beginning to place Happiness in the actually existent and on that basis to launch our enquiry as to whether the higher degree was determined by the longer time。 It might be thought that the Happiness of longer date must surpass the shorter by virtue of the greater number of acts it included。 But； to begin with； men quite outside of the active life may attain the state of felicity； and not in a less but in a greater degree than men of affairs。 Secondly； the good does not derive from the act itself but from the inner disposition which prompts the noble conduct： the wise and good man in his very action harvests the good not by what he does but by what he is。 A wicked man no less than a Sage may save the country； and the good of the act is for all alike； no matter whose was the saving hand。 The contentment of the Sage does not hang upon such actions and events： it is his own inner habit that creates at once his felicity and whatever pleasure may accompany it。 To put Happiness in actions is to put it in things that are outside virtue and outside the Soul； for the Soul's expression is not in action but in wisdom； in a contemplative operation within itself； and this； this alone； is Happiness。 SIXTH TRACTATE。
BEAUTY。
1。 Beauty addresses itself chiefly to sight； but there is a beauty for the hearing too； as in certain combinations of words and in all kinds of music； for melodies and cadences are beautiful； and minds that lift themselves above the realm of sense to a higher order are aware of beauty in the conduct of life； in actions； in character； in the pursuits of the intellect； and there is the beauty of the virtues。 What loftier beauty there may be； yet； our argument will bring to light。 What； then； is it that gives comeliness to material forms and draws the ear to the sweetness perceived in sounds； and what is the secret of the beauty there is in all that derives from Soul？ Is there some One Principle from which all take their grace； or is there a beauty peculiar to the embodied and another for the bodiless？ Finally； one or many； what would such a Principle be？ Consider that some things； material shapes for instance； are gracious not by anything inherent but by something communicated； while others are lovely of themselves； as； for example； Virtue。 The same bodies appear sometimes beautiful； sometimes not； so that there is a good deal between being body and being beautiful。 What； then； is this something that shows itself in certain material forms？ This is the natural beginning of our enquiry。 What is it that attracts the eyes of those to whom a beautiful object is presented； and calls them； lures them； towards it； and fills them with joy at the sight？ If we possess ourselves of this； we have at once a standpoint for the wider survey。 Almost everyone declares that the symmetry of parts towards each other and towards a whole； with； besides； a certain charm of colour； constitutes the beauty recognized by the eye； that in visible things； as indeed in all else； universally； the beautiful thing is essentially symmetrical； patterned。 But think what this means。 Only a compound can