Book 4 (Part I)

72 he would tell you that the “ether,” which cannot be perceived in any way by any of the senses, or detected by any instruments, and which possesses qualities which are, to use ordinary language, impossible, is very much more real than the chair he is sitting on. The chair is only one fact; and its existence is testified by one very falliole person. The ether is the necessary deduction from millions of facts, which have been verified again and again and checked by every pos- sible test of truth. There is therefore no ὰpriori reason for rejecting anything on the ground that it is not directly perceived by the senses. To turn to another point. One of our tests of truth is the vividness of the impression. An isolated event in the past of no great importance may be forgotten; and if it be in some way recalled, one may find one’s self asking: “Did I dream it? or did it really happen?” What can never be forgotten is the 22%/?»!?ש”מקThe first death among the people that one loves (for example) would neverbe forgotten; for the first time one would realize what one had previously merely known. Such an ex- perience sometimes drives people insane. Men of science have been known to commit suicide when their pet theory has been shattered. This problem has been discussed freely in “ Science and Buddhism,” 1 “Time,” “ he Camel,” and other papers. This much only need we 1 See Crowley, “ Collected Works.”