complete
union of finite parts with the infinite whole. Thus, although life is a
necessity, it is a continual pain, and ceaseless yearning; death is the
freedom from pain and the fulfillment of that yearning. The only aim of
life is death at the end of it, and death is the goal toward which
every activity of the living organism eagerly strives."

Paul looked at Wilhelm and Schrotter, but as they were silent he said
nothing. Schrotter after consideration, said:

"Why do you separate a part of the eternal principle from itself?"

"To make its unity manifold through divisibility, to arrive at the
consciousness of the 'ego,' through the creation of an absolute
negation."

"Your eternal principle then," said Schrotter, "appears to you like
some lord or master, who is lonely because he is by himself in the
world, and wishes to have the society of others."

"Over this, however, is placed the creation of the negation arriving at
the consciousness of its own 'ego,' in addition to the knowledge of the
object it has in view; thus consciousness precedes the rest," said
Wilhelm.

Dorfling shook his head.

"These objections are close reasoning. You will find them answered in
the book."

"You are right," said Schrotter, "it is unfair to criticize before we
have read the book. I only want to make one remark, not in the sense of
criticism, but rather to confirm a fact. Your "Philosophy of
Deliverance" is no other than a form of Christianity which looks upon
the earth as a vale of tears, on life as a banishment, and on death as
going home to the Father's house. The theology of the Vatican would not
find a hitch in your system."

"Forgive me, doctor," answered Dorfling. "I see a great difference
between my system and Christianity. Both of them hold that life is a
misery, and death is the deliverance. But Christianity does not explain
why God creates men, and sends them to the misery of earth, instead of
leaving them in peace in heaven. I, on the contrary, claim that I
explain the creation of living and conscious beings."

"Your assertion then means that the eternal principle of phenomena
creates organisms, with the object of arriving at the consciousness of
itself?"

"Exactly."

"Now, we have already answered you as to that," said Schrotter, "and I
will not keep back my objection any longer. Let me get away for a
moment from your system, and say that between metaphysics and theology
I do not see the least difference. A m