184 THE CREED OF SCIENCE, RELIGIOUS AND MORAL. 



Here are the alternatives (and we have not got much 

 beyond this as yet upon the question) ; the first clause 

 denoting the scientific conclusion ; the second, with all 

 that the word " dream " vaguely suggests, denoting that 

 possibility of further life which we are here maintaining. 



And not only the greatest of all poets, another only 

 less than he, but having the one advantage over him of 

 being a man of science and a discoverer in science, as 

 well as poet Goethe, the greatest of poets since Shake- 

 speare, calm as well as emotional, a deep thinker too as 

 well as a savant and poet, has believed in a life to follow 

 this. It is true that he seems also to have believed in 

 the continuation of consciousness and of the present life, 

 because it breaks off unfinished here an argument more 

 than questionable. Apart from this, however, a future 

 life recommended itself to his sober judgment as rational; 

 while there are also evidences from other utterances of 

 his that he did not consider a recollection of the earthly 

 life necessary in order to realize the existence that 

 follows it. 



We have spoken of the poets; and now let us add 

 the name of but one philosopher that of Kant already 

 cited. We name Kant for two reasons : first, because he 

 was, like Goethe, a man of science, and a bold and 

 original inquirer in science, as well as amongst the 

 greatest of speculative thinkers. He, therefore, could 

 look through both the scientific and philosophic glasses, 

 and compare their respective clearness and ranges of 

 vision. Further, scarcely amongst all the sons of men is 

 there one that could be named, who devoted to this very 

 question thought so deep, so strenuous, so long-sustained. 

 And what was the report of Kant, after the meditation of 

 years, and after regarding the question from all possible 

 sides ? It is to be read in his Critique of Practical 



