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admired。 We must always keep in mind that the beauty in a partial thing cannot be identical with that in a whole； nor can any several objects be as stately as the total。 And we must recognize； that； even in the world of sense and part； there are things of a loveliness comparable to that of the Celestials… forms whose beauty must fill us with veneration for their creator and convince us of their origin in the divine； forms which show how ineffable is the beauty of the Supreme since they cannot hold us but we must； though in all admiration； leave these for those。 Further； wherever there is interior beauty； we may be sure that inner and outer correspond； where the interior is vile； all is brought low by that flaw in the dominants。 Nothing base within can be beautiful without… at least not with an authentic beauty； for there are examples of a good exterior not sprung from a beauty dominant within； people passing as handsome but essentially base have that； a spurious and superficial beauty： if anyone tells me he has seen people really fine…looking but interiorly vile； I can only deny it； we have here simply a false notion of personal beauty； unless； indeed； the inner vileness were an accident in a nature essentially fine； in this Sphere there are many obstacles to self…realization。 In any case the All is beautiful； and there can be no obstacle to its inner goodness： where the nature of a thing does not comport perfection from the beginning； there may be a failure in complete expression； there may even be a fall to vileness； but the All never knew a childlike immaturity； it never experienced a progress bringing novelty into it； it never had bodily growth： there was nowhere from whence it could take such increment； it was always the All…Container。 And even for its Soul no one could imagine any such a path of process： or； if this were conceded； certainly it could not be towards evil。 18。 But perhaps this school will maintain that； while their teaching leads to a hate and utter abandonment of the body； ours binds the Soul down in it。 In other words： two people inhabit the one stately house； one of them declaims against its plan and against its Architect； but none the less maintains his residence in it； the other makes no complaint； asserts the entire competency of the Architect and waits cheerfully for the day when he may leave it； having no further need of a house： the malcontent imagines himself to be the wiser and to be the readier to leave because he has learned to repeat that the walls are of soulless stone and timber and that the place falls far short of a true home； he does not see that his only distinction is in not being able to bear with necessity assuming that his conduct； his grumbling； does not cover a secret admiration for the beauty of those same 〃stones。〃 As long as we have bodies we must inhabit the dwellings prepared for us by our good sister the Soul in her vast power of labourless creation。 Or would this school reject the word Sister？ They are willing to address the lowest of men as brothers； are they capable of such raving as to disown the tie with the Sun and the powers of the Heavens and the very Soul of the Kosmos？ Such kinship； it is true； is not for the vile； it may be asserted only of those that have become good and are no longer body but embodied Soul and of a quality to inhabit the body in a mode very closely resembling the indwelling。 of the All…Soul in the universal frame。 And this means continence； self…restraint； holding staunch against outside pleasure and against outer spectacle； allowing no hardship to disturb the mind。 The All…Soul is immune from shock； there is nothing that can affect it： but we； in our passage here； must call on virtue in repelling these assaults； reduced for us from the beginning by a great conception of life； annulled by matured strength。 Attaining to something of this immunity； we begin to reproduce within ourselves the Soul of the vast All and of the heavenly bodies： when we are come to the very closest resemblance； all the effort of our fervid pursuit will be towards that goal to which they also tend； their contemplative vision becomes ours； prepared as we are； first by natural disposition and afterwards by all this training； for that state which is theirs by the Principle of their Being。 This school may lay claim to vision as a dignity reserved to themselves； but they are not any the nearer to vision by the claim… or by the boast that while the celestial powers； bound for ever to the ordering of the Heavens； can never stand outside the material universe； they themselves have their freedom in their death。 This is a failure to grasp the very notion of 〃standing outside；〃 a failure to appreciate the mode in which the All…Soul cares for the unensouled。 No： it is possible to go free of love for the body； to be clean…living； to disregard death； to know the Highest and aim at that other world； not to slander； as negligent in the quest； others who are able for it and faithful to it； and not to err with those that deny vital motion to the stars because to our sense they stand still… the error which in another form leads this school to deny outer vision to the Star…Nature； only because they do not see the Star…Soul in outer manifestation。 THE THIRD ENNEAD。
FIRST TRACTATE。
FATE。
1。 In the two orders of things… those whose existence is that of process and those in whom it is Authentic Being… there is a variety of possible relation to Cause。 Cause might conceivably underly all the entities in both orders or none in either。 It might underly some； only； in each order； the others being causeless。 It might； again； underly the Realm of Process universally while in the Realm of Authentic Existence some things were caused； others not； or all were causeless。 Conceivably； on the other hand； the Authentic Existents are all caused while in the Realm of Process some things are caused and others not； or all are causeless。 Now； to begin with the Eternal Existents： The Firsts among these； by the fact that they are Firsts； cannot be referred to outside Causes； but all such as depend upon those Firsts may be admitted to derive their Being from them。 And in all cases the Act may be referred to the Essence ＇as its cause＇； for their Essence consists； precisely； in giving forth an appropriate Act。 As for Things of Process… or for Eternal Existents whose Act is not eternally invariable… we must hold that these are due to Cause； Causelessness is quite inadmissible； we can make no place here for unwarranted 〃slantings；〃 for sudden movement of bodies apart from any initiating power； for precipitate spurts in a soul with nothing to drive it into the new course of action。 Such causelessness would bind the Soul under an even sterner compulsion； no longer master of itself； but at the mercy of movements apart from will and cause。 Something willed… within itself or without… something desired； must lead it to action； without motive it can have no motion。 On the assumption that all happens by Cause； it is easy to discover the nearest determinants of any particular act