OF KNOWLEDGE. 331 



II. 



If we, for a moment, adopt an expression which has yi. 

 been coined and become current in modern philosophical unity in 



Continental 



literature, and according to which philosophy consists in thought. 

 unified knowledge, its highest aim being the unification 

 of thought, we may say that modern philosophy on the 

 Continent consciously worked from its very beginning in 

 Descartes towards the attainment of this end, whereas, in 

 this country, it only arrived at a recognition of this, its 

 highest task, during the latter part of the nineteenth 

 century. I have expressed the same idea in other words 

 by saying that modern philosophy on the Continent 

 aimed at the establishment of a consistent and com- 

 prehensive philosophical creed. The boldest attempt to 

 solve this problem is no doubt the system of Spinoza, 

 whereas Descartes had contented himself with enun- 

 ciating certain leading principles. In Spinoza philos- 

 ophy attained to an elevation of spirit and diction which 

 has only been reached in rare instances. It became to 

 its author an expression, as it were, of his deepest re- 

 ligious convictions ; it rose to inspiration. Such had 

 been the philosophy of Plato in antiquity, such was the 

 philosophy of Spinoza in modern times. Both are con- 

 spicuous by their grandeur and sublimity. But in the 28. 



Spinoza and 



same way as Plato's philosophy in ancient times was Leibniz 



contrasted. 



followed, and to a large extent superseded, by the sober 

 and judicious treatment of Aristotle, so the creative 

 effort of Spinoza was superseded, for the time being, 

 by the harmonising endeavours contained in Leibniz's 



