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perfection of God： that that which was most divine was most human； and
that which was most human； most divine。 That was the outcome of their
metaphysic； that they had found the Absolute One； because One existed in
whom the apparent antagonism between that which is eternally and that
which becomes in time； between the ideal and the actual； between the
spiritual and the material； in a word； between God and man； was explained
and reconciled for ever。
And Proclus's prayer； on the other hand； was the outcome of the
Neoplatonists' metaphysic； the end of all their search after the One； the
Indivisible； the Absolute； this cry to all manner of innumerable phantoms；
ghosts of ideas； ghosts of traditions； neither things nor persons； but
thoughts； to give the philosopher each something or other； according to the
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nature of each。 Not that he very clearly defines what each is to give him；
but still he feels himself in want of all manner of things； and it is as well to
have as many friends at court as possible Noetic Gods； Noeric Gods；
rulers； angels； daemons； heroesto enable him to do what？ To
understand Plato's most mystical and far…seeing speculations。 The
Eternal Nous； the Intellectual Teacher has vanished further and further off；
further off still some dim vision of a supreme Goodness。 Infinite spaces
above that looms through the mist of the abyss a Primaeval One。 But
even that has a predicate； for it is one； it is not pure essence。 Must there
not be something beyond that again； which is not even one； but is
nameless； inconceivable； absolute？ What an abyss！ How shall the
human mind find anything whereon to rest； in the vast nowhere between it
and the object of its search？ The search after the One issues in a wail to
the innumerable； and kind gods； angels； and heroes； not human indeed； but
still conceivable enough to satisfy at least the imagination； step in to fill
the void； as they have done since； and may do again； and so； as Mr。
Carlyle has it； 〃the bottomless pit got roofed over；〃 as it may be again ere
long。
Are we then to say； that Neoplatonism was a failure？ That
Alexandria； during four centuries of profound and earnest thought； added
nothing？ Heaven forbid that we should say so of a philosophy which has
exercised on European thought； at the crisis of its noblest life and action；
an influence as great as did the Aristotelian system during the Middle Ages。
We must never forget； that during the two centuries which commence with
the fall of Constantinople； and end with our civil wars； not merely almost
all great thinkers； but courtiers； statesmen； warriors； poets； were more or
less Neoplatonists。 The Greek grammarians； who migrated into Italy；
brought with them the works of Plotinus； Iamblichus； and Proclus； and
their gorgeous reveries were welcomed eagerly by the European mind； just
revelling in the free thought of youthful manhood。 And yet the
Alexandrian impotence for any practical and social purposes was to be
manifested； as utterly as it was in Alexandria or in Athens of old。 Ficinus
and Picus of Mirandola worked no deliverance； either for Italian morals or
polity； at a time when such deliverance was needed bitterly enough。
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Neoplatonism was petted by luxurious and heathen popes； as an elegant
play of the cultivated fancy； which could do their real power； their
practical system； neither good nor harm。 And one cannot help feeling；
while reading the magnificent oration on Supra…sensual Love； which
Castiglione； in his admirable book 〃The Courtier；〃 puts into the mouth of
the profligate Bembo； how near mysticism may lie not merely to
dilettantism or to Pharisaism； but to sensuality itself。 But in England；
during Elizabeth's reign； the practical weakness of Neoplatonism was
compensated by the noble practical life which men were compelled to live
in those great times； by the strong hold which they had of the ideas of
family and national life； of law and personal faith。 And I cannot but
believe it to have been a mighty gain to such men as Sidney； Raleigh； and
Spenser； that they had drunk； however slightly； of the wells of Proclus and
Plotinus。 One cannot read Spenser's 〃Fairy Queen；〃 above all his Garden
of Adonis； and his cantos on Mutability； without feeling that his
Neoplatonism must have kept him safe from many a dark eschatological
superstition； many a narrow and bitter dogmatism； which was even then
tormenting the English mind； and must have helped to give him altogether
a freer and more loving conception； if not a consistent or accurate one； of
the wondrous harmony of that mysterious analogy between the physical
and the spiritual； which alone makes poetry （and I had almost said
philosophy also） possible； and have taught him to behold alike in suns and
planets； in flowers and insects； in man and in beings higher than man； one
glorious order of love and wisdom； linking them all to Him from whom
they all proceed； rays from His cloudless sunlight； mirrors of His eternal
glory。
But as the Elizabethan age； exhausted by its own fertility； gave place to
the Caroline； Neoplatonism ran through much the same changes。 It was
good for us； after all； that the plain strength of the Puritans；
unphilosophical as they were； swept it away。 One feels in reading the
later Neoplatonists； Henry More； Smith； even Cudworth （valuable as he is）；
that the old accursed distinction between the philosopher； the scholar； the
illuminate； and the plain righteous man； was growing up again very fast。
The school from which the 〃Religio Medici〃 issued was not likely to make
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any bad men good； or any foolish men wise。
Besides； as long as men were con