THE PROBLEM OF SUFFERING. 



335 



upon its billows without distinction and indiscrimi- 

 nately; the tornado sweeps away with no exceptions 

 all that happens within its path; and the bursting vol- 

 cano destroys whatever city lies at its base. The great 

 Juggernaut of Nature is uncompromisingly cruel and 

 impartial. Even the relief and soothing of uncon- 

 sciousness, if we awake, does but for a time benumb our 

 sufferings, and comes usually, indeed, from a shock, 

 and only as a greater revelation of our helplessness. 

 Aye, even when we use her own-born remedies, 't is 

 but for the bruises and lacerations of her own-caused 

 misery. Nature, indeed, herself is forced to be the 

 main instrument of pain, and we are consequently face 

 to face with the paradox on all sides of tragedy exist- 

 ing rampant even while the swallows soar the sunset 

 skies. 



Life is very full of tragedies. Pain is not so ab- 

 normal a condition in Nature (as we know it) as we 

 sometimes think. Turn anywhither we will, and we 

 are everywhere confronted with the presence and power 

 of misery and disaster. It is the lot of every living 

 being. And by suffering I do not mean mere physical 

 pain ( for some there be \vho would deny the body, and 

 who would repudiate even the testimony of the senses), 

 nor mental suffering (if so be there is a mind), nor 

 anguish of soul (should there be a soul) ; but I mean 

 pain of any sort, to be experienced in any way what- 

 soever. If you have no body, possibly you will know 

 pain in the outlook of the imagination; if you have no 

 mind (as is quite likely, if you think you have no 

 body), it is possible you will have depression of soul; 

 and if you have no soul (which God forbid!) it is 



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