OF IMMORTALITY AN ESSAY INCORPORATING THE LECTURES DELIVERED BEFORE THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE IN THE MICHAELMAS TERM, 1897 PREFACE THE circumstances in which this Essay has been written will account more or less for its character. Some time ago the publishers invited me to write a book upon the subject of Immortality. They thought that such a book, if addressed to the intelligence and information not of theological experts especially, but of educated men and women in general, would not be without a certain value, as showing how much of all that renders human life sublime and sacred is involved in the belief that Man is an immortal being. The consciousness that I did not possess, and amidst my duties could scarcely hope to acquire, the knowledge necessary for the task so kindly laid upon me made me hesitate to undertake it; but it coincided with my own interests and studies, and with the reflexions that had long been present to my mind, and I could |