HENBI POINCARE NORDMANN. 763 



blue, or otherwise, and that the third stripe, with you as with me, 

 produces a different sensation from the first. Thus what is "pure 

 quahty" in sensations is nontransmissiblc and impenetrable. Only 

 the relations between the sensations are transmissible, and conse- 

 quently may have an objective value. And that is why science, which 

 furnishes us with the relations existing between phenomena, tells us 

 of all that is purely objective. 



The profound and subtle criticism which Poincaire has made of 

 scientific theories leads us in no way to agnostic conclusions. Those 

 who have tried to use it to contest the value of science have reasoned 

 wrongly. 



[Here follows m the original French, Section V, discussing Poin- 

 caire and the moral problem, which is necessarily omitted from the 

 present translation on account of the length of the entire paper.l 



VI. CONCLUSION. 



A great inventor, a great philosopher, Poincare was also a great 

 writer. If it were for literary merit alone he would deserve study. 

 His language was vigorous and vivid, with a consciseness and clear- 

 ness peculiarly French. He did not disdam to clothe any profound 

 thought in the garb of a pretty phrase wherein he grouped himself 

 with the encyclo2)edists who, like d'Alembert, believed a precious 

 liquor yet finer when served m a finely cut glass. 



Thelast century has produced experimenters of genius like Pasteur — 

 men of astonishing mtuition like Maxwell. It has not produced men 

 who have done as much as Pomcare for the progress of the purely 

 deductive sciences and for mathematical discipline, or who like him 

 could "think science" and place it exactly. The picture which he 

 has left us is at the same tune sad and encouragmg. Science has its 

 limits. It can know only the relative, but in that it is supreme. As 

 to wishing to penetrate into what is called the absolute — the "things 

 in themselves" — these questions are not only insoluble but illusory 

 and void of sense. Science is an asymptote to the total truth as is the 

 hyperbola an asymptote to its directrices, and futher, like the hyper- 

 bola, it extends without end. 



In the somber forest of mystery, learning is like a glade. Men 

 enlarge continuously the circle which borders the clearing. But at 

 the same tune it continuously touches the shades of the unknown 

 at a greater number of points. No one on the borders of this glade 

 has known how to gather newer and more magnificent flowers than 

 has Henri Poincar^. So, as long as there arc men who think that it 

 is noble to live at the summit where harsh truth is enthroned, his 

 Loraine name will tremble on their lips. 



If I may paraphrase a famous saying, he was one of the essential 

 elements of human thought. 



