MINE AND THINE 83 



session of the world by the finite spirit. It is quite true, 

 as the Pragmatists or Personal Idealists aver, that our 

 purposes define the meaning of things. But it is only a 

 preliminary and partial truth, only a fresh accentuation of 

 the subjective aspect of reality and of experience. Behind 

 this truth lies the history of our purposes, and beyond it 

 altogether remains the fact that our purposes are valid and 

 effective only in the degree to which they are expressions 

 of the wider and wiser purpose written in the nature of 

 things. 1 For, as soon as purpose or personality begins to 

 signify anything, it is found to be the medium, the active, 

 co-operative medium, through which the world translates 

 itself into ideality. 



" It is all triumphant art, but art in obedience to laws." 2 



The significance of personality is objective. The sub- 

 stance of our life is in the whole, and our life has substance 

 only for that reason. 3 



But perhaps the simplest example of this double move- 

 ment of spirit is presented by family life. There both 

 " Mine " and * Thine " grow together, and exclusive 

 alternatives disappear. Where wedded life is sound, and 

 the love of husband and wife is mutual, there is, on both 

 sides, a sense of complete possession. Each is means, and 

 is glad to be the means and mere material of the other's 

 life. Subjectivity has its complete sway in this sphere 

 the reduction of the ' ' other " into the self. But this is 



1 The Pragmatist himself insists that a theory must " work." if it is 

 true ; but, so far, he has not asked what is meant by " working." 



2 Browning's Abt Vogler. 



8 This raises the question not only of the relation of psychology to 

 metaphysics but of the possibility of the science of psychology. 



