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from one to two； and from two to all fair forms； and from fair
forms to fair actions； and from fair actions to fair notions；
until from fair notions； he arrives at the notion of absolute
Beauty； and at last knows what the essence of Beauty is。〃＇22＇ In
our last lecture we had a glimpse of the way in which a
platonizing writer like Emerson may treat the abstract divineness
of things； the moral structure of the universe； as a fact worthy
of worship。 In those various churches without a God which to…day
are spreading through the world under the name of ethical
societies； we have a similar worship of the abstract divine； the
moral law believed in as an ultimate object。 〃Science〃 in many
minds is genuinely taking the place of a religion。 Where this is
so； the scientist treats the 〃Laws of Nature〃 as objective facts
to be revered。 A brilliant school of interpretation of Greek
mythology would have it that in their origin the Greek gods were
only half…metaphoric personifications of those great spheres of
abstract law and order into which the natural world falls
apartthe sky…sphere； the ocean…sphere； the earth…sphere； and
the like； just as even now we may speak of the smile of the
morning； the kiss of the breeze； or the bite of the cold； without
really meaning that these phenomena of nature actually wear a
human face。＇23＇
＇22＇ Symposium； Jowett； 1871； i。 527。
＇23＇ Example： 〃Nature is always so interesting； under whatever
aspect she shows herself； that when it rains； I seem to see a
beautiful woman weeping。 She appears the more beautiful； the
more afflicted she is。〃 B。 de St。 Pierre。
As regards the origin of the Greek gods； we need not at present
seek an opinion。 But the whole array of our instances leads to a
conclusion something like this： It is as if there were in the
human consciousness a sense of reality； a feeling of objective
presence； a perception of what we may call 〃something there；〃
more deep and more general than any of the special and particular
〃senses〃 by which the current psychology supposes existent
realities to be originally revealed。 If this were so； we might
suppose the senses to waken our attitudes and conduct as they so
habitually do； by first exciting this sense of reality； but
anything else； any idea； for example； that might similarly excite
it； would have that same prerogative of appearing real which
objects of sense normally possess。 So far as religious
conceptions were able to touch this reality…feeling； they would
be believed in in spite of criticism； even though they might be
so vague and remote as to be almost unimaginable； even though
they might be such non…entities in point of WHATNESS； as Kant
makes the objects of his moral theology to be。
The most curious proofs of the existence of such an
undifferentiated sense of reality as this are found in
experiences of hallucination。 It often happens that an
hallucination is imperfectly developed： the person affected will
feel a 〃presence〃 in the room； definitely localized； facing in
one particular way； real in the most emphatic sense of the word；
often coming suddenly； and as suddenly gone； and yet neither
seen； heard； touched； nor cognized in any of the usual 〃sensible〃
ways。 Let me give you an example of this； before I pass to the
objects with whose presence religion is more peculiarly
concerned。
An intimate friend of mine； one of the keenest intellects I know；
has had several experiences of this sort。 He writes as follows
in response to my inquiries：
〃I have several times within the past few years felt the so…
called 'consciousness of a presence。' The experiences which I
have in mind are clearly distinguishable from another kind of
experience which I have had very frequently； and which I fancy
many persons would also call the 'consciousness of a presence。'
But the difference for me between the two sets of experience is
as great as the difference between feeling a slight warmth
originating I know not where； and standing in the midst of a
conflagration with all the ordinary senses alert。
〃It was about September； 1884； when I had the first experience。
On the previous night I had had； after getting into bed at my
rooms in College； a vivid tactile hallucination of being grasped
by the arm； which made me get up and search the room for an
intruder； but the sense of presence properly so called came on
the next night。 After I had got into bed and blown out the
candle； I lay awake awhile thinking on the previous night's
experience； when suddenly I FELT something come into the room and
stay close to my bed。 It remained only a minute or two。 I did
not recognize it by any ordinary sense and yet there was a
horribly unpleasant 'sensation' connected with it。 It stirred
something more at the roots of my being than any ordinary
perception。 The feeling had something of the quality of a very
large tearing vital pain spreading chiefly over the chest； but
within the organismand yet the feeling was not PAIN so much as
ABHORRENCE。 At all events； something was present with me； and I
knew its presence far more surely than I have ever known the
presence of any fleshly living creature。 I was conscious of its
departure as of its coming： an almost instantaneously swift
going through the door； and the 'horrible sensation' disappeared。
〃On the third night when I retired my mind was absorbed in some
lectures which I was preparing； and I was still absorbed in these
when I became aware of the actual presence （though not of the
COMING） of the thing that was there the night before； and of the
'horrible sensation。' I then mentally concentrated all my effort
to charge this 'thing；' if it was evil to depart； if it was NOT
evil； to tell me who or what it was； and if it could not explain
itself； to go； and that I would compel it to go。 It went
as on the previous night； and my body quickly recovered its
normal state。
〃On two other occasions in my life I have had precisely the same
'horrible sensation。' Once it lasted a full quarter of an hour。
In all three instances the certainty that there in outward space
there stood SOMETHING was indescribably STRONGER than the
ordinary certainty of companionship when we are in the close
presence of ordinary living people。 The something seemed close
to me； and intensely more real than any ordinary perception。
Although I felt it to be like unto myself so to speak； or finite；
small； and distressful； as it were； I didn't recognize it as any
individual being or person。〃
Of course such an experience as this does not connect itself with
the religious sphere。 Yet it may upon occasion do so； and the
same correspondent informs me that at more than one other
conjuncture he had the sense of presence developed with equal
intensity and abruptness； only then it was filled with a quality
of joy。
〃There was not a mere consciousness of something there； but fused
in the central happiness of it； a startling awareness of some
ineffable good。 Not vague either； not like the emotional effect
of some poem； or scene； or blossom； of music； but the sure
knowledge of the close presence of a sort of mighty person； and
after it went； the memory persisted as the one perception of
reality。 Everything else might be a dream； but not that。〃
My friend； as it oddly happens； does not interpret these latter
experiences theistically； as signifying the presence of God。 But
it would clearly not have been unnatural to interpret them as a
revelation of the deity's existence。 When we reach the subject
of mysticism； we shall have much more to say upon this head。
Lest the oddity of these phenomena should disconcert you； I will
venture to read you a couple of similar narratives； much shorter；
merely to show that we are dealing with a well…marked natural
kind of fact。 In the first case； which I take from the
Journal of the Society for Psychical Research； the sense of
presence developed in a few moments into a distinctly
visualized hallucinationbut I leave that part of the story out。
〃I had read；〃 the narrator says； 〃some twenty minutes or so； was
thoroughly absorbed in the book； my mind was perfectly quiet； and
for the time being my friends were quite forgotten； when suddenly
without a moment's warning my whole