44 HAS SCIENCE DISCOVERED GOD? 



trees stand silent around one with a friendly presence. 

 As yet there is no sound from awakening birds; but 

 the whole world seems to be intent, alive, listening, 

 eager. At such a moment the veil between the things 

 that are seen and the things that are unseen becomes 

 so thin as to interpose scarcely any barrier at all be- 

 tween the eternal beauty and truth and the soul which 

 would comprehend them." 



Here is an experience which the "observer," as tech- 

 nically defined in scientific theory, knows nothing of. 

 The measuring appliances which he reads declare that 

 the stars are just as remote as they always have been; 

 nor can he find any excuse in his measures for the 

 mystic thought which has taken possession of the mind 

 and dominated the sense impressions. 



Yet who does not prize these moments that reveal 

 to us the poetry of existence? We do not ask whether 

 philosophy can justify such an outlook on nature. 

 Rather our system of philosophy is itself on trial. It 

 must stand or fall according as it is broad enough to 

 find room for this experience as an element of life. 

 The sense of values within us recognises that this is 

 a test to be passed. It is as essential that our phi- 

 losophy should survive this test as that it should sur- 

 vive the experimental tests supplied by science. 



In the passage I have quoted there is no direct ref- 

 erence to religious mysticism. It describes an orien- 

 tation towards nature, accepted by religious and irre- 

 ligious alike, as proper to the human spirit — though 

 not to the ideal "observer" whose judgments form the 

 canon of scientific experience. The scientist who from 

 time to time falls into such a mood does not feel 

 guilty twinges as though he had lapsed in his devo- 



