SENTIMENTS AND IDEALS IO5
ecstasy or a mystical detachment from the world, both of which are deficient in ethical value. The second, alone, tends toward a conception of man which, while entirely ethical, is shallow, superficial, and inadequate in the appre ciation of human dignity. Neither sentiment, therefore, comes to its full development without the other. Taken together, they constitute the two foci of the ellipse of per fect character the one attaching us to the infinite person to whom we are subordinate, the other to the finite persons with whom we are co-ordinate. Together they correlate in due proportion all the sentiments which can be morally approved, and organize the human character into a perfect unity.
II. Let us turn now to consider ideals. As stated at the beginning of this chapter, our sentiments and ideals are closely related though distinct.
i. Analysis. An ideal has been defined as "an image plus a meaning plus a strong emotional colouring." : This is true as far as is goes, but it does not go far enough. An ideal involves, first, an idea of a perfect type of any thing or state of things, any person or group of persons. Of course, this idea of perfection is an idea entertained by some person or persons; it is not strictly correct, therefore, to speak of perfect ideals, because the human conception of the perfect type of anything is necessarily a relative and chang ing thing. Doubtless God s ideals are absolute ; but they are, of course, unknown to men except as they are stated in terms of human ideas, which are relative. Second, it involves a mental reference to imperfect types, actual or possible, of the things or persons in question. If the idea of the perfect type is in the focus of attention, it is fringed with more or less distinct images of the imperfect specimens ; or if the lat ter are in the centre of consciousness, the image of the per fect is in the background. These images of the perfect and imperfect types constitute the intellectual factors of the ideal. Third, it involves a desire that the perfect type become
1 Bagley, " Educational Values," p. 58.
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