Page:Dawn of the Day.pdf/91

Rh Hatred against one's neighbour.—Let us suppose that we could reproduce in ourselves what another feels himself to be--which Schopenhauer calls pity, and which is more correctly described as altruism—we should have to hate him, if, like Pascal, he thinks himself hateful. This is probably the same feeling which Pascal and ancient Christianity entertained towards humanity, which, under Nero, was “convicted” of the ‘’odium generis humani’’ (hate of the human race), as Tacitus has it.

‘’Despairing souls.’’—Christianity, with the hunter's instinct, spies out all those who, somehow or other, may be led to despair—of which only a small section of mankind are capable. It is constantly pursuing them and way-laying them. Pascal tried whether it was not possible, by means of the subtlest knowledge, to drive everybody into despair; the attempt failed, to his second despair.

‘’Brahminism and Christianity.’’—There are certain precepts for the consciousness of power ; first for those who can rule themselves and feel consequently already quite at ease in the consciousness of power; secondly for those who lack this very consciousness. Brahminism