CHAPTER XVII

BEYOND SCIENCE

Metaphysics — Early Attitude to Religion — Increased
Sympathy 'with Religion

SPENCER was always clear that " life is not for work
and learning, but work and learning are for life."
Thus he valued science because it is "fructiferous"
to use Bacon's word, making for the amelioration of
life ; but he valued it still more because it is "luciferous"
" for the light it throws on our own nature and the
nature of the Universe." He spoke with regret of
" the ordinary scientific specialist, who, deeply
interested in his speciality, and often displaying
comparatively little interest in other departments of
science, is rarely much interested in the relations
between Science at large amd the great questions
which lie beyond Science." He ranked himself with
those who, " while seeking scientific knowledge for
its proximate value, have an ever-increasing con-
sciousness of its ultimate value as a transfiguration of
things, which, marvellous enough within the limits
of the knowable, suggests a profounder marvel than
can be known." Thus it is not surprising to find
that he had a metaphysical system of his own, and if
he had not a religion he had at least ** a humility in
presence of the inscrutable," and a reverence for
Nature deeper than many religious minds exhibit.

269ear—it is in