Page:Ferrier's Works Volume 3 "Philosophical Remains" (1883 ed.).djvu/243

Rh to be waged by the sleepless consciousness of every man against the indestructible demon passions of his own heart. The  of Stoicism was an energetic acting against passion; and, if our word apathy means this, let us make use of it in characterising that philosophy. But we apprehend that our word apathy signifies an indifference, a passiveness, a listless torpidity of character, which either avoids the presence of the passions, or feels it not; in short, an unconsciousness of passion, a state diametrically opposed to the apathy of Stoicism, which consists in the most vital consciousness of the passions, and their consequent subjugation thereby. It has been thought, too, that Stoicism aimed at the annihilation of the passions; but it is much truer to say, that it took the strife between them and consciousness, as the focus of its philosophy; it found true manhood concentrated in this strife, and it merely placed true manhood where it found it, for it saw clearly that the only real moral life of humanity is breathed up out of that seething and tempestuous struggle.

The passions are sure to be ever with us. Do what we will,

Therefore, the only question comes to be, Are we to yield to them, or are we to give them battle and resist them? And Stoicism is of opinion that we should give them battle. Her voice is all for war; because, in yielding to them, our consciousness, or the act