29 
To Maeterlinck there is nothing unavoidable, inevitable about 
Destiny. He sees a great distinction between--what he calls— 
external and internal, or moral, Destiny. Thus he holds that 
‘‘ real fatality exists only in certain external disasters, as disease, 
accident, and sudden death of those we love, but inner fatality, 
there is none.” 
‘<The only Destiny that might truly be said to triumph over man, is the 
one which might have the power loudly to ery unto all, ‘ From this day on- 
ward there shall come no more strength to thy soul, neither strength nor 
ennoblement.’ ”’ 
According to our author's method of looking at life, there are 
two great types of humanity: those whom men and events 
oppress, who are buffeted hither and thither about the stage of 
life ; and those whom— 
‘“‘Each event, whether charged with joy or sadness, has brought 
reflection, has added something to their range of soul, has given them greater 
peace wherewith to cling to life.” 
The individual of the second type differs from the first inas- 
much as he has within him ‘ some kind of inner force.”’ 
‘« He knows in advance how events will be received in his soul.’’ 
What then is this wisdom which exercises such powerful 
influence on man’s inward peace and happiness? It is impossible 
to quote any single passage to convey a complete idea of the 
author's meaning; such only can be obtained by reading the 
book through. The following, however, are a few of the most 
striking of his images :— 
‘‘ Wisdom is the lamp of love, and love is the oil of the lamp. Love 
sinking deeper grows wiser, and wisdom that springs up aloft, comes ever the 
nearer to loye.’’ 
‘¢ Wisdom is perhaps only the sense of the infinite applied to our moral 
life.”’ 
And again he comes very near to a single clear perception when 
he says— 
‘* Why should we not say that Wisdom is the triumph of reason divine over 
reason of man.”’ 
‘« Truly wise you are not, unless your wisdom be constantly changing from 
childhood on to your death. The more the word means to you, the more 
depth and beauty it conveys, the wiser must you become.”’ 
In addition to enquiring into the influence of Wisdom on 
Destiny, Maeterlinck allows his thoughts to wander up and down 
the pathway of life dwelling on such themes as Happiness, Love, 
Joy: and, spite of the mystic tone that pervades the book, it will 
be seen that its author is no mere dreamer, sitting on an eminence 
apart from, and out of touch with, the practical realities of life, 
