213 THE EIDDLE OF THE UNIVEESE. 



the old Greek clemi-gods and heroes had in the enjoy- 

 ment of nectar and ambrosia at the table of Zeus. 



But, however gloriously we may depict this eternal 

 life in Paradise, it remains endless in duration. Do 

 we realise what "eternity" means? — the uninter- 

 rupted continuance of our individual life for ever ! 

 The profound legend of the "wandering Jew," the 

 fruitless search for rest of the unhappy Ahasuerus, 

 should teach us to appreciate such an "eternal life" 

 at its true value. The best we can desire after a 

 courageous life, spent in doing good according to our 

 light, is the eternal peace of the grave. " Lord, give 

 them an eternal rest." 



Any impartial scholar who is acquainted with 

 geological calculations of time, and has reflected on 

 the long series of millions of years the organic history 

 of the earth has occupied, must admit that the crude 

 notion of an eternal life is not a comfort, but a fearful 

 menace, to the best of men. Only want of clear 

 judgment and consecutive thought can dispute it. 



The best and most plausible ground for athanatism 

 is found in the hope that immortality will reunite us 

 to the beloved friends who have been prematurely 

 taken from us by some grim mischance. But even 

 this supposed good fortune proves to be an illusion 

 on closer inquiry ; and in any case it would be greatly 

 marred by the prospect of meeting the less agreeable 

 acquaintances and the enemies who have troubled 

 our existence here below. Even the closest family 

 ties would involve many a difficulty. There are 

 plenty of men who would gladly sacrifice all the 

 glories of Paradise if it meant the eternal companion- 

 ship of their " better half " and their mother-in-law. 

 It is more than questionable whether Henry VIII. 



