Aspects of Pessimism (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Aspects of Pessimism

These six essays naturally fall into two groups. Although all are determined by the same views, the first four are probably of more interest to the general reader than the two last.

Several years ago, I contemplated a more exhaustive work on Pessimism. But preoccupation in teaching, and other duties, as well as the knowledge that several writers, including more especially one of my own colleagues, were engaged on the subject, have deterred me from carrying out this plan. I there fore hope that the two more strictly technical essays will be regarded as suggestive rather than as final. They represent preparatory inquiries, not concluding deliverances. The other papers discuss subjects which are not usually approached from a similar standpoint.

Somewhat less than one-half of what is here printed has appeared before in various periodicals. Small portions of the first and second essays, and nearly the whole of the third, were contributed to the 'scots Magazine the greater part of the fourth to the Trans actions Of the English Goethe Society'; portions of the fifth to the 'scottish Review'; and a fourth part of the sixth to the 'contemporary Review.' To the editors of these publications my best thanks are due for their courteous permission to use this material. It has been subjected to revision throughout, and has been set more or less in fresh connections.

I am much indebted also to Professors Robertson and Bradley Of Glasgow, and to Professor Edward Caird, now Master of Balliol College, Oxford, for valuable suggestions regarding certain portions of the manuscript which they were so good as to read; and to Professor Veitch of Glasgow for constant encouragement, and many other kindnesses too numerous to mention: thanks to Mr George G. Duncan, m.a., President of the Glasgow University Theological Society, who has read the proofs, I have been enabled to render some passages clearer than they would otherwise have been. None are to be regarded as in any respect responsible for the opinions on which I may have ventured.

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