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Neoplatonism was petted by luxurious and heathen popes； as an elegant
play of the cultivated fancy； which could do their real power； their
practical system； neither good nor harm。 And one cannot help feeling；
while reading the magnificent oration on Supra…sensual Love； which
Castiglione； in his admirable book 〃The Courtier；〃 puts into the mouth of
the profligate Bembo； how near mysticism may lie not merely to
dilettantism or to Pharisaism； but to sensuality itself。 But in England；
during Elizabeth's reign； the practical weakness of Neoplatonism was
compensated by the noble practical life which men were compelled to live
in those great times； by the strong hold which they had of the ideas of
family and national life； of law and personal faith。 And I cannot but
believe it to have been a mighty gain to such men as Sidney； Raleigh； and
Spenser； that they had drunk； however slightly； of the wells of Proclus and
Plotinus。 One cannot read Spenser's 〃Fairy Queen；〃 above all his Garden
of Adonis； and his cantos on Mutability； without feeling that his
Neoplatonism must have kept him safe from many a dark eschatological
superstition； many a narrow and bitter dogmatism； which was even then
tormenting the English mind； and must have helped to give him altogether
a freer and more loving conception； if not a consistent or accurate one； of
the wondrous harmony of that mysterious analogy between the physical
and the spiritual； which alone makes poetry （and I had almost said
philosophy also） possible； and have taught him to behold alike in suns and
planets； in flowers and insects； in man and in beings higher than man； one
glorious order of love and wisdom； linking them all to Him from whom
they all proceed； rays from His cloudless sunlight； mirrors of His eternal
glory。
But as the Elizabethan age； exhausted by its own fertility； gave place to
the Caroline； Neoplatonism ran through much the same changes。 It was
good for us； after all； that the plain strength of the Puritans；
unphilosophical as they were； swept it away。 One feels in reading the
later Neoplatonists； Henry More； Smith； even Cudworth （valuable as he is）；
that the old accursed distinction between the philosopher； the scholar； the
illuminate； and the plain righteous man； was growing up again very fast。
The school from which the 〃Religio Medici〃 issued was not likely to make
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any bad men good； or any foolish men wise。
Besides； as long as men were continuing to quote poor old Proclus as
an irrefragable authority； and believing that he； forsooth； represented the
sense of Plato； the new…born Baconian philosophy had but little chance in
the world。 Bacon had been right in his dislike of Platonism years before；
though he was unjust to Plato himself。 It was Proclus whom he was
really reviling； Proclus as Plato's commentator and representative。 The
lion had for once got into the ass's skin； and was treated accordingly。 The
true Platonic method； that dialectic which the Alexandrians gradually
abandoned； remains yet to be tried； both in England and in Germany； and I
am much mistaken； if； when fairly used； it be not found the ally； not the
enemy； of the Baconian philosophy； in fact； the inductive method applied
to words； as the expressions of Metaphysic Laws； instead of to natural
phenomena； as the expressions of Physical ones。 If you wish to see the
highest instances of this method； read Plato himself； not Proclus。 If you
wish to see how the same method can be applied to Christian truth； read
the dialectic passages in Augustine's 〃Confessions。〃 Whether or not you
shall agree with their conclusions； you will not be likely； if you have a
truly scientific habit of mind； to complain that they want either profundity；
severity； or simplicity。
So concludes the history of one of the Alexandrian schools of
Metaphysic。 What was the fate of the other is a subject which I must
postpone to my next Lecture。
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LECTURE IVTHE CROSS AND
THE CRESCENT
I tried to point out； in my last Lecture； the causes which led to the
decay of the Pagan metaphysic of Alexandria。 We have now to consider
the fate of the Christian school。
You may have remarked that I have said little or nothing about the
positive dogmas of Clement； Origen； and their disciples； but have only
brought out the especial points of departure between them and the
Heathens。 My reason for so doing was twofold： first； I could not have
examined them without entering on controversial ground； next； I am very
desirous to excite some of my hearers； at least； to examine these questions
for themselves。
I entreat them not to listen to the hasty sneer to which many of late
have given way； that the Alexandrian divines were mere mystics； who
corrupted Christianity by an admixture of Oriental and Greek thought。 My
own belief is that they expanded and corroborated Christianity； in spite of
great errors and defects on certain points； far more than they corrupted it；
that they presented it to the minds of cultivated and scientific men in the
only form in which it would have satisfied their philosophic aspirations；
and yet contrived； with wonderful wisdom； to ground their philosophy on
the very same truths which they taught to the meanest slaves； and to
appeal in the philosophers to the same inward faculty to which they
appealed in the slave； namely； to that inward eye； that moral sense and
reason； whereby each and every man can； if he will； 〃judge of himself that
which is right。〃 I boldly say that I believe the Alexandrian Christians to
have made the best； perhaps the only； attempt yet made by men； to
proclaim a true world…philosophy； whereby I mean a philosophy common
to all races； ranks； and intellects； embracing the whole phenomena of
humanity； and not an arbitrarily small portion of them； and capable of
being understood and appreciated by every human being from the highest
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to the lowest。 And when you hear of a system of reserve in teaching； a
disciplina arcani； of an esoteric and exoteric； an inner and outer school；
among these men； you must not be frightened at the words； as if they
spoke of priestcraft； or an intellectual aristocracy； who kept the kernel of
the nut for themselves； and gave the husks to the mob。 It was not so with
the Christian schools； it was so with the Heathen ones。 The Heathens
were content that the mob； the herd； should have the husks。 Their
avowed intention and wish was to leave the herd； as they called them； in
the mere outward observance of the old idolatries； while they themselves；
the cultivated philosophers； had the monopoly of those deeper spiritual
truths which were contained under the old superstitions； and were too
sacred to be profaned by the vulgar eyes。 The Christian method was the
exact opposite。 They boldly called those vulgar eyes to enter into the
very holy of holies； and there gaze on the very deepest root…ideas of their
philosophy。 They owned no ground for their own speculations which
was not common to the harlots and the slaves around。 And this was what
enabled them to do this； this was what brought on them the charge of
demagogism； the hatred of philosophers； the persecution of princesthat
their ground was a