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they； as contrasted species； belong to one and the same genus；
but one of the species； the nobler and better one； is itself the
genus； and so soaks up and absorbs its opposite into itself。
This is a dark saying； I know； when thus expressed in terms of
common logic； but I cannot wholly escape from its authority。 I
feel as if it must mean something； something like what the
hegelian philosophy means； if one could only lay hold of it more
clearly。 Those who have ears to hear； let them hear； to me the
living sense of its reality only comes in the artificial mystic
state of mind。＇233＇
＇233＇ What reader of Hegel can doubt that that sense of a
perfected Being with all its otherness soaked up into itself；
which dominates his whole philosophy； must have come from the
prominence in his consciousness of mystical moods like this； in
most persons kept subliminal？ The notion is thoroughly
characteristic of the mystical level and the Aufgabe of making it
articulate was surely set to Hegel's intellect by mystical
feeling。
I just now spoke of friends who believe in the anaesthetic
revelation。 For them too it is a monistic insight； in which the
OTHER in its various forms appears absorbed into the One。
〃Into this pervading genius；〃 writes one of them； 〃we pass；
forgetting and forgotten； and thenceforth each is all； in God。
There is no higher； no deeper； no other； than the life in which
we are founded。 'The One remains； the many change and pass；' and
each and every one of us IS the One that remains。 。 。 。 This is
the ultimatum。 。 。 。 As sure as beingwhence is all our
careso sure is content； beyond duplexity； antithesis； or
trouble； where I have triumphed in a solitude that God is not
above。〃＇234＇
＇234＇ Benjamin Paul Blood： The Anaesthetic Revelation and the
Gist of Philosophy； Amsterdam； N。 Y。； 1874； pp。 35； 36。 Mr。
Blood has made several attempts to adumbrate the anaesthetic
revelation； in pamphlets of rare literary distinction； privately
printed and distributed by himself at Amsterdam。 Xenos Clark； a
philosopher； who died young at Amherst in the '80's； much
lamented by those who knew him； was also impressed by the
revelation。 〃In the first place；〃 he once wrote to me； 〃Mr。
Blood and I agree that the revelation is； if anything
non…emotional。 It is utterly flat。 It is； as Mr。 Blood says；
'the one sole and sufficient insight why； or not why； but how；
the present is pushed on by the past； and sucked forward by the
vacuity of the future。 Its inevitableness defeats all attempts
at stopping or accounting for it。 It is all precedence and
presupposition； and questioning is in regard to it forever too
late。 It is an initiation of the past。' The real secret would be
the formula by which the 'now' keeps exfoliating out of itself；
yet never escapes。 What is it； indeed； that keeps existence
exfoliating？ The formal being of anything； the logical
definition of it； is static。 For mere logic every question
contains its own answerwe simply fill the hole with the dirt we
dug out。 Why are twice two four？ Because； in fact； four is
twice two。 Thus logic finds in life no propulsion； only a
momentum。 It goes because it is a…going。 But the revelation
adds： it goes because it is and WAS a…going。 You walk； as it
were； round yourself in the revelation。 Ordinary philosophy is
like a hound hunting his own tail。 The more he hunts the farther
he has to go； and his nose never catches up with his heels；
because it is forever ahead of them。 So the present is already a
foregone conclusion； and I am ever too late to understand it。
But at the moment of recovery from anaesthesis； just then； BEFORE
STARTING ON LIFE； I catch； so to speak； a glimpse of my heels； a
glimpse of the eternal process just in the act of starting。 The
truth is that we travel on a journey that was accomplished before
we set out； and the real end of philosophy is accomplished； not
when we arrive at； but when we remain in； our destination （being
already there）which may occur vicariously in this life when we
cease our intellectual questioning。 That is why there is a smile
upon the face of the revelation； as we view it。 It tells us that
we are forever half a second too late that's all。 'You could
kiss your own lips； and have all the fun to yourself；' it says；
if you only knew the trick。 It would be perfectly easy if they
would just stay there till you got round to them。 Why don't you
manage it somehow？〃
Dialectically minded readers of this farrago will at least
recognize the region of thought of which Mr。 Clark writes； as
familiar。 In his latest pamphlet； 〃Tennyson's Trances and the
Anaesthetic Revelation；〃 Mr。 Blood describes its value for life
as follows：
〃The Anaesthetic Revelation is the Initiation of Man into the
Immemorial Mystery of the Open Secret of Being； revealed as the
Inevitable Vortex of Continuity。 Inevitable is the word。 Its
motive is inherentit is what has to be。 It is not for any love
or hate； nor for joy nor sorrow； nor good nor ill。 End；
beginning； or purpose； it knows not of。
〃It affords no particular of the multiplicity and variety of
things but it fills appreciation of the historical and the sacred
with a secular and intimately personal illumination of the nature
and motive of existence； which then seems reminiscentas if it
should have appeared； or shall yet appear； to every participant
thereof。
〃Although it is at first startling in its solemnity； it becomes
directly such a matter of courseso old…fashioned； and so akin
to proverbs that it inspires exultation rather than fear； and a
sense of safety； as identified with the aboriginal and the
universal。 But no words may express the imposing certainty of
the patient that he is realizing the primordial； Adamic surprise
of Life。
〃Repetition of the experience finds it ever the same； and as if
it could not possibly be otherwise。 The subject resumes his
normal consciousness only to partially and fitfully remember its
occurrence； and to try to formulate its baffling importwith
only this consolatory afterthought： that he has known the oldest
truth； and that he has done with human theories as to the origin；
meaning； or destiny of the race。 He is beyond instruction in
'spiritual things。'
〃The lesson is one of central safety： the Kingdom is within。
All days are judgment days： but there can be no climacteric
purpose of eternity； nor any scheme of the whole。 The as