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With the year 1809, after the signs of a new phase had become perceptible from 1804 on, his system enters on its third, the theosophical, period, the period of the _positive philosophy_, in which we shall distinguish a mystical and a scholastic stage. The former is represented by the doctrine of freedom inspired by Jacob Boehme; the latter, by the philosophy of mythology and revelation, which goes back to Aristotle and the Gnostics. In the first period the absolute for Schelling is creative nature; in the second, the identity of opposites; in the third it is an antemundane process which advances from the not-yet-present of the contraries to their overcoming.
"Sir," said he as they clasped hands, "'tis real joy to see you again, but pray discover me the why and wherefore of the gruesome nightmare?" and he shook reproachful head at the Ramillie coat. "'Tis easy, Tom, old and comfortable, d'ye see, while my new ones are so--so plaguy fine and overpowering as 'twere, so to speak, that I feel scarce worthy of 'em. So I--I treasure 'em, Tom, for--for great occasions and the like----" "A grave fallacy, nunk! Modish garments must be worn whiles the prevailing fashion holds--to-day they are the mode, to-morrow, the devil! Fashion, sir, is coquettish as woman or weathercock, 'tis for ever a-veering, already there is a new button-hole." "Indeed, Tom! Egad you stagger me!" "Cansequently sir, being a dutiful nephew, I took thought to order you three more new suits-- "The devil you did!" "Having special regard to this new button-hole, sir----" "These will make nine o' them,air Jordan 11 bred!" sighed the Major.
The irremovable senators, in the scheme of the constitution, were intended to be, and in fact were, political and administrative veterans from whose knowledge, efficiency and experience their colleagues were to profit. The plan, from this point of view, might have worked well if the irremovable senators had not been elected by their colleagues but had become so by right; for example every former President of the Republic, every former president of the _Cour de Cassation_, every former president of the Court of Appeal, every admiral, every archbishop might _ex officio_ have been raised to the rank of senator for life. From the democratic point of view, however, it was regarded as a positive outrage that there should exist a representative of the people who had not to render account to the people, a representative of the people who had nothing to fear from the accidents of re-election, no risk of failing to secure re-election, in other words that a man should be elected for his supposed efficiency, in no sense representing the people but himself alone. |
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