independent cosmic principle which invades the world of experience as a disturbing force, spasmodically subverting the laws of nature in order to show its power over them.[229] For as soon as the formless intuition of contemplation begins to express itself in symbols, these symbols, when untested by reason, are transformed into hallucinations.  The warning of Plotinus, that “he who tries to rise above reason falls outside of it,” receives a painful corroboration in such legends as that of St. Christina, who by reason of her extreme saintliness frequently soared over the tops of trees.  The consideration of these alleged “mystical phenomena” belongs to objective Mysticism, which I hope to deal with in a later Lecture.  Here I will only say that the scholastic-mystical doctrine of “supernatural” interventions, which at first sight seems so attractive, has led in practice to the most barbarous and ridiculous superstitions.[230]

Another good specimen of scholastic Mysticism is the short treatise, De adhaerendo Deo, of Albertus Magnus.  It shows very clearly how the “negative road” had become the highway of mediaeval Catholicism, and how little could be hoped for civilisation and progress from the continuance of such teaching.  “When St. John says that God is a Spirit,” says Albert in the first paragraph of his treatise, “and that He must be worshipped in spirit, he means that the mind must be cleared of all images.  When thou prayest, shut thy door—­that is, the doors of thy senses ... keep them barred and bolted against all phantasms and images....  Nothing pleases God more than a mind free from all occupations and distractions....  Such a mind is in a manner transformed into God, for it can think of nothing, and understand nothing, and love nothing, except God:  other creatures and itself it only sees in God....  He who penetrates into himself, and so transcends himself, ascends truly to God....  He whom I love and desire is above all that is sensible and all that is intelligible; sense and imagination cannot bring us to Him, but only the desire of a pure heart.  This brings us into the darkness of the mind, whereby we can ascend to the contemplation even of the mystery of the Trinity....  Do not think about the world, nor about thy friends, nor about the past, present, or future; but consider thyself to be outside the world and alone with God, as if thy soul were already separated from the body, and had no longer any interest in peace or war, or the state of the world.  Leave thy body, and fix thy gaze on the uncreated light....  Let nothing come between thee and God....  The soul in contemplation views the world from afar off, just as, when we proceed to God by the way of abstraction, we deny Him, first all bodily and sensible attributes, then intelligible qualities, and, lastly, that being (esse) which keeps Him among created things.  This, according to Dionysius, is the best mode of union with God.”