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INTRODUCTION.
219
subject to Metaphysics. Kant therefore was quite right
in : saying
"
It is evident, that the primary sources of
Nature s agency must absolutely belong to the sphere of
l
Metaphysics." Physical science is wont to designate this
unknown, inaccessible something, at which its investigations
stop short and which is taken for granted in all its expla
nations, by such terms as physical force, vital force, forma
tive principle, &c. &c., which in fact mean no more than
x, y, z. Now if nevertheless, in single, propitious instances,
specially acute and observant investigators succeed in
casting as it were a furtive glance behind the curtain
which bounds off the domain of Natural Science, and
are able not only to feel it is a barrier but, in a sense, to
obtain a view of its nature and thus to peep into the meta
physical region beyond ; if moreover, having acquired this
privilege, they explicitly designate the limit thus explored
downright as that which is stated to be the true inner
essence and final principle of all things by a system of
Metaphysics unknown to them, which takes its reasons from
a totally different sphere and, in every other respect, re
cognises all things merely as phenomena, i.e., as represen
tation then indeed the two bodies of investigators must
feel like two mining engineers driving a gallery, who,
having started from two points far apart and worked for
some time in subterranean darkness, trusting exclusively
to compass and spirit-level, suddenly to their great joy
catch the sound of each other s hammers. For now indeed
these investigators know, that the point so long vainly
sought for has at last been reached at which Metaphysics
and Physics meet they, who were as hard to bring to
gether as Heaven and Earth that a reconciliation has
been initiated and a connection found between these two
sciences. But the philosophical system which has wit
nessed this triumph receives by it the strongest and most
1
Kant,
" Von der wahren Scliat/uiig der lebendigen Krafte," 51.