1 42 GIORDANO BRUNO PART 



discerned much, and is truly one of the most gifted 

 natures that have ever breathed the air of heaven ; but 

 as to the apprehension of truth, he was like a swimmer 

 in tempestuous waters, cast now high now low, he did 

 not see the light continuously, openly, clearly ; did not 

 swim as in calm and quiet waters, but interruptedly, at 

 intervals, for he had not cast off all the false principles 

 which he had received from the common doctrine 

 his starting-point." 1 



A sketch of the philosophy of the Cusan will show 

 in how close a relation Bruno stands to him, yet how 

 great is the difference in outcome between the two 

 philosophies. Clemens, whose sympathies are with the 

 orthodox theologian, does not hesitate to say that this is 

 " the real and direct source from which Bruno drew 

 with both hands, the philosophy to which he owes many 

 of the main principles of his nature-philosophy, and 

 which he has to thank for all the essentials of teaching 

 said to be peculiar to himself" ; and Falckenberg is 

 equally inclined to underrate the originality of the 

 Italian in preference to the German philosopher. The 

 outset of Cusanus' philosophy is from a theory of 

 knowledge which he held from Platonist traditions : 

 Knowledge is posterior both in time and in value to 

 Being, or Reality, of which it is at best a copy or a 

 sign, hence Reality can never be wholly comprehended 

 by it. Every human assertion is at best a " conjec- 

 ture," a hypothesis or approach to truth, but never the 

 absolute truth itself. Only in the Divine spirit are 

 thought and reality one ; the Divine thought is at the 

 same time creative, human only reflective, imitative, 

 thus the Ultimate Being is and must remain incompre- 



1888, F. J. Clemens, Giord. Bruno und Niko/aus -von Cusa, 1847, Scharpff, Dei N. 

 von C. ivichstigste Schriften, 1862. l Infinite, Lag. 348. 



