OF THE BEAUTIFUL. 89 



of everything it is a mystery ; with the disappearance of 

 this mystery, of the mystical element, beauty would dis- 

 appear likewise. 



There are two points in which the philosophy of 

 Hartmann claims our attention in connection with the 

 problem of the Beautiful. The first point refers to the 48 . 



The 



mystical element which is strongly urged by him. In mystical. 

 his first important work he has a long and appreciative 

 chapter on the Mystical, which he considers to be an 

 important factor and phase in the life and history of the 

 mind. Through this side of his philosophy he has con- 

 tributed largely to bring out one of the main tendencies 

 of the later thought of the century. I shall have to 

 revert to this when, in the concluding chapter of this 

 portion of my history, I shall try to characterise more 

 definitely the outstanding problems of philosophical 

 thought and the main drift of philosophical reasoning. 

 The second point which interests us is the view that 

 Hartmann holds as to the function of art in modern 

 society and culture. In this respect he approaches to a 

 conception which is shared by several thinkers abroad. 



It is true that Hartmann, as well as Hegel, assigns to 49 . 

 Art and the Beautiful not the highest position which the Beautiful e 



subordinate 



human mind can attain to. Both thinkers aim at to phil- 

 osophy. 



elaborating a philosophical creed ; the object of their 

 search is attained only in a preliminary way and in 

 transient and, as it were, casual glimpses, whenever and 

 wherever nature or art unveils to us the Beautiful. But 

 that the Beautiful in nature and art reveals to us the 

 Ideal is a conception which plays an important part 

 with both these thinkers. It can be traced back in 



