324 CREATIVE EVOLUTION CHAP. 



is discontinuous, like every pulsation of life ; discon 

 tinuous, therefore, is knowledge. The mechanism of 

 the faculty of knowing has been constructed on this 

 plan. Essentially practical, can it be of use, such as it 

 is, for speculation ? Let us try with it to follow 

 reality in its windings, and see what will happen. 



I take of the continuity of a particular becoming a 

 series of views, which I connect together by &quot;becoming 

 in general.&quot; But of course I cannot stop there. What 

 is not determinable is not representable : of &quot; becoming 

 in general &quot; I have only a verbal knowledge. As the 

 letter x designates a certain unknown quantity, what 

 ever it may be, so my &quot; becoming in general,&quot; always 

 the same, symbolizes here a certain transition of which 

 I have taken some snapshots ; of the transition itself 

 it teaches me nothing. Let me then concentrate myself 

 wholly on the transition, and, between any two snap 

 shots, endeavour to realize what is going on. As I 

 apply the same method, I obtain the same result ; a 

 third view merely slips in between the two others. I 

 may begin again as often as I will, I may set views 

 alongside of views for ever, I shall obtain nothing else. 

 The application of the cinematographical method there 

 fore leads to a perpetual recommencement, during 

 which the mind, never able to satisfy itself and never 

 finding where to rest, persuades itself, no doubt, that 

 it imitates by its instability the very movement of 

 the real. But though, by straining itself to the point 

 of giddiness, it may end by giving itself the illusion of 

 mobility, its operation has not advanced it a step, since 

 it remains as far as ever from its goal. In order to 

 advance with the moving reality, you must replace your 

 self within it. Install yourself within change, and you 

 will grasp at once both change itself and the successive 



