Stuk 205 - Letter from Henry Sidgwick to F. W. H. Myers

1 doc

Refers to Myers' intention to write a poem addressed to Sidgwick 'de rebus divinis'. Claims that this would interest and gratify him, but wishes to make clear his religious views, of which he fears Myers is not completely aware. Claims that if Clough had not lived and written he [Sidgwick] 'should probably be now exactly where he was', and that he 'can neither adequately rationalize faith, nor reconcile faith and reason, nor suppress reason.'

In 'an irreligious age one must not let oneself drift, or else the rational element of oneself is disproportionately expressed and developed by the influence of environment, and one loses the fidelity to one's true self'; does 'not feel called or able to preach religion except as far as it is involved in fidelity to one's true self. Believes 'that religion is normal to mankind, and therefore take[s] part unhesitatingly in any social action to adapt and sustain it (as far as a layman may)'. Also knows that his own 'true self is a Theist', but 'believe[s] that many persons are really faithful to themselves in being irreligious', and does 'not feel able to prophesy to them'; any complaint he has against them 'is not that they do not believe in a God, but that they are content with, happy in, a universe where there is no God ; but many of them are not content, and to these [he has] nothing to say, not being able to argue the matter on any common ground'.

Claims not to feel 'the passionate personal yearnings' that Myers puts into his verse, though he is 'wrought to much sympathy' when Myers expresses them. States that he has read Myers' poems through again, and remarks on 'the combination of great freshness...of feeling with finished elastic stateliness of style.' [Note in another hand: 'Written from somewhere in Germany'].

Part transcription in Sidgwick, Arthur, and Sidgwick, E. M, 'Henry Sidgwick'. London: Macmillan, 1906, p 227-228; there, the letter is said to have been written from Ostend, rather than from Germany as per the note in another hand.

Part of the letter appears to have been torn out.