Seht da den Menschen! Aus dem Franzoesischen: Ecce homo (1819) - Page 5

2

Whether we make use of these individual primal principles Ursätze that have been taught to us, or not, can certainly have an influence on our advantage. However, it does not provide a deciding factor for the existence of these two root elements Wurzelelemente that we have recognized: namely, the correctness of the fundamental principle Grundsatz and the spark of our intellect Begreiflichkeit. Both announce themselves as carrying a natural life within them, which nothing can prevent from being. Both rays could separate again and produce no effect, and yet they would retain their essence and their basic features. Thus, a learned geometer Geometer may lie in deep sleep; no geometric truth is lost because of it, and he will always carry within himself the knowledge of it and the gift to make use of it when opportunities arise.

There is a murderous philosophy mörderische Philosophie which will not accept these primal causes, because it does not distinguish the essence Wesenheit in beings and things from the actual manifestation

3

of their various properties. Because it recognizes in things only results or determinations, as soon as the beings are no longer active before its eyes, it recognizes them as nothing more and boldly condemns their existence. Without lingering on this, however, we only want to warn those who have no knowledge of it and predict to them that they will find something in their own being with which they can protect themselves against these objections. Let us move further!

When the human soul Menschenseele, either through the upward flight it can take or through grace Gnaden, has raised itself to the most intimate feeling of the All-being Allwesen which encompasses all and brings forth all; in short, to the feeling of that unknown being we call God Gott; then it seeks just as little to give an account of the total truth Gesammtwahrheit that subjects these principles, nor of the living enjoyment it grants her, as she did during the discovery of the individual primal principles.