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96 THE FOURFOLD KOOT. [CHAP. IV.
entirely transcendent question as to the thing in itself.
On referring to my theory above concerning empirical per
ception, we find that its first datum, sensation, is absolutely
subjective, being a process within the organism, because it
takes place beneath the skin. Locke has completely and
exhaustively proved, that the feelings of our senses, even
admitting them to be roused by external causes, cannot
have any resemblance whatever to the qualities of those
causes. Sugar, for instance, bears no resemblance at all to
sweetness, nor a rose to redness. But that they should
need an external cause at all, is based upon a law whose
origin lies demonstrably within us, in our brain ;
therefore
this necessity is not less subjective than the sensations
themselves. Nay, even Time that primary condition
of every possible change, therefore also of the change
which first permits the application of the causal law and
not less Space which alone renders the externalisation
of causes possible, after which they present themselves
to us as objects even Time and Space, we say, are sub
jective forms of the intellect, as Kant has conclusively
proved. Accordingly we find all the elements of em
pirical perception lying within us, and nothing contained
in them which can give us reliable indications as to any
thing differing absolutely from ourselves, anything in
itself. But this is not all. What we think under the con
ception matter, is the residue which remains over after
bodies have been divested of their shape and of all their
specific qualities : a residue, which precisely on that account
must be identical in all bodies. Now these shapes and
qualities which have been abstracted by us, are nothing
but the peculiar, specially defined way in which these bodies
act, which constitutes precisely their difference. If there
fore we leave these shapes and qualities out of considera
tion, there remains nothing but mere activity in general,
pure action as such, Causality itself, objectively thought