按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The simplest rudiment of mystical experience would seem to be
that deepened sense of the significance of a maxim or formula
which occasionally sweeps over one。 〃I've heard that said all my
life；〃 we exclaim； 〃but I never realized its full meaning until
now。〃 〃When a fellow…monk；〃 said Luther； 〃one day repeated
the words of the Creed： 'I believe in the forgiveness of sins；'
I saw the Scripture in an entirely new light； and straightway I
felt as if I were born anew。 It was as if I had found the door
of paradise thrown wide open。〃＇226＇ This sense of deeper
significance is not confined to rational propositions。 Single
words；＇227＇ and conjunctions of words； effects of light on land
and sea； odors and musical sounds； all bring it when the mind is
tuned aright。 Most of us can remember the strangely moving power
of passages in certain poems read when we were young； irrational
doorways as they were through which the mystery of fact； the
wildness and the pang of life； stole into our hearts and thrilled
them。 The words have now perhaps become mere polished surfaces
for us； but lyric poetry and music are alive and significant only
in proportion as they fetch these vague vistas of a life
continuous with our own； beckoning and inviting； yet ever eluding
our pursuit。 We are alive or dead to the eternal inner message
of the arts according as we have kept or lost this mystical
susceptibility。
＇226＇ Newman's Securus judicat orbis terrarum is another
instance。
＇227＇ 〃Mesopotamia〃 is the stock comic instance。An excellent
Old German lady； who had done some traveling in her day； used to
describe to me her Sehnsucht that she might yet visit
〃Philadelphia；〃 whose wondrous name had always haunted her
imagination。 Of John Foster it is said that 〃single words （as
chalcedony）； or the names of ancient heroes； had a mighty
fascination over him。 'At any time the word hermit was enough to
transport him。' The words woods and forests would produce the
most powerful emotion。〃 Foster's Life； by Ryland； New York；
1846； p。 3。
A more pronounced step forward on the mystical ladder is found in
an extremely frequent phenomenon； that sudden feeling； namely；
which sometimes sweeps over us； of having 〃been here before；〃 as
if at some indefinite past time； in just this place； with just
these people； we were already saying just these things。 As
Tennyson writes：
〃Moreover； something is or seems
That touches me with mystic gleams；
Like glimpses of forgotten dreams
〃Of something felt； like something here；
Of something done； I know not where；
Such as no language may declare。〃＇228＇
＇228＇ The Two Voices。 In a letter to Mr。 B。 P。 Blood； Tennyson
reports of himself as follows：
〃I have never had any revelations through anaesthetics； but a
kind of waking trancethis for lack of a better wordI have
frequently had； quite up from boyhood； when I have been all
alone。 This has come upon me through repeating my own name to
myself silently； till all at once； as it were out of the
intensity of the consciousness of individuality； individuality
itself seemed to dissolve and fade away into boundless being； and
this not a confused state but the clearest； the surest of the
surest； utterly beyond wordswhere death was an almost laughable
impossibilitythe loss of personality （if so it were） seeming no
extinction； but the only true life。 I am ashamed of my feeble
description。 Have I not said the state is utterly beyond words？〃
Professor Tyndall； in a letter； recalls Tennyson saying of this
condition： 〃By God Almighty！ there is no delusion in the matter！
It is no nebulous ecstasy； but a state of transcendent wonder；
associated with absolute clearness of mind。〃 Memoirs of Alfred
Tennyson； ii。 473。
Sir James Crichton…Browne has given the technical name of 〃dreamy
states〃 to these sudden invasions of vaguely reminiscent
consciousness。＇229＇ They bring a sense of mystery and of the
metaphysical duality of things； and the feeling of an enlargement
of perception which seems imminent but which never completes
itself。 In Dr。 Crichton…Browne's opinion they connect themselves
with the perplexed and scared disturbances of self…consciousness
which occasionally precede epileptic attacks。 I think that this
learned alienist takes a rather absurdly alarmist view of an
intrinsically insignificant phenomenon。 He follows it along the
downward ladder； to insanity； our path pursues the upward ladder
chiefly。 The divergence shows how important it is to neglect no
part of a phenomenon's connections； for we make it appear
admirable or dreadful according to the context by which we set it
off。
＇229＇ The Lancet； July 6 and 13； 1895； reprinted as the Cavendish
Lecture； on Dreamy Mental States； London； Bailliere； 1895。 They
have been a good deal discussed of late by psychologists。 See；
for example； Bernard…Leroy： L'Illusion de Fausse Reconnaissance；
Paris； 1898。
Somewhat deeper plunges into mystical consciousness are met with
in yet other dreamy states。 Such feelings as these which Charles
Kingsley describes are surely far from being uncommon； especially
in youth：
〃When I walk the fields； I am oppressed now and then with an
innate feeling that everything I see has a meaning； if I could
but understand it。 And this feeling of being surrounded with
truths which I cannot grasp amounts to indescribable awe
sometimes。 。 。 。 Have you not felt that your real soul was
imperceptible to your mental vision； except in a few hallowed
moments？〃＇230＇
＇230＇ Charles Kingsley's Life； i。 55； quoted by Inge： Christian
Mysticism； London； 1899； p。 341。
A much more extreme state of mystical consciousness is described
by J。 A。 Symonds； and probably more persons than we suspect could
give parallels to it from their own experience。
〃Suddenly；〃 writes Symonds； 〃at church； or in company； or when I
was reading； and always； I think； when my muscles were at rest； I
felt the approach of the mood。 Irresistibly it took possession
of my mind and will； lasted what seemed an eternity； and
disappeared in a series of rapid sensations which resembled the
awakening from anaesthetic influence。 One reason why I disliked
this kind of trance was that I could not describe it to myself。 I
cannot even now find words to render it intelligible。 It
consisted in a gradual but swi