ii "DEATH" AND "LIFE" 289 



now in another, must necessarily be quite blind in 

 regard to that beauty which is always one, and in one 

 manner, which is unity itself, entity, identity." * 



Into the very life of the generous soul there enter, 

 accordingly, the contrarieties by which on a lower plane 

 the soul is governed: "the skilfulness and art of 

 nature cause it to faint with desire for that which 

 destroys it, to be content in the midst of torment, to be 

 tormented in the midst of all content. For nothing 

 derives from principles of peace, but everything from 

 contrary principles, through the victory and dominance 

 of ojie side of the contrariety. There is no pleasure of 

 generation on one side without the pain of corruption 

 on the other ; and the things that are becoming and 

 those that are decaying are conjoined in one and the 

 same composite being. The sense of joy and the sense 

 of sorrow go ever together ; it is called joy rather than 

 sorrow if the former predominates and has greater force 

 to solicit the sense." 2 The life in death of the more 

 divine soul is only an extreme instance : it is the death 

 of lovers from an extreme of joy, the Cabalist mors 

 oscu/i, and is at the same time eternal life, such as man 

 may have potentially, in disposition^ in this world, but 

 actually, in effect, in eternity alone." 3 Again it is the 

 contrast of infinite desire and finite power : " the 

 weakness of the human mind which is intent on its 

 divine enterprise, and suddenly is engulfed in the abyss 

 of incomprehensible excellence. Sense and imagination 

 are confused and absorbed, the soul can neither go 

 forward nor backward, nor know where to turn, but 

 loses its being just as a drop of water vanishes in the 

 sea, or a little vapour thins out and loses its proper 

 substance in the spacious immeasurable air." 4 



1 Lag. 744. i ff. 2 696. 24; cf. 681. 22. ? 705. 35. 4 716. 14. 



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