the six enneads-第26节
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itable law； the Reason…Principles have ceded something to the characteristics of the Matter。 But： The Soul watches the ceaselessly changing universe and follows all the fate of all its works： this is its life； and it knows no respite from this care； but is ever labouring to bring about perfection； planning to lead all to an unending state of excellence… like a farmer； first sowing and planting and then constantly setting to rights where rainstorms and long frosts and high gales have played havoc。 If such a conception of Soul be rejected as untenable； we are obliged to think that the Reason…Principles themselves foreknew or even contained the ruin and all the consequences of flaw。 But then we would be imputing the creation of evil to the Reason…Principles； though the arts and their guiding principle do not include blundering； do not cover the inartistic； the destruction of the work of art。 And here it will be objected that in All there is nothing contrary to nature； nothing evil。 Still； by the side of the better there exists also what is less good。 Well； perhaps even the less good has its contributory value in the All。 Perhaps there is no need that everything be good。 Contraries may co…operate； and without opposites there could be no ordered Universe： all living beings of the partial realm include contraries。 The better elements are compelled into existence and moulded to their function by the Reason…Principle directly； the less good are potentially present in the Reason…Principles； actually present in the phenomena themselves； the Soul's power had reached its limit； and failed to bring the Reason…Principles into complete actuality since； amid the clash of these antecedent Principles； Matter had already from its own stock produced the less good。 Yet； with all this； Matter is continuously overruled towards the better； so that out of the total of things… modified by Soul on the one hand and by Matter on the other hand； and on neither hand as sound as in the Reason…Principles… there is； in the end； a Unity。 17。 But these Reason…Principles； contained in the Soul； are they Thoughts？ And if so； by what process does the Soul create in accordance with these Thoughts？ It is upon Matter that this act of the Reason is exercised； and what acts physically is not an intellectual operation or a vision； but a power modifying matter； not conscious of it but merely acting upon it： the Reason…Principle； in other words； acts much like a force producing a figure or pattern upon water… that of a circle； suppose； where the formation of the ring is conditioned by something distinct from that force itself。 If this is so； the prior puissance of the Soul ＇that which conveys the Reason…Principles＇ must act by manipulating the other Soul； that which is united with Matter and has the generative function。 But is this handling the result of calculation？ Calculation implies reference。 Reference； then； to something outside or to something contained within itself？ If to its own content； there is no need of reasoning； which could not itself perform the act of creation； creation is the operation of that phase of the Soul which contains Ideal…Principles； for that is its stronger puissance； its creative part。 It creates； then； on the model of the Ideas； for； what it has received from the Intellectual…Principle it must pass on in turn。 In sum； then； the Intellectual…Principle gives from itself to the Soul of the All which follows immediately upon it： this again gives forth from itself to its next； illuminated and imprinted by it； and that secondary Soul at once begins to create； as under order； unhindered in some of its creations； striving in others against the repugnance of Matter。 It has a creative power； derived； it is stored with Reason…Principles not the very originals： therefore it creates； but not in full accordance with the Principles from which it has been endowed： something enters from itself； and； plainly； this is inferior。 The issue then is something living； yes； but imperfect； hindering its own life； something very poor and reluctant and crude； formed in a Matter that is the fallen sediment of the Higher Order； bitter and embittering。 This is the Soul's contribution to the All。 18。 Are the evils in the Universe necessary because it is of later origin than the Higher Sphere？ Perhaps rather because without evil the All would be incomplete。 For most or even all forms of evil serve the Universe… much as the poisonous snake has its use… though in most cases their function is unknown。 Vice itself has many useful sides： it brings about much that is beautiful； in artistic creations for example； and it stirs us to thoughtful living； not allowing us to drowse in security。 If all this is so； then ＇the secret of creation is that＇ the Soul of the All abides in contemplation of the Highest and Best； ceaselessly striving towards the Intelligible Kind and towards God： but； thus absorbing and filled full； it overflows… so to speak… and the image it gives forth； its last utterance towards the lower； will be the creative puissance。 This ultimate phase； then； is the Maker； secondary to that aspect of the Soul which is primarily saturated from the Divine Intelligence。 But the Creator above all is the Intellectual…Principle； as giver； to the Soul that follows it； of those gifts whose traces exist in the Third Kind。 Rightly； therefore； is this Kosmos described as an image continuously being imaged； the First and the Second Principles immobile； the Third； too； immobile essentially； but； accidentally and in Matter； having motion。 For as long as divine Mind and Soul exist； the divine Thought…Forms will pour forth into that phase of the Soul： as long as there is a sun； all that streams from it will be some form of Light。 FOURTH TRACTATE。
MATTER IN ITS TWO KINDS。
1。 By common agreement of all that have arrived at the conception of such a Kind； what is known as Matter is understood to be a certain base； a recipient of Form…Ideas。 Thus far all go the same way。 But departure begins with the attempt to establish what this basic Kind is in itself； and how it is a recipient and of what。 To a certain school； body…forms exclusively are the Real Beings； existence is limited to bodies； there is one only Matter； the stuff underlying the primal…constituents of the Universe： existence is nothing but this Matter： everything is some modification of this； the elements of the Universe are simply this Matter in a certain condition。 The school has even the audacity to foist Matter upon the divine beings so that； finally； God himself becomes a mode of Matter… and this though they make it corporeal； describing it as a body void of quality； but a magnitude。 Another school makes it incorporeal： among these； not all hold the theory of one only Matter； some of them while they maintain the one Matter； in which the first school believes； the foundation of bodily forms； admit another； a prior； existing in the divine…sphere； the base of the Ideas there and of the unembodied Beings。 2。 We are obliged； therefore； at the start； both to establish the existence of this other Kind and to examine its nature and the mode of its Being。 Now if Matter must characteristically be undetermined； void of shape； while in that sphere of the Highest there can be nothing that lacks determination； nothing shapeless； there can be no Matter there。 Further； if all that order is simplex； there can be no need of Matter； whose function is to join with some other element to form a compound： it will be found of necessity in things of derived existence and shifting nature… the signs which lead us to the notion of Matter… but it is unnecessary to the primal。 And again； where could it have come from？ whence did it take its being？ If it is derived； it has a source： if it is eternal； then the Primal…Principles are more numerous than we thought； the Firsts are a meeting…ground。 Lastly； if that Matter has been entered by Idea； the union constitutes a body； and； so； there is Body in the Supreme。 3。 Now it may be observed； first of all； that we cannot hold utterly cheap either the indeterminate； or even a Kind whose very idea implies absence of form； provided only that it offer itself to its Priors and ＇through them＇ to the Highest Beings。 We have the parallel of the Soul itself in its relation to the Intellectual…Principle and the Divine Reason； taking shape by these and led so to a nobler principle of form。 Further； a compound in the Intellectual order is not to be confounded with a compound in the realm of Matter； the Divine Reasons are compounds and their Act is to produce a compound； namely that ＇lower＇ Nature which works towards Idea。 And there is not only a difference of function； there is a still more notable difference of source。 Then； too； the Matter of the realm of process ceaselessly changes its form： in the eternal； Matter is immutably one and the same； so that the two are diametrically opposites。 The Matter of this realm is all things in turn； a new entity in every separate case； so that nothing is permanent and one thing ceaselessly pushes another out of being： Matter h
