UNDER THE APPLE-TREES 
Ti 
To some readers “Creative Evolution” has 
opened a new world. To open a new world to a man 
is only within the power of unique and original 
genius. I think we may say that Bergson is a dis- 
tinct species. He is sui generis. He has the quality 
of mind which we call genius. One cannot read far in 
his book without feeling that here at last is an in- 
spired philosopher, and inspiration always carries 
the mind through into the poetic and the romantic. 
The new world which Bergson opens to his reader 
is the world of organic nature seen for the first time 
through the creative imagination of a great liter- 
ary artist and philosopher combined. Bergson re- 
creates this world for his competent reader by show- 
ing it like a living stream issuing from the primal 
cosmic energy; and it is reflected in his pages with a 
morning freshness and promise. The novelty of his 
thought, the beauty and vitality of his style, and 
the telling picturesqueness of his imagery make the 
reading of his book a new experience to the student 
of philosophical literature. 
It is as if one were to open a gate or a door, ex- 
pecting to be admitted to the closed-in air of aca- 
demic halls, or the dim light of monastic aisles, and 
were to see before him instead a wide prospect witb 
moving currents and growing things and changing 
forms of earth and sky. It is doubtless this quality 
204 
