THE RELIGION OF KNOWLEDGE. 



All c.yfnict t'roni •' The l.i/c ../' tlic lice" 

 By MAETERLINCK. 



'' Ta discover the unconquerable duty of a living being is Iess 

 difficult than one imaigines : it is Ever to be r£ad in the distinguishing 

 6rgan^, whEreta all the other organs are Subordinate. And ;just 

 as it is written in the tongue, the mouth, and the Stomach of 

 the bee that it muSt make honey, .... So in our eyes and ears and 

 marrow, in Every lobe of our brain, in Every nerve of our body, 

 it is written that we have been crcatEd in order to transform the 

 fdrcES we abS6rb from the earth into an Energy of finer form and 

 rarer quality. No other animal has thuS been fashioned to prodiice 

 this strange and Subtle fliiid, which we call thought, intElligence, 

 understanding, reason. Soul, Spirit, cErEbral force, virtue, gaoduEss, 

 ^justice, knowlEdge, for it has but aiie Essence under a thousand names. 



For the production of thiS Essence all ElSe has been Sacrificed, 



our muscles, our hEalth, the agility of our limbs, and the 



equilibrium of our functions : itS growth Endangers the vEry peace 

 of our Existence. ThiS is the highEst and most prfeciouS state to 



which matter 6r f6rce can be raised. Flame, heat, light, nay life 



itsElf, and instinct more Subtle than life and all the forcEs which 

 ruled the world bEfdre our advent, have paled bEfore its coming. 



LEt uS not tormEnt ourSslves to know who will bEUEfit by the 

 Energy which is acciimiilatEd at our ExpEnSe. The bees know not if 



thEy shall eat the honey thEy have harvEstEd . . . and we are equally 

 ignorant as to who will profit by the Spiritiial Energy which we are 

 introdiicing into the iiniverSe. 



As the bees go from flower to flower, collecting more honey 

 than thEy or thEir offspring will Ever need, lEt liS go from reality to 

 reality, Seeking aliment for thiS incomprEhEnSible flame LEt uS 



