CHAPTER I 



UNIVERSAL PESSIMISM AND ITS REFUTATION 



A GREAT Arab prince of the tenth century, whose reign 

 marked the climax of the Caliphate of Cordova, thus 

 began his last will and testament: 



* I have now reigned more than fifty years, always 

 victorious, always fortunate: cherished by my 

 subjects, feared by their enemies, and surrounded 

 by general reverence. All that men desire has been 

 lavished on me by Heaven; glory, science, honours, 

 treasure, riches, pleasures, and love; I have enjoyed 

 all, I have exhausted all! 



* And now, on the threshold of Death, recalling 

 to remembrance all the past hours in this long period 

 of seeming felicity, I have counted the days in 

 which I have been truly happy: I have been able 

 to find only eleven! 



' Mortals, appraise by my example the exact 

 value of life on earth ! ' 



This appalling cry of pessimism from one of the 

 great and exceptionally privileged ones of earth enables 

 us to understand the constant and monotonous complaint 

 of the intellectually highest and best of mankind. 



M. Jean Finot has collected from all epochs and 

 all civilisations, the testimonies to the endless pessimism 

 which seems to oppress him also with its irresistible 

 gloom. 1 



4 Behold a cheerful nation with an easy philosophy. 

 It passes for being a generous purveyor of remedies 



1 J. Finot : Progris el Bonheur. 

 2QI 



