But conscious as he is of
the shadow that lies upon our field of vision, he is always insisting
that it is in the light and not in the shadow that we must walk.
Therefore, although demonstration is impossible, faith is rational. So
do those great words of "The Ancient Sage" admonish us:
"Thou canst not prove that thou art body alone,
Nor canst thou prove that thou art spirit alone,
Nor canst thou prove that thou art both in one.
Thou canst not prove thou art immortal, no,
Nor yet that thou art mortal--nay, my son.
Thou canst not prove that I who speak with thee,
Am not thyself in converse with thyself,
For nothing worthy proving can be proven
Nor yet disproven. Wherefore be thou wise,
Cleave ever to the sunnier side of doubt,
And cling to Faith beyond the forms of Faith!
She reels not in the storm of warring words,
She brightens at the clash of 'Yes' and 'No,'
She sees the best that glimmers through the worst,
She feels the sun is hid but for a night,
She spies the summer through the winter bud,
She tastes the fruit before the blossom falls,
She hears the lark within the songless egg,
She finds the fountain where they wailed 'Mirage!'"
This illustrates Tennyson's mental attitude. If all who plume
themselves upon their doubts would put themselves into this posture of
mind, they would find themselves in possession of a very substantial
faith.
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