2IO SCIENCE AND IMMORTALITY 



Spirit infinitely wise, and good, and powerful is 

 abundantly sufficient to explain all the appearances 

 of nature ; but as for inert senseless matter^ nothing 

 that I perceive has the least connection with it, or 

 leads to thoughts of it." . ..." It is plain, phi- 

 losophers amuse themselves in vain when they 

 inquire for any natural efficient cause distinct from 

 a mind ox spirit^ .... "Thus it is plain we do 

 not see a man — if by man is meant that which 

 lives, moves, perceives, and thinks as we do — but 

 only such a certain collection of ideas as direct us 

 to think there is a distinct principle of thought 

 and motion like to ourselves, accompanying and 

 represented by it. And after the same manner we 

 see God : all the difference is that whereas some 

 one finite and narrow assemblage of ideas denotes 

 a particular human mind whithersoever we direct 

 our view, we do at all times and in all places 

 perceive by sense, being a sign or effect of the 

 power of God ; as is our perception of these very 

 motions which are produced by men." 



Spinoza, too, realised that the eternal substance 

 of all things was God, and that the seen, and felt, 

 and imagined universe merely presents us with an 

 infinite number of finite aspects of the infinite 

 whole. In each case he considered the cause to 

 be the eternal energy of the whole being. " It is 

 possible," he wrote, " for the mind to secure that 



