222 REV. STEWART A. MCDOWALL, M.A., B.D., ON 



degree by a relation of syntheses that we may again term a priori. 

 The theoretic activity cannot exist apart from the practical 

 nor the practical apart from the theoretic. The relation is 

 again the same as that which obtains for the relation of the 

 elements constituting each pair of the four " Moments," and 

 for the pairs themselves in their relation to each other. The 

 a 'priori synthesis is extended to cover all these relations. 



Croce's great contribution to the theory of Beauty then lies 

 in his proof that Beauty is not judgment, but expression — the 

 expression of the intuition which is our first contact with Reality 

 — and that ^Esthetic is the science of expressive activity. Given 

 this first movement of the spirit, the other modes of approach 

 to Eeality follow, or rather are involved. 



It must, however, be borne in mind that Croce draws an 

 absolutely definite line between the expression, which belongs 

 to the theoretic activity, and the technical embodiment of that 

 expression in art, which belongs to the domain of the Practical. 

 A work of art affords us simply the stimulus which enables us to 

 recreate the artist's expression ; and it is the expression, not 

 the work of art, that is beautiful. The Beautiful is a distinct 

 concept ; the Ugly is ugly in so far as it fails in distinctness, 

 through failure to express. 



Such, in brief, is the portion of Croce's philosophy with which 

 we are concerned. The rest it is needless for us to follow out. 

 The chief point that remains is his identification of Philosophy 

 with History — the thought about the presentation of Reality 

 (Philosophy) with that presentation itself as an unfolding of 

 immanent life (History). This identification really follows 

 from the relation of the double degree between the theoretic 

 and the practical. In thinking past history you bring it into 

 the present as a practical issue ; and you introduce the logical 

 element in thinking it, but you could not do so if there were 

 not an intuitive element in it intrinsically. Philosophy is 

 historically conditioned : without philosophy there could be 

 no history. With this argument, whose affinities with the 

 philosophy of Bergson are obvious, Croce rounds off his system, 

 completing his demonstration that the only Reality is living 

 Spirit immanent and unfolding. 



Now, I cannot help feeling that Croce's theory of Esthetic 

 is true, as far as it goes. When one comes across a thought 

 that is true, however new it be, as soon as one has digested it 

 it seems as old as the hills, and takes on the quality of obviousness. 



