the unknown guest-第40章
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t a diffuse cosmic consciousness and the chance intrusion into our scientifically organized world of remnants and bestiges of the primordial chaos。 Here are a number of images striving to give us an idea of a reality so vast that we are unable to grasp it。 It is certain that what we see from our terrestrial life is nothing compared with what we do not see。 Besides； if we think of it； it would be monstrous and inexplicable that we should be only what we appear to be； nothing but ourselves； whole and complete in ourselves； separated； isolated； circumscribed by our body； our mind； our consciousness； our birth and our death。 We become possible and probable only on the conditions that we project beyond ourselves on every side and that we stretch in every direction throughout time and space。
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But how shall we explain the incredible contrast between the immeasurable grandeur of our unknown guest； the assurance； the calmness； the gravity of the inner life which it leads in us and the puerile and sometimes grotesque incongruities of what one might call its public existence？ Inside us； it is the sovereign judge； the supreme arbiter； the prophet； almost the god omnipotent； outside us； from the moment that it quits its shelter and manifests itself in external actions； it is nothing more than a fortune…teller； a bone…setter； a sort of facetious conjuror or telephone…operator； I was on the verge of saying a mountebank or clown。 At what particular instant is it really itself？ Is it seized with giddiness when it leaves its lair？ Is it we who no longer hear it； who no longer understand it； as soon as it ceases to speak in a whisper and to act in the dark recesses of our life？ Are we in regard to it the terrified hive invaded by a huge and inexplicable hand； the maddened ant…hill trampled by a colossal and incomprehensible foot？ Let us not venture yet to solve the strange riddle with the aid of the little that we know。 Let us confine ourselves； for the moment； to noting on the way some other； rather easier questions which we can at least try to answer。
First of all； are the facts at issue really new？ Was it only yesterday that the existence of our unknown guest and its external manifestations were revealed to us？ Is it our attention that makes them appear more numerous； or is it the increase in their number that at last attracts out attention？
It does indeed seem that； however far we go back in history； we everywhere find the same extraordinary phenomena； under other names and often in a more glamorous setting。 Oracles； prophecies； incantations； haruspication； 〃possession；〃 evocation of the dead； apparitions； ghosts； miraculous cures； levitation； transmission of thought； apparent resurrections and the rest are the exact equivalent； though magnified by the aid of plentiful and obvious frauds of our latter…day supernaturalism。 Turning in another direction； we are able to see that psychical phenomena are very evenly distributed over the whole surface of the globe。 At all events； there does not appear to be any race that is absolutely or peculiarly refractory to them。 One would be inclined to say； however； that they manifest themselves by preference among the most civilized nationsperhaps because that is where they are most carefully sought afterand among the most primitive。 In short； it cannot be denied that we are in the presence of faculties or senses； more or less latent but at the same time universally distributed； which form part of the general and unvarying inheritance of mankind。 But have these faculties or senses undergone evolution； like most of the others？ And； if they have not done so on our earth； do they show traces of an extraplanetary evolution？ Is there progress or reaction？ Are they withered and useless branches； or buds swollen with sap and promise？ Are they retreating before the march of intelligence or invading its domain？
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M。 Ernest Bozzano； one of the most learned； most daring and most subtle exponents of the new science that is in process of formation； in the course of a remarkable essay in the Annales des sciences psychiques；＇1＇ gives it as his opinion that they have remained stationary and unchanged。 He considers that they have become in no way diffused； generalized and refined； like so many others that are much less important and useful from the point of view of the struggle for life； such as the musical faculty； for instance。 It does not even seem； says M。 Bozzano； that it is possible to cultivate or develop them systematically。 The Hindu race in particular； who for thousands of years have been devoting themselves to the study of these manifestations； have arrived at nothing but a better knowledge of the empirical methods calculated to produce them in individuals already endowed with these supernormal faculties。 I do not know to what extent M。 Bozzano's assertions are beyond dispute。 They concern historical or remote facts which it is very difficult to verify。 In any case； it is something to have perfected ； as has been done in India； the empirical methods favourable to the production of supernormal phenomena。 One might even say that it is about all that we have the right to expect； seeing that； by the author's own admission； these faculties are latent in every man and that； as has frequently been seen； it needs but an illness； a lesion； or sometimes even the slightest emotion or a mere passing faintness to make them suddenly reveal themselves in an individual who seemed most hopelessly devoid of them。 It is therefore quite possible that； by improving the methods； by attacking the mystery from other quarters； we might obtain more decisive results than the Hindus。 We must remember that our western science has but lately interested itself in these problems and that it has means of investigating and experimenting which the Asiatics never possessed。 It may even be declared that at no time in the existence of our world has the scientific mind been better…equipped； better…suited to cope with every task； or more exact； more skilful and more penetrating than it is today。 Because the oriental empirics have failed； there is no reason to believe that it will not succeed in awakening and cultivating in every man those faculties which would often be of greater use to him than those of the intellect itself。 It is not overbold to suggest that； from certain points of view； the true history of mankind has hardly begun。
＇1＇ September； 1906。
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Nevertheless； in so far as concerns the natural evolution of those faculties； M。 Bozzano's assertion seem fairly well… justified。 We do not； in fact； observe a startling or even appreciable difference between what they were and what they are。 And this anomaly is the more surprising in as much as it is almost universally accepted that a sense or a faculty becomes developed in proportion to its usefulness； and there are few； I think； that would have been not only more useful but even more necessary to man。 He has always had a keen and primitive interest in knowing without delay the most secret thoughts of his fellow…man； who is often his adversary and sometimes his mortal enemy。 He has always had an interest no less great in immediately transmitting those thoughts through space； in seeing beyond the continents and seas； in going back into the past； in advancing into the future； in being able to find in his memory at will not only all the acquirements of his personal experience but also those of his ancestors； in communicating with the dead and perhaps with the sovereign intelligence diffused over the universe； in discovering hidden springs and treasures； in escaping the harsh and depressing laws of matter and gravity； in relieving pain； in curing the greater number of his disorders and even in restoring his limbs； not to mention many other miracles which he could work if he knew all the mighty forces that doubtless slumber in the dark recesses of his life。
Is this once more an unexpected character of the eccentric physiology of our unknown guest？ Here are faculties more precious than the most precious faculties that have made us what we are； faculties whose magic buds sprout on every side underneath our intelligence but have never burst into flower； as though a wind fro
