72 PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT. 



outside of the affirmative and progressive movement of 

 modern thought. He did so most by abandoning the 

 doctrine of human progress and the hope that by in- 

 tellectual and practical effort the condition of man and 

 mankind could be improved. Thus he took no part in 

 the great educational movements of his age and country. 

 Schopenhauer was brought up in the midst of the 

 new poetry, literature, and philosophy of Germany. He 

 had himself a keen appreciation of the beautiful, and an 

 extensive knowledge not only of poetry and the fine 

 arts but also and this distinguished him from many of 

 his contemporaries of music. His whole attitude, 

 however, was eminently subjective; he did not fall in 

 with any existing current or movement of thought or 

 practical activity. He was as arbitrary and extravagant 

 in the enunciation of single ideas as any of the romanti- 

 cists, and he had no hesitation in placing himself in 

 antagonism with his surroundings. These peculiarities 

 of his personal character, joined to his fundamental 

 disbelief in human progress and perfectibility, are suffi- 

 cient to explain how his views on Art and the Beautiful 

 should turn out diametrically opposite to those of other 

 contemporary thinkers. Whereas these laboured at the 

 clearer definition and practical realisation of certain 

 ideals, and considered Art as one of the great agencies 

 which furthered these purposes, Art with Schopenhauer 

 occupied an exceptional position outside of the ends and 

 aims of human life ; whereas with them the Beautiful 

 was one of the aspects of the truly Real which revealed 

 itself also through science, religion, and culture, the 

 Beautiful with Schopenhauer formed a contrast to the 



