The Soldier and the Hunchback ! and ?

THE EQUINOX (usually she) knows more about my future than is altogether pleasant ; I claim nothing absolute from my Samadhi—I know only too well the worthlessness of single-handed observations, even on so simple a matter as a boiling-point determination! —and as for his (usually her) future, I content myself with mere common sense about the probable end of a fool. So that after all I keep my scepticism intact—and I keep my Samadhi intact. The one balances the other; I care nothing for the vulgar brawling of these two varlets of my mind! . Vil If, however, you would really like to know what might be said on the soldierly side of the question, I shall endeavour to oblige. It is necessary if a question is to be intelligibly put that the querent should be on the same plane as the quesited. Answer is impossible if you ask: Are round squares triangular? or Is butter virtuous? or How many ounces go to the shilling? for the “questions” are not really questions at all. So if you ask me Is Samadhi real? I reply: First, I pray you, establish a connection between the terms. What do you mean by Samadhi? There is a physiological (or pathological; never mind now!) state which I call Samadhi; and that state is as real— in relation to man—as sleep, or intoxication, or death. Philosophically, we may doubt the existence of all of these ; but we have no grounds for discriminating between them— 124