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desperately into any fetish…worshipping superstition which holds out to its
wearied and yet impatient intellect； the bait of decisions already made for
it； of objects of admiration already formed and systematised。
Therefore let us honour the grammarian in his place； and； among
others； these old grammarians of Alexandria； only being sure that as soon
as any man begins； as they did； displaying himself peacock…fashion；
boasting of his science as the great pursuit of humanity； and insulting his
fellow… craftsmen； he becomes； ipso facto； unable to discover any more
truth for us； having put on a habit of mind to which induction is
impossible； and is thenceforth to be passed by with a kindly but a pitying
smile。 And so； indeed； it happened with these quarrelsome Alexandrian
grammarians； as it did with the Casaubons and Scaligers and Daciers of
the last two centuries。 As soon as they began quarrelling they lost the
power of discovering。 The want of the inductive faculty in their attempts
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at philology is utterly ludicrous。 Most of their derivations of words are
about on a par with Jacob Bohmen's etymology of sulphur； wherein he
makes sul； if I recollect right； signify some active principle of combustion；
and phur the passive one。 It was left for more patient and less noisy men；
like Grimm； Bopp； and Buttmann； to found a science of philology； to
discover for us those great laws which connect modern philology with
history； ethnology； physiology； and with the very deepest questions of
theology itself。 And in the meanwhile； these Alexandrians' worthless
criticism has been utterly swept away； while their real work； their accurate
editions of the classics； remain to us as a precious heritage。 So it is
throughout history： nothing dies which is worthy to live。 The wheat is
surely gathered into the garner； the chaff is burnt up by that eternal fire
which； happily for this universe； cannot be quenched by any art of man；
but goes on forever； devouring without indulgence all the folly and the
falsehood of the world。
As yet you have heard nothing of the metaphysical schools of
Alexandria； for as yet none have existed； in the modern acceptation of that
word。 Indeed； I am not sure that I must not tell you frankly； that none ever
existed at all in Alexandria； in that same modern acceptation。 Ritter； I
think； it is who complains naively enough； that the Alexandrian
Neoplatonists had a bad habit； which grew on them more and more as the
years rolled on； of mixing up philosophy with theology； and so defiling； or
at all events colouring； its pure transparency。 There is no denying the
imputation； as I shall show at greater length in my next Lecture。 But one
would have thought； looking back through history； that the Alexandrians
were not the only philosophers guilty of this shameful act of syncretism。
Plato； one would have thought； was as great a sinner as they。 So were the
Hindoos。 In spite of all their logical and metaphysical acuteness； they
were； you will find； unable to get rid of the notion that theological
inquiries concerning Brahma； Atma； Creeshna； were indissolubly mixed
up with that same logic and metaphysic。 The Parsees could not separate
questions about Ahriman and Ormuzd from Kant's three great philosophic
problems： What is Man？What may be known？What should be done？
Neither； indeed； could the earlier Greek sages。 Not one of them； of any
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school whatsoeverfrom the semi…mythic Seven Sages to Plato and
Aristotlebut finds it necessary to consider not in passing； but as the great
object of research； questions concerning the gods：… whether they are real
or not； one or many； personal or impersonal； cosmic； and parts of the
universe； or organisers and rulers of it； in relation to man； or without
relation to him。 Even in those who flatly deny the existence of the gods；
even in Lucretius himself； these questions have to be considered； before
the question； What is man？ can get any solution at all。 On the answer
given to them is found to depend intimately the answer to the question；
What is the immaterial part of man？ Is it a part of nature； or of
something above nature？ Has he an immaterial part at all？in one word；
Is a human metaphysic possible at all？ So it was with the Greek
philosophers of old； even； as Asclepius and Ammonius say； with Aristotle
himself。 〃The object of Aristotle's metaphysic；〃 one of them says； 〃is
theological。 Herein Aristotle theologises。〃 And there is no denying the
assertion。 We must not then be hard on the Neoplatonists； as if they were
the first to mix things separate from the foundation of the world。 I do not
say that theology and metaphysic are separate studies。 That is to be
ascertained only by seeing some one separate them。 And when I see
them separated； I shall believe them separable。 Only the separation must
not be produced by the simple expedient of denying the existence of either
one of them； or at least of ignoring the existence of one steadily during the
study of the other。 If they can be parted without injury to each other； let
them be parted； and till then let us suspend hard judgments on the
Alexandrian school of metaphysic； and also on the schools of that curious
people the Jews； who had at this period a steadily increasing influence on
the thought； as well as on the commercial prosperity； of Alexandria。
You must not suppose； in the meanwhile； that the philosophers whom
the Ptolemies collected （as they would have any other marketable article）
by liberal offers of pay and patronage； were such men as the old Seven
Sages of Greece； or as Socrates； Plato； and Aristotle。 In these three last
indeed； Greek thought reached not merely its greatest height； but the edge
of a precipice； down which it rolled headlong after their decease。 The
intellectual defects of the Greek mind； of which I have already spoken；
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were doubtless one great cause of this decay： but； to my mind； moral
causes had still more to do with it。 The more cultivated Greek states； to
judge from the writings of Plato； had not been an over… righteous people
during the generation in which he lived。 And in the generations which
followed； they became an altogether wicked people； immoral； unbelieving；
hating good； and delighting in all which was evil。 And it was in
consequence of these very sins of theirs； as I think； that the old Hellenic
race began to die out physically； and population th