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Denna sida har korrekturlästs minst en gång.
(skillnad)
(historik)
the border into another world. In this respect,
reality is very inferior to fiction. There is so
much talk about the organic perfection which
the living creatures have gradually developed
in themselves by natural selection, etc. I really
think the most desirable perfection would be
the gift of dying quickly and easily. Evidently
man has degenerated. Insects and animals of
lower order can never make up their minds to
die; it is appalling how much an infusory can
suffer, without ceasing to live. But the higher
you ascend through the scale of living creatures,
the easier and quicker you will find the transition.
For a bird, a wild beast, lion or tiger, almost
every illness is mortal; either full enjoyment
of life, or death—no suffering. But the highest
creature, man, again resembles the insect on
this point: their wings may be torn off, their
limbs crushed, legs broken, etc., and yet they
do not die!
‘Pardon me for writing so sadly to you to-day;
I am in a very black mood, and what is worse
I feel no desire for work. I have not had the
energy to begin preparing my lectures for the
next term, though I have been dreaming a
good deal about the following problem’ (here
follows a mathematical question).
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