PREFACE

The essays collected in this volume have been written

during the past eight years. They deal with various aspects

of the subject of mysticism: the first half-dozen with its

general theory and practice, and special points arising within

it; the rest with its application as seen in the lives and works

of the mystics, from the pagan Plotinus to the Christian

contemplatives of our own day. Most of them have already

appeared elsewhere, though all have been revised and several

completely rewritten for the purposes of this book.

"The Essentials of Mysticism" and "The Mystic as Creative Artist"

were first printed in The Quest; "Mystic and the Corporate Life,"

"Mysticism and the Doctrine of Atonement,"

and "The Place of Will, Intellect, and Feeling in Prayer"

in The Interpreter; "The Education of the Spirit"

in The Parents' Review; "Mysticism of Plotinus" in

The Quarterly Review; "The Mirror of Simple Souls" and

"Sreur Therese de I' Enfant Jesus" (under the title of "A

Modern Saint") in The Fortnightly Review; "The Blessed

Angela of Foligno" in Franciscan Essays; "Julian of

Norwich" in The St. Martin's Review and Charles Martin's Review; "Peguy"

in The Contemporary Review. All these are now

republished by kind permission of the editors concerned.

E.U.

August 1920.