Les Misérables, v. 2/5: Cosette

by Victor Hugo

  CHAPTER VI.

  ABSOLUTE GOODNESS OF PRATER.

  As to the manner of prayer, all are good, provided that they aresincere. Turn your book upside down, and be in the infinite.

  There is, as we know, a philosophy which denies the infinite. There isalso a philosophy, in pathological classification, which denies thesun; this philosophy is called blindness.

  To set up as a source of truth a sense which we lack is the consummateassurance of a blind man.

  The strange part of it lies in the lofty, superior, and pityingairs which this groping philosophy takes on in the presence of thephilosophy which sees God. You fancy you hear the mole exclaim, "How Ipity the poor men with their sun!"

  There are some eminent and able atheists, we admit. These at bottombeing brought back to the truth by their very ability, are not surethat they are atheists; it is scarcely more than a matter of definitionwith them; and at any rate, if they do not believe in God, being greatminds, they bear unconscious witness to His existence.

  We hail in them the philosopher, while we deny relentlessly theirphilosophy.

  Let us go on.

  It is wonderful, too, to see how easily they amuse themselves withwords, A metaphysical school of the North, a little impregnated withfog, thought that it was making a revolution in the human understandingwhen it replaced the word "Force" by the word "Will."

  To say "the plant wills" instead of "the plant grows;" this wouldamount to something, if they added "the universe wills," Why? Becauseit would lead to this: the plant wills, then it has a self; theuniverse wills, then it has a God.

  To us, however, who, unlike this school, reject nothing _a priori_, awill in the plant, which this school admits, seems more difficult toadmit than a will in the universe, which this school denies.

  To deny the will of the infinite, that is to say, God, is impossiblewithout denying the infinite. This we have demonstrated.

  The denial of the infinite leads straight to nihilism. Everythingbecomes "a conception of the mind."

  With nihilism no argument is possible; for the logical nihilist doubtsthe existence of his opponent in the discussion, and is not quite surethat he exists himself.

  From his point of view it may be that his own existence is only a"conception of his mind."

  He does not see, however, that all that he has denied he admits in thelump by merely using this word "mind."

  In short, no way is left open for thought by a philosophy which makeseverything end in the mono-syllable "No."

  To "No," there is but one answer, "Yes."

  Nihilism has no range.

  There is no nothing. Zero does not exist. Everything is something.Nothing is nothing.

  Man lives by affirmation even more than by bread.

  To see and point out the way is not enough. Philosophy ought to bea living force; it ought to have for end and aim the ameliorationof mankind. Socrates ought to enter into Adam, and produce MarcusAurelius; in other words, turn the man of selfish enjoyment into thewise and good man. Change Eden into the Lyceum. Knowledge ought to bea stimulant. To enjoy life, what a poor aim, what a mean ambition! Thebrute enjoys. To think, that is the true triumph of the soul.

  To hold out thought to quench men's thirst, to give to all men as anelixir the idea of God, to make conscience and knowledge fraternizein them, and by this mysterious partnership to make them just,--thisis the work for real philosophy. Morality is a blossoming of truths.Thought leads to action. The absolute ought to be practical. The idealmust be brought into such form that it can be breathed, drunk, andeaten by the human soul. The ideal is the very one to say, "Take, eat;this is my body, this is my blood." Knowledge is a holy communion.Thus it ceases to be a sterile love of knowledge to become the one andsovereign means of human advancement, and from philosophy it is exaltedto religion.

  Philosophy ought not to be an arch built over mystery, the better tolook down on it, merely as a convenience for curiosity.

  Postponing to another time the development of this thought, we contentourselves now with saying that we understand neither man as the pointof departure nor progress as the goal, without these two motive forces,faith and love.

  Progress is the goal, the ideal is the type.

  What is the ideal? It is God.

  Ideal, absolute, perfection, infinite,--all mean the same.