218 Colonel Sit 1 Ronald Ross [June 4, 



In the concluding stanza my whole philosophy of life began to 

 emerge, " Cannot the mind which made the engine make a nobler 

 life than this ?" In short, I invoked Science to heighten civilization 

 and to prevent decadence. It is a philosophy derived from Epicurus, 

 through Lucretius, Comte, and Spenser, and culminating in the high 

 and pure philosophy of Science of to-day. Both a passive but also an 

 active philosophy — one which studies, not only how things are caused, 

 but also how they may be bettered. I have never liked the passive 

 philosophies, most of which appear to me to be as untrue as they are 

 useless : and in 1890 I tried to figure the difference in a discussion 

 between the spirits of Philosophy and Science, or rather of passive 

 and active philosophy : — 



Vision. 



Philosoplttj ami Science. 



A Valley of far-fallen rocks, 

 Like bones of mouldering mountains, spread, 

 And ended by the barren blocks 

 Of mountains doom'd or dead : 

 No rivage there with green recess 

 Made music in that wilderness. 



Despairing fell the sore-spent Sun, 



And cried, " I die," and sank in fire ; 



Like conquering Death, the Night came on 



And ran from spire to spire ; 

 And swollen-pale ascended soon, 

 Like Death in Life, the leprous Moon. 



On windy ledges lined with light, 

 Between the still Stars sparsely strewn, 

 Two Spirits grew from out the Night 



Beneath the mistless Moon, 

 And held deep parley, making thought 

 With words sententious half distraught. 



One full-robed ; in his hand a book ; 

 His lips, that labour'd for the word, 

 Scarce moved in utterance ; and his look 



Sought, not his face who heard, 

 But that Sad Star that sobs alway 

 Upon the breast of dying Day. 



One, weary, with two-handed stress 

 Leant on his shoulder-touching spear, 

 His beard blown o'er the hairiness 



Of his great breast ; and clear 

 His eyes shot speculation out 

 To catch the truth or quell the doubt. 



