The World as Will and Idea, Vol. I — Arthur Schopenhauer, trans. Haldane & Kemp

ally experienced, not that which is merely known, which most frequently produces complete resignation, often only at the approach of death.

For only in the case of a few is the mere knowledge which, seeing through the priinr cipium individiiationis, first produces perfect goodness of disposition and universal love of humanity, and finally enables them to regard all the suffering of the world as their own ; only in the case of a few, I say, is this knowledge sufficient to bring about the denial of the will.

Even with him who approaches this point, it is almost invariably the case that the tolerable condition of his own Dody, the flattery of the moment^ tIie™3eIusion of ho^7 aP*T ^6 satisfaction of the \nll, wliichi is ever presenting itself anew, lust, is a ppnstant hindrance tolihe denial of the will, and a constant temptation to ttie renewed assertion of it.

Therefore in this res^e^ ^”tliese illusions have been personified as the deviT Thus in most cases the will must be broken by great personal suffering before TIT self-c^hquesF ap^ari!

TEen we see the rnah^wlio has passed tTifough" all^ the in» creasing degrees of affliction with the most vehement reslsfance, and is finally brought to tEF verge of d^pior. suddenly retire into liimself, know himself and the world^’clTange "his whole nature, rise above himsdf and all sufferuigV as irpurTfieT and sanctmed ^ it, m inviolable peace, blessedness, and suhlimity, willingly renounce everything he previously desired with all his might, and joyfully'' embrace death.

It is the refined silver of the denial of the will to live that suddenly comes forth from the purifigjig;^aii&:i^^ "ITTs "saTTOtion. Sometimes we see even those who were very wicked purified to this degree by great grief ; they have become new beings and are completely changed.

Therefore their former misdeeds trouble their consciences no more, yet they willingly atone for them by death, and gladly see the end of the manifestation of that will which is now foreign to them and abhorred by them. The great

5o8

THE WORLD AS WILL.

BK. IV.

Goethe has given us a distinct and visible representation of this denial ^'tEe^nTTWoiigEr^ournS'^CTeat m fortunes and despatiroFlir^iSi^rance, in his immortal masterpiece “Faust/’ in the story of the suMrinM of Gretchen. I know no parcel to this in poetry. It is a perfect example ^ the second jpath that leads to the denial of., .tbfi . will* . npt^ m the .J^.t,,., through the mere knowledge of the sufferings of a whole world which one has voluntarily acquired, but tlyough , eic^Y i’ la|[|rin^" experienced in one’s jown ^ person. Many tragedies certainly^ end by conducting their .strong^illed heroes to the piant of entire resignation, and then generally the wiH to live and its jmanif estetipn end toget^,. hilt. HQ ri^iaaiofei; tion that is known to me brings what ia . essential to that cTTange so distinctly before us, free fro.m- aU,..lJiat is extraneous, as the part of Far^st/^XhaY^

'"Iif 'a.ctuallife w^ see that those unfortunate persons who have to drink to the dregs the greatest cup of suffenng, since when all hope is taken from them they have to face with full consciousness a shameful, violent, and often painful death oh the scaffold, are very freciuently cEahg^ m “this 's^y. We must not indeed assume that there is so great a difference between their character and that of most men as their fate would seem to indicate, but must attribute the latter for the most part to circumstances ; yet they are guilty and to a considerable degree bad. We see, however, many of them, when they have entirely lost hope, changed in the way referred to. They now show actual goodness and purity of disposition, true abhorrence of doing any act in the least degree bad or unkind. They forgive their enemies, even if it i£ through them that they "innocently suffer; and not with wpras merelyjand a sort of hypocritical fear of the judges of the lou^r. world, but in reality and with inward earnestness and no desire for revenge. Indeed, their sufferings and d^h at last becomes dear to'them, for the denial of the will toTIve'Kas'aj^Mredj they"often decline We deliv^p. 509 ance when it is offered, and die gladly, peacefully, and happily. To them the last secret of life has revealed itself in their excessive pain ; the secret that mise^ and sorrow^iyid hate^ t^^