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s the meaning of which we can never know； he has quite forgotten to consider。 Yet it is this side which genuine religious feeling ever seeks to contemplate。 It is the consciousness that there is about us an omnipresent Power； in which we live and move and have our being； eternally manifesting itself throughout the whole range of natural phenomena； which has ever disposed men to be religious； and lured them on in the vain effort to construct adequate theological systems。 We may； getting rid of the last traces of fetishism； eliminate arbitrary volition as much as we will or can。 But there still remains the consciousness of a divine Life in the universe； of a Power which is beyond and above our comprehension； whose goings out and comings in no man can follow。 The more we know； the more we reach out for that which we cannot know。 And who can realize this so vividly as the scientific philosopher？ For our knowledge being； according to the familiar comparison； like a brilliant sphere； the more we increase it the greater becomes the number of peripheral points at which we are confronted by the impenetrable darkness beyond。 I believe that this restless yearning；vague enough in the description； yet recognizable by all who； communing with themselves or with nature； have felt it；this constant seeking for what cannot be found； this persistent knocking at gates which； when opened； but reveal others yet to be passed； constitutes an element which no adequate theory of religion can overlook。 But of this we find nothing in Lessing。 With him all is sunny； serene； and pagan。 Not the dim aisle of a vast cathedral； but the symmetrical portico of an antique temple； is the worshipping…place into which he would lead us。
But if Lessing's theology must be considered imperfect； it is none the less admirable as far as it goes。 With its peculiar doctrines of love and faith； it teaches a morality far higher than any that Puritanism ever dreamed of。 And with its theory of development it cuts away every possible logical basis for intolerance。 It is this theology to which Lessing has given concrete expression in his immortal poem of 〃Nathan。〃
The central idea of 〃Nathan〃 was suggested to Lessing by Boccaccio's story of 〃The Three Rings；〃 which is supposed to have had a Jewish origin。 Saladin； pretending to be inspired by a sudden； imperious whim； such as is 〃not unbecoming in a Sultan；〃 demands that Nathan shall answer him on the spur of the moment which of the three great religions then knownJudaism； Mohammedanism； Christianityis adjudged by reason to be the true one。 For a moment the philosopher is in a quandary。 If he does not pronounce in favour of his own religion； Judaism； he stultifies himself； but if he does not award the precedence to Mohammedanism； he will apparently insult his sovereign。 With true Oriental tact he escapes from the dilemma by means of a parable。 There was once a man； says Nathan； who possessed a ring of inestimable value。 Not only was the stone which it contained incomparably fine； but it possessed the marvellous property of rendering its owner agreeable both to God and to men。 The old man bequeathed this ring to that one of his sons whom he loved the most； and the son； in turn； made a similar disposition of it。 So that； passing from hand to hand； the ring finally came into the possession of a father who loved his three sons equally well。 Unto which one should he leave it？ To get rid of the perplexity； he had two other rings made by a jeweller； exactly like the original； and to each of his three sons he bequeathed one。 Each then thinking that he had obtained the true talisman； they began violently to quarrel； and after long contention agreed to carry their dispute before the judge。 But the judge said： 〃Quarrelsome fellows！ You are all three of you cheated cheats。 Your three rings are alike counterfeit。 For the genuine ring is lost； and to conceal the loss； your father had made these three substitutes。〃 At this unexpected denouement the Sultan breaks out in exclamations of delight； and it is interesting to learn that when the play was brought upon the stage at Constantinople a few years ago； the Turkish audience was similarly affected。 There is in the story that quiet； stealthy humour which is characteristic of many mediaeval apologues； and in which Lessing himself loved to deal。 It is humour of the kind which hits the mark； and reveals the truth。 In a note upon this passage； Lessing himself said： 〃The opinion of Nathan upon all positive religions has for a long time been my own。〃 Let him who has the genuine ring show it by making himself loved of God and man。 This is the central idea of the poem。 It is wholly unlike the iconoclasm of the deists； and； coming in the eighteenth century； it was like a veritable evangel。
〃Nathan〃 was not brought out until three years after Lessing's death； and it kept possession of the stage for but a short time。 In a dramatic point of view； it has hardly any merits。 Whatever plot there is in it is weak and improbable。 The decisive incidents seem to be brought in like the deus ex machina of the later Greek drama。 There is no movement； no action； no development。 The characters are poetically but not dramatically conceived。 Considered as a tragedy； 〃Nathan〃 would be weak； considered as a comedy； it would be heavy。 With full knowledge of these circumstances； Lessing called it not a drama； but a dramatic poem； and he might have called it still more accurately a didactic poem； for the only feature which it has in common with the drama is that the personages use the oratio directa。
〃Nathan〃 is a didactic poem： it is not a mere philosophic treatise written in verse； like the fragments of Xenophanes。 Its lessons are conveyed concretely and not abstractly； and its characters are not mere lay figures； but living poetical conceptions。 Considered as a poem among classic German poems； it must rank next to； though immeasurably below； Goethe's 〃Faust。〃
There are two contrasted kinds of genius； the poetical and the philosophical； or； to speak yet more generally； the artistic and the critical。 The former is distinguished by a concrete； the latter by an abstract； imagination。 The former sees things synthetically； in all their natural complexity； the latter pulls things to pieces analytically； and scrutinizes their relations。 The former sees a tree in all its glory； where the latter sees an exogen with a pair of cotyledons。 The former sees wholes； where the latter sees aggregates。
Corresponding with these two kinds of genius there are two classes of artistic productions。 When the critical genius writes a poem or a novel； he constructs his plot and his characters in conformity to some prearranged theory； or with a view to illustrate some favourite doctrine。 When he paints a picture； he first thinks how certain persons would look under certain given circumstances； and paints them accordingly。 When he writes a piece of music； he first decides that this phrase expresses joy； and that phrase disappointment； and the other phrase disgust； and he composes accordingly。 We therefore say ordinarily that he does not create； but only constructs and combines。 It is far different with the artistic genius； who； without stopping to think； sees the picture and hears the symphony with the eyes and ears of imagination； and paints and plays merely what he has seen and heard。 When Dante； in imagination； arrived at the lowest circle of hell； where traitors like Judas and Brutus are punished； he came upon a terrible frozen lake； which； he says；
〃Ever makes me shudder at the sight of frozen pools。〃
I have always considered this line a marvellous instance of the intensity of Dante's imagination。 It shows； too； how Dante composed his poem。 He did not take counsel of himself and say： 〃Go to； let us describe the traitors frozen up to their necks in a dismal lake； for that will be most terrible。〃 But the picture of the lake； in all its iciness； with the haggard faces staring out from its glassy crust； came unbidden before his mind with such intense reality that； for the rest of his life； he could not look at a frozen pool without a shudder of horror。 He described it exactly as he saw it； and his description makes us shudder who read it after all the centuries that have intervened。 So Michael Angelo； a kindred genius； did not keep cutting and chipping away； thinking how Moses ought to look； and what sort of a nose he ought to have； and in what position his head might best rest upon his shoulders。 But； he looked at the rectangular block of Carrara marble； and beholding Moses grand and lifelike within it； knocked away the environing stone； that others also might see the mighty figure。 And so Beethoven； an artist of the same colossal order； wrote out for us those mysterious harmonies which his ear had for the first time heard； and which； in his mournful old age； it heard none the less plainly because of its complete physical deafness。 And in this way Shakespeare wrote his 〃Othello〃； spinning out no abstract thoughts about jealousy and its fearful effects upon a proud and ardent nature； but revealing to us the living concrete man； as his imperial imagination had spontaneously fashioned him。
Modern psychology has demonstrated that this is