Selections from the Writings of KierkegaardKierkegaard, Søren
Religion
Selections from the Writings of Kierkegaard
Kierkegaard, Søren
Philosophy; Theology
As I said, I have not met with such a one; but I can easily
imagine him. Here he is. I make his acquaintance and am introduced
to him. The first moment I lay my eyes on him I push him back,
leaping back myself, I hold up my hands in amazement and say
to myself: "Good Lord! that person? Is it really he--why, he
looks like a parish-beadle!" But it is really he. I become more
closely acquainted with him, watching his every movement to see
whether some trifling incongruous movement of his has escaped me,
some trace, perchance, of a signaling from the infinite, a glance,
a look, a gesture, a melancholy air, or a smile, which might
betray the presence of infinite resignation contrasting with
the finite.
But no! I examine his figure from top to toe to discover whether
there be anywhere a chink through which the infinite might be
seen to peer forth. But no! he is of a piece, all through. And
how about his footing? Vigorous, altogether that of finiteness,
no citizen dressed in his very best, prepared to spend his Sunday
afternoon in the park, treads the ground more firmly. He belongs
altogether to this world, no philistine more so. There is no
trace of the somewhat exclusive and haughty demeanor which marks
off the knight of infinite resignation. He takes pleasure in all
things, is interested in everything, and perseveres in whatever
he does with the zest characteristic of persons wholly given to
worldly things. He attends to his business, and when one sees
him one might think he was a clerk who had lost his soul in
doing double bookkeeping, he is so exact. He takes a day off
on Sundays. He goes to church. But no hint of anything supernatural
or any other sign of the incommensurable betrays him, and if one
did not know him it would be impossible to distinguish him in
the congregation, for his brisk and manly singing proves only
that he has a pair of good lungs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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