UNDER THE APPLE-TREES 



philosophy. The creative Hterary artist in him is 

 always paramount. His method is essentially that 

 of literature — the visualizing, image-forming, anal- 

 ogy-seeking method. He thinks in symbols and 

 pictures drawn from the world of concrete objects 

 and forces. Probably no system of philosophy was 

 ever before put forth in language so steeped and 

 dyed in the colors with which the spirit paints this 

 world. His style illustrates his theme; it is never 

 static or merely intellectual; it is all movement and 

 flexibility. 



Open his book anywhere and your mind is caught 

 in a flowing stream of lucid, felicitous thoughts that 

 seem of the very quality of life itself. He visualizes 

 mental and emotional processes. He sees spirit and 

 matter as two currents — two reverse currents — 

 one up, one down. He sees life struggling with mat- 

 ter, stemming its tide, seeking to overcome and use 

 it; he sees it defeated and turned aside many times, 

 its triumph complete. Life or spirit is freedom. 

 Matter is the seat of necessity; it proceeds mechan- 

 ically; it is obdurate, unwilling, automatic. Life 

 humbles itself, makes itself very small and very in- 

 sinuating in order to enter into and overcome the 

 resistance of inert matter. It "bends to physical 

 and chemical forces, consenting even to go part of 

 the way with them, like the switch that adopts for a 

 while the direction of the rail it is endeavoring to 

 leave.'* *'Life had to enter thus into the habits of 



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