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[Transcriber's note: Introduction by John Haynes Holmes not includedin this etext due to copyright restrictions.]
Random House IS THE PUBLISHER OF
Manufactured in the United States of America
Printed by Parkway Printing Company * Bound by H. Wolff
Who Died at Byblus on the 24th of September, 1861
Dost thou recall, from the bosom of God where thou reposest, thoselong days at Ghazir, in which, alone with thee, I wrote these pages,inspired by the places we had visited together? Silent at my side,thou didst read and copy each sheet as soon as I had written it,whilst the sea, the villages, the ravines, and the mountains, werespread at our feet. When the overwhelming light had given place to theinnumerable army of stars, thy shrewd and subtle questions, thydiscreet doubts, led me back to the sublime object of our commonthoughts. One day thou didst tell me that thou wouldst love thisbook—first, because it had been composed with thee, and also becauseit pleased thee. Though at times thou didst fear for it the narrowjudgments of the frivolous, yet wert thou ever persuaded that alltruly religious souls would ultimately take pleasure in it. In themidst of these sweet meditations, the Angel of Death struck us bothwith his wing: the sleep of fever seized us at the same time—I awokealone!… Thou sleepest now in the land of Adonis, near the holyByblus and the sacred stream where the women of the ancient mysteriescame to mingle their tears. Reveal to me, O good genius, to me whomthou lovedst, those truths which conquer death, deprive it of terror,and make it almost beloved.
In presenting an English version of the celebrated work of M. Renan,the translator is aware of the difficulty of adequately rendering awork so admirable for its style and beauty of composition. It is notan easy task to reproduce the terseness and eloquence whichcharacterize the original. Whatever its success in these respects maybe, no pains have been spared to give the author's meaning. Thetranslation has been revised by highly competent persons; but althoughgreat care has been taken in this respect, it is possible that a fewerrors may still have escaped notice.
The great problem of the present age is to preserve the religiousspirit, whilst getting rid of the superstitions and absurdities thatdeform it, and which are alike opposed to science and common sense.The works of Mr. F.W. Newman and of Bishop Colenso, and the "Essaysand Reviews," are rendering great service in this direction. The workof M. Renan will contribute to this object; and, if its utility may bemeasured by the storm which it has created amongst the obscurantistsin France, and the heartiness with which they have c