Nature Mysticism

Name: Nature Mysticism
Author: Mercer, John Edward

Mercer, John Edward

Mysticism; Nature -- Religious aspects; Philosophy of nature

NATURE MYSTICISM

BY

J. EDWARD MERCER, D.D., OXON.
BISHOP OF TASMANIA

LONDON
GEORGE ALLEN & COMPANY, Ltd.
44 & 45 RATHBONE PLACE

1913

_All rights reserved_

PREFACE

The aims of this study of Nature Mysticism, and the methods
adopted for attaining them, are sufficiently described in the
introductory chapter. It may be said, by way of special preface,
that the nature mystic here portrayed is essentially a "modern."
He is assumed to have accepted the fundamentals of the
hypothesis of evolution. Accordingly, his sympathy with the
past is profound: so also is his sense of the reality and
continuity of human development, physical, psychic, and
mystical. Moreover, he tries to be abreast of the latest critical
and scientific conclusions. Imperfections manifold will be
discovered in the pages that follow; but the author asks that a
percentage of them may be attributed to the difficulties of
writing in Tasmania and publishing at the antipodes.

J. E. M.

Bishop's Court, Hobart,
_March_, 1912.



CONTENTS

Chapter I.      Introductory                              1
Chapter II.     Nature, and the Absolute                  7
Chapter III.    Mystic Intuition and Reason               15
Chapter IV.     Man and Nature                            23
Chapter V.      Mystic Receptivity                        30
Chapter VI.     Development and Discipline of Intuition   38
Chapter VII.    Nature not Symbolic                       45
Chapter VIII.   The Charge of Anthropomorphism            54
Chapter IX.     The Immanent Idea                         65
Chapter X.      Animism, Ancient and Modern               71
Chapter XI.     Will and Consciousness in Nature          79
Chapter XII.    Mythology                                 90
Chapter XIII.   Poetry and Nature Mysticism               97
Chapter XIV.    The Beautiful and the Ugly                106
Chapter XV.     Nature Mysticism and the Race             117
Chapter XVI.    Thales                                    123
Chapter XVII.   The Waters under the Earth                129
Chapter XVIII.  Springs and Wells                         138
Chapter XIX.    Brooks and Streams                        145
Chapter XX.     Rivers and Life                           151
Chapter XXI.    Rivers and Death                          158
Chapter XXII.   The Ocean                                 165
Chapter XXIII.  Waves                                     172
Chapter XXIV.   Still Waters                              179
Chapter XXV.    Anaximenes and the Air                    187
Chapter XXVI.   Winds and Clouds                          192
Chapter XXVII.  Heracleitus and the Cosmic Fire           203
Chapter XXVIII. Fire and the Sun                          211
Chapter XXIX.   Light and Darkness                        222
Chapter XXX.    The Expanse of Heaven--Colour             228
Chapter XXXI.   The Moon--A Special Problem               235
Chapter XXXII.  Earth, Mountains, and Plains              242

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Nature Mysticism

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