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were a Spirit； a Daemonic Element； an universal Reason； a Logos； a
Divine Element； closely connected with man； that one Reason； that one
Divine Element； must be a person also？ At least； so strong was the
instinct of even the Heathen schools in this direction； that the followers of
Plotinus had to fill up the void which yawned between man and the
invisible things after which he yearned； by reviving the whole old Pagan
Polytheism； and adding to it a Daemonology borrowed partly from the
Chaldees； and partly from the Jewish rabbis； which formed a descending
chain of persons； downward from the highest Deities to heroes； and to the
guardian angel of each man； the meed of the philosopher being； that by
self…culture and self…restraint he could rise above the tutelage of some
lower and more earthly daemon； and become the pupil of a God； and
finally a God himself。
These contradictions need not lower the great Father of Neoplatonism
in our eyes； as a moral being。 All accounts of him seem to prove him to
have been what Apollo； in a lengthy oracle； declared him to have been；
〃good and gentle； and benignant exceedingly； and pleasant in all his
conversation。〃 He gave good advice about earthly matters； was a faithful
steward of moneys deposited with him； a guardian of widows and orphans；
a righteous and loving man。 In his practical life； the ascetic and gnostic
element comes out strongly enough。 The body； with him； was not evil；
neither was it good； it was simply nothingwhy care about it？ He would
have no portrait taken of his person： 〃It was humiliating enough to be
obliged to carry a shadow about with him； without having a shadow made
of that shadow。〃 He refused animal food； abstained from baths； declined
medicine in his last illness； and so died about 200 A。D。
It is in his followers； as one generally sees in such cases； that the
weakness of his conceptions comes out。 Plotinus was an earnest thinker；
slavishly enough reverencing the opinion of Plato； whom he quotes as an
infallible oracle； with a 〃He says；〃 as if there were but one he in the
universe： but he tried honestly to develop Plato； or what he conceived to
be Plato； on the method which Plato had laid down。 His dialectic is far
superior； both in quantity and in quality； to that of those who come after
him。 He is a seeker。 His followers are not。 The great work which
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marks the second stage of his school is not an inquiry； but a justification；
not only of the Egyptian； but of all possible theurgies and superstitions；
perhaps the best attempt of the kind which the world has ever seen； that
which marks the third is a mere cloud…castle； an inverted pyramid； not of
speculation； but of dogmatic assertion； patched together from all
accessible rags and bones of the dead world。 Some here will； perhaps；
guess from my rough descriptions； that I speak of Iamblichus and Proclus。
Whether or not Iamblichus wrote the famous work usually attributed
to him； which describes itself as the letter of Abamnon the Teacher to
Porphyry； he became the head of that school of Neoplatonists who fell
back on theurgy and magic； and utterly swallowed up the more rational；
though more hopeless； school of Porphyry。 Not that Porphyry； too； with
all his dislike of magic and the vulgar superstitionsa dislike intimately
connected with his loudly expressed dislike of the common herd； and
therefore of Christianity； as a religion for the common herd did not
believe a fact or two； which looks to us； nowadays； somewhat
unphilosophical。 From him we learn that one Ammonius； trying to crush
Plotinus by magic arts； had his weapons so completely turned against
himself； that all his limbs were contracted。 From him we learn that
Plotinus； having summoned in the temple of Isis his familiar spirit； a god；
and not a mere daemon； appeared。 He writes sensibly enough however to
one Anebos； an Egyptian priest； stating his doubts as to the popular
notions of the Gods； as beings subject to human passions and vices； and of
theurgy and magic； as material means of compelling them to appear； or
alluring them to favour man。 The answer of Abamnon； Anebos；
Iamblichus； or whoever the real author may have been； is worthy of
perusal by every metaphysical student； as a curious phase of thought； not
confined to that time； but rife； under some shape or other； in every age of
the world's history； and in this as much as in any。 There are many
passages full of eloquence； many more full of true and noble thought：
but on the whole； it is the sewing of new cloth into an old garment； the
attempt to suit the old superstition to the new one； by eclectically picking
and choosing； and special pleading； on both sides； but the rent is only
made worse。 There is no base superstition which Abamnon does not
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unconsciously justify。 And yet he is rapidly losing sight of the real
eternal human germs of truth round which those superstitions clustered；
and is really further from truth and reason than old Homer or Hesiod；
because further from the simple； universal； everyday facts； and relations；
and duties of man； which are； after all； among the most mysterious； and
also among the most sacred objects which man can contemplate。
It was not wonderful； however； that Neoplatonism took the course it
did。 Spirit； they felt rightly； was meant to rule matter； it was to be freed
from matter only for that very purpose。 No one could well deny that。 The
philosopher； as he rose and became； according to Plotinus； a god； or at
least approached toward the gods； must partake of some mysterious and
transcendental power。 No one could well deny that conclusion； granting
the premiss。 But of what power？ What had he to show as the result of
his intimate communion with an unseen Being？ The Christian Schools；
who held that the spiritual is the moral； answered accordingly。 He must
show righteousness； and love； and peace in a Holy Spirit。 That is the
likeness of God。 In proportion as a man has them； he is partaker of a
Divine nature。 He can rise no higher； and he needs no more。 Platonists
had saidNo； that is only virtue； and virtue is the means； not the end。 We
want proof of having something above that； something more than any man
of the herd； any Christian slave； can perform； something above nature；
portents and wonders。 So they set to work to perform wonders； and
succeeded； I suppose； more or less。 For now one enters into a whole
fairyland of those very phenomena which are puzzling us so nowadays
ecstasy； clairvoyance； insensibility to pain； cures produced by the effect of
what we now call mesmerism。 They are all there； these modern puzzles；
in those old books of the long bygone seekers for wisdom。 It makes us
love them； while it saddens us to see that their difficulties were the same
as ours； and that there is nothing new under the sun。 Of course； a great
deal of it all was 〃imagination。〃 But the question then； as now is； what is
this wonder…working imagination？unless the word be used as a mere
euphemism for lying； which really； in many cases； is hardly fair。 We
cannot wonder at the old Neoplatonists for attributing these st