“Ihaveneverhadanyrevelationsthroughanaesthetics，butakindofwakingtrance——thisforlackofabetterword——Ihavefrequentlyhad，quiteupfromboyhood，whenIhavebeenallalone。Thishascomeuponmethroughrepeatingmyownnametomyselfsilently，tillallatonce，asitwereoutoftheintensityoftheconsciousnessofindividuality，individualityitselfseemedtodissolveandfadeawayintoboundlessbeing，andthisnotaconfusedstatebuttheclearest，thesurestofthesurest，utterlybeyondwords——wheredeathwasanalmostlaughableimpossibility——thelossofpersonalityifsoitwereseemingnoextinction，buttheonlytruelife。Iamashamedofmyfeebledescription。HaveInotsaidthestateisutterlybeyondwords？”
ProfessorTyndall，inaletter，recallsTennysonsayingofthiscondition：“ByGodAlmighty！thereisnodelusioninthematter！
Itisnonebulousecstasy，butastateoftranscendentwonder，associatedwithabsoluteclearnessofmind。”MemoirsofAlfredTennyson，ii。473。
SirJamesCrichton-Brownehasgiventhetechnicalnameof“dreamystates“tothesesuddeninvasionsofvaguelyreminiscentconsciousness。[229]Theybringasenseofmysteryandofthemetaphysicaldualityofthings，andthefeelingofanenlargementofperceptionwhichseemsimminentbutwhichnevercompletesitself。InDr。Crichton-Browne’sopiniontheyconnectthemselveswiththeperplexedandscareddisturbancesofself-consciousnesswhichoccasionallyprecedeepilepticattacks。Ithinkthatthislearnedalienisttakesaratherabsurdlyalarmistviewofanintrinsicallyinsignificantphenomenon。Hefollowsitalongthedownwardladder，toinsanity；ourpathpursuestheupwardladderchiefly。Thedivergenceshowshowimportantitistoneglectnopartofaphenomenon’sconnections，forwemakeitappearadmirableordreadfulaccordingtothecontextbywhichwesetitoff。
TheLancet，July6and13，1895，reprintedastheCavendishLecture，onDreamyMentalStates，London，Bailliere，1895。Theyhavebeenagooddealdiscussedoflatebypsychologists。See，forexample，Bernard-Leroy：L’IllusiondeFausseReconnaissance，Paris，1898。
Somewhatdeeperplungesintomysticalconsciousnessaremetwithinyetotherdreamystates。SuchfeelingsasthesewhichCharlesKingsleydescribesaresurelyfarfrombeinguncommon，especiallyinyouth：——
“WhenIwalkthefields，IamoppressednowandthenwithaninnatefeelingthateverythingIseehasameaning，ifIcouldbutunderstandit。AndthisfeelingofbeingsurroundedwithtruthswhichIcannotgraspamountstoindescribableawesometimes……Haveyounotfeltthatyourrealsoulwasimperceptibletoyourmentalvision，exceptinafewhallowedmoments？”[230]
CharlesKingsley’sLife，i。55，quotedbyInge：ChristianMysticism，London，1899，p。341。
AmuchmoreextremestateofmysticalconsciousnessisdescribedbyJ。A。Symonds；andprobablymorepersonsthanwesuspectcouldgiveparallelstoitfromtheirownexperience。
“Suddenly。”writesSymonds，“atchurch，orincompany，orwhenI
wasreading，andalways，Ithink，whenmymuscleswereatrest，I
felttheapproachofthemood。Irresistiblyittookpossessionofmymindandwill，lastedwhatseemedaneternity，anddisappearedinaseriesofrapidsensationswhichresembledtheawakeningfromanaestheticinfluence。OnereasonwhyIdislikedthiskindoftrancewasthatIcouldnotdescribeittomyself。I
cannotevennowfindwordstorenderitintelligible。Itconsistedinagradualbutswiftlyprogressiveobliterationofspace，time，sensation，andthemultitudinousfactorsofexperiencewhichseemtoqualifywhatwearepleasedtocallourSelf。Inproportionastheseconditionsofordinaryconsciousnessweresubtracted，thesenseofanunderlyingoressentialconsciousnessacquiredintensity。Atlastnothingremainedbutapure，absolute，abstractSelf。Theuniversebecamewithoutformandvoidofcontent。ButSelfpersisted，formidableinitsvividkeenness，feelingthemostpoignantdoubtaboutreality，ready，asitseemed，tofindexistencebreakasbreaksabubbleroundaboutit。Andwhatthen？Theapprehensionofacomingdissolution，thegrimconvictionthatthisstatewasthelaststateoftheconsciousSelf，thesensethatIhadfollowedthelastthreadofbeingtothevergeoftheabyss，andhadarrivedatdemonstrationofeternalMayaorillusion，stirredorseemedtostirmeupagain。Thereturntoordinaryconditionsofsentientexistencebeganbymyfirstrecoveringthepoweroftouch，andthenbythegradualthoughrapidinfluxoffamiliarimpressionsanddiurnalinterests。AtlastIfeltmyselfoncemoreahumanbeing；andthoughtheriddleofwhatismeantbyliferemainedunsolvedIwasthankfulforthisreturnfromtheabyss——thisdeliverancefromsoawfulaninitiationintothemysteriesofskepticism。
“ThistrancerecurredwithdiminishingfrequencyuntilIreachedtheageoftwenty-eight。Itservedtoimpressuponmygrowingnaturethephantasmalunrealityofallthecircumstanceswhichcontributetoamerelyphenomenalconsciousness。OftenhaveI
askedmyselfwithanguish，onwakingfromthatformlessstateofdenuded，keenlysentientbeing，Whichistheunreality——thetranceoffiery，vacant，apprehensive，skepticalSelffromwhichIissue，orthesesurroundingphenomenaandhabitswhichveilthatinnerSelfandbuildaselfofflesh-and-bloodconventionality？Again，arementhefactorsofsomedream，thedream-likeunsubstantialityofwhichtheycomprehendatsucheventfulmoments？Whatwouldhappenifthefinalstageofthetrancewerereached？”[231]
H。F。Brown：J。A。Symonds。aBiography，London，1895，pp。
29-31，abridged。
Inarecitallikethisthereiscertainlysomethingsuggestiveofpathology。[232]Thenextstepintomysticalstatescarriesusintoarealmthatpublicopinionandethicalphilosophyhavelongsincebrandedaspathological，thoughprivatepracticeandcertainlyricstrainsofpoetryseemstilltobearwitnesstoitsideality。Irefertotheconsciousnessproducedbyintoxicantsandanaesthetics，especiallybyalcohol。Theswayofalcoholovermankindisunquestionablyduetoitspowertostimulatethemysticalfacultiesofhumannature，usuallycrushedtoearthbythecoldfactsanddrycriticismsofthesoberhour。Sobrietydiminishes，discriminates，andsaysno；drunkennessexpands，unites，andsaysyes。ItisinfactthegreatexciteroftheYES
functioninman。Itbringsitsvotaryfromthechillperipheryofthingstotheradiantcore。Itmakeshimforthemomentonewithtruth。Notthroughmereperversitydomenrunafterit。Tothepoorandtheunlettereditstandsintheplaceofsymphonyconcertsandofliterature；anditispartofthedeepermysteryandtragedyoflifethatwhiffsandgleamsofsomethingthatweimmediatelyrecognizeasexcellentshouldbevouchsafedtosomanyofusonlyinthefleetingearlierphasesofwhatinitstotalityissodegradingapoisoning。Thedrunkenconsciousnessisonebitofthemysticconsciousness，andourtotalopinionofitmustfinditsplaceinouropinionofthatlargerwhole。
Crichton-BrowneexpresslysaysthatSymonds’s“highestnervecentreswereinsomedegreeenfeebledordamagedbythesedreamymentalstateswhichafflictedhimsogrievously。”
Symondswas，however，aperfectmonsterofmany-sidedcerebralefficiency，andhiscriticgivesnoobjectivegroundswhateverforhisstrangeopinion，savethatSymondscomplainedoccasionally，asallsusceptibleandambitiousmencomplain，oflassitudeanduncertaintyastohislife’smission。
Nitrousoxideandether，especiallynitrousoxide，whensufficientlydilutedwithair，stimulatethemysticalconsciousnessinanextraordinarydegree。Depthbeyonddepthoftruthseemsrevealedtotheinhaler。Thistruthfadesout，however，orescapes，atthemomentofcomingto；andifanywordsremainoverinwhichitseemedtoclotheitself，theyprovetobetheveriestnonsense。Nevertheless，thesenseofaprofoundmeaninghavingbeentherepersists；andIknowmorethanonepersonwhoispersuadedthatinthenitrousoxidetrancewehaveagenuinemetaphysicalrevelation。
SomeyearsagoImyselfmadesomeobservationsonthisaspectofnitrousoxideintoxication，andreportedtheminprint。Oneconclusionwasforceduponmymindatthattime，andmyimpressionofitstruthhaseversinceremainedunshaken。Itisthatournormalwakingconsciousness，rationalconsciousnessaswecallit，isbutonespecialtypeofconsciousness，whilstallaboutit，partedfromitbythefilmiestofscreens，thereliepotentialformsofconsciousnessentirelydifferent。Wemaygothroughlifewithoutsuspectingtheirexistence；butapplytherequisitestimulus，andatatouchtheyarethereinalltheircompleteness，definitetypesofmentalitywhichprobablysomewherehavetheirfieldofapplicationandadaptation。Noaccountoftheuniverseinitstotalitycanbefinalwhichleavestheseotherformsofconsciousnessquitedisregarded。Howtoregardthemisthequestion——fortheyaresodiscontinuouswithordinaryconsciousness。Yettheymaydetermineattitudesthoughtheycannotfurnishformulas，andopenaregionthoughtheyfailtogiveamap。Atanyrate，theyforbidaprematureclosingofouraccountswithreality。Lookingbackonmyownexperiences，theyallconvergetowardsakindofinsighttowhichIcannothelpascribingsomemetaphysicalsignificance。Thekeynoteofitisinvariablyareconciliation。Itisasiftheoppositesoftheworld，whosecontradictorinessandconflictmakeallourdifficultiesandtroubles，weremeltedintounity。Notonlydothey，ascontrastedspecies，belongtooneandthesamegenus，butoneofthespecies，thenoblerandbetterone，isitselfthegenus，andsosoaksupandabsorbsitsoppositeintoitself。
Thisisadarksaying，Iknow，whenthusexpressedintermsofcommonlogic，butIcannotwhollyescapefromitsauthority。I
feelasifitmustmeansomething，somethinglikewhatthehegelianphilosophymeans，ifonecouldonlylayholdofitmoreclearly。Thosewhohaveearstohear，letthemhear；tomethelivingsenseofitsrealityonlycomesintheartificialmysticstateofmind。
WhatreaderofHegelcandoubtthatthatsenseofaperfectedBeingwithallitsothernesssoakedupintoitself，whichdominateshiswholephilosophy，musthavecomefromtheprominenceinhisconsciousnessofmysticalmoodslikethis，inmostpersonskeptsubliminal？ThenotionisthoroughlycharacteristicofthemysticallevelandtheAufgabeofmakingitarticulatewassurelysettoHegel’sintellectbymysticalfeeling。
Ijustnowspokeoffriendswhobelieveintheanaestheticrevelation。Forthemtooitisamonisticinsight，inwhichtheOTHERinitsvariousformsappearsabsorbedintotheOne。
“Intothispervadinggenius。”writesoneofthem，“wepass，forgettingandforgotten，andthencefortheachisall，inGod。
Thereisnohigher，nodeeper，noother，thanthelifeinwhichwearefounded。’TheOneremains，themanychangeandpass；’andeachandeveryoneofusIStheOnethatremains……Thisistheultimatum……Assureasbeing——whenceisallourcare——sosureiscontent，beyondduplexity，antithesis，ortrouble，whereIhavetriumphedinasolitudethatGodisnotabove。”
BenjaminPaulBlood：TheAnaestheticRevelationandtheGistofPhilosophy，Amsterdam，N。Y。，1874，pp。
Bloodhasmadeseveralattemptstoadumbratetheanaestheticrevelation，inpamphletsofrareliterarydistinction，privatelyprintedanddistributedbyhimselfatAmsterdam。XenosClark，aphilosopher，whodiedyoungatAmherstinthe’80’s，muchlamentedbythosewhoknewhim，wasalsoimpressedbytherevelation。“Inthefirstplace。”heoncewrotetome，“Mr。
BloodandIagreethattherevelationis，ifanythingnon-emotional。Itisutterlyflat。Itis，asMr。Bloodsays，’theonesoleandsufficientinsightwhy，ornotwhy，buthow，thepresentispushedonbythepast，andsuckedforwardbythevacuityofthefuture。Itsinevitablenessdefeatsallattemptsatstoppingoraccountingforit。Itisallprecedenceandpresupposition，andquestioningisinregardtoitforevertoolate。Itisaninitiationofthepast。’Therealsecretwouldbetheformulabywhichthe’now’keepsexfoliatingoutofitself，yetneverescapes。Whatisit，indeed，thatkeepsexistenceexfoliating？Theformalbeingofanything，thelogicaldefinitionofit，isstatic。Formerelogiceveryquestioncontainsitsownanswer——wesimplyfilltheholewiththedirtwedugout。Whyaretwicetwofour？Because，infact，fouristwicetwo。Thuslogicfindsinlifenopropulsion，onlyamomentum。Itgoesbecauseitisa-going。Buttherevelationadds：itgoesbecauseitisandWASa-going。Youwalk，asitwere，roundyourselfintherevelation。Ordinaryphilosophyislikeahoundhuntinghisowntail。Themorehehuntsthefartherhehastogo，andhisnosenevercatchesupwithhisheels，becauseitisforeveraheadofthem。Sothepresentisalreadyaforegoneconclusion，andIamevertoolatetounderstandit。
Butatthemomentofrecoveryfromanaesthesis，justthen，BEFORE
STARTINGONLIFE，Icatch，sotospeak，aglimpseofmyheels，aglimpseoftheeternalprocessjustintheactofstarting。Thetruthisthatwetravelonajourneythatwasaccomplishedbeforewesetout；andtherealendofphilosophyisaccomplished，notwhenwearriveat，butwhenweremainin，ourdestinationbeingalreadythere——whichmayoccurvicariouslyinthislifewhenweceaseourintellectualquestioning。Thatiswhythereisasmileuponthefaceoftherevelation，asweviewit。Ittellsusthatweareforeverhalfasecondtoolate——that’sall。’Youcouldkissyourownlips，andhaveallthefuntoyourself，’itsays，ifyouonlyknewthetrick。Itwouldbeperfectlyeasyiftheywouldjuststaytheretillyougotroundtothem。Whydon’tyoumanageitsomehow？”