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had matriculated at the university and attended one or two
courses of lectures. Kuno Fischer was then at the height of
his fame and during the winter had been lecturing bril-
liantly on Schopenhauer. It was Philip’s introduction to
philosophy. He had a practical mind and moved uneasily
amid the abstract; but he found an unexpected fascination
in listening to metaphysical disquisitions; they made him
breathless; it was a little like watching a tight-rope dancer
doing perilous feats over an abyss; but it was very exciting.
The pessimism of the subject attracted his youth; and he
believed that the world he was about to enter was a place
of pitiless woe and of darkness. That made him none the
less eager to enter it; and when, in due course, Mrs. Carey,
acting as the correspondent for his guardian’s views, sug-
gested that it was time for him to come back to England, he
agreed with enthusiasm. He must make up his mind now
what he meant to do. If he left Heidelberg at the end of July
they could talk things over during August, and it would be
a good time to make arrangements.
The date of his departure was settled, and Mrs. Carey
wrote to him again. She reminded him of Miss Wilkinson,
through whose kindness he had gone to Frau Erlin’s house
at Heidelberg, and told him that she had arranged to spend
a few weeks with them at Blackstable. She would be crossing
from Flushing on such and such a day, and if he travelled
at the same time he could look after her and come on to
Blackstable in her company. Philip’s shyness immediately
made him write to say that he could not leave till a day or
two afterwards. He pictured himself looking out for Miss

0 Of Human Bondage