COSMIC THEISM 



of phenomena exists as such only in relation 

 to our intelligence. Its esse is per dpi. To this 

 extent we have gone with Berkeley. But under- 

 lying this aggregate of phenomena, to whose 

 extension we know no limit in space or time, 

 we have found ourselves compelled to postulate 

 an Absolute Reality, — a Something whose ex- 

 istence does not depend on the presence of a 

 percipient mind, which existed before the gene- 

 sis of intelligence, and would continue to exist 

 though all intelligence were to vanish from the 

 scene. Without making such a postulate, we 

 concluded that it would be impossible to frame 

 any theory whatever, either of subjective or of 

 objective phenomena. Thus the theorem of the 

 relativity of knowledge, when fully expressed, 

 asserts that there exists a Something, of which 

 all phenomena, as presented in consciousness, 

 are manifestations, but concerning which we can 

 know nothing save through its manifestations. 

 Let us now take a step further, and turning 

 to the conclusions reached in the first chapter 

 of Part II., let us inquire. What is the Force of 

 which we there asserted the persistence ? "It is 

 not," says Mr. Spencer, " the force we are im- 

 mediately conscious of in our own muscular 

 efforts ; for this does not persist. As soon as 

 an outstretched limb is relaxed, the sense of 

 tension disappears. True, we assert that in the 

 stone thrown or in the weight lifted is exhib- 



