The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Meaning of the War, by Henri Bergson

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Title: The Meaning of the War
Life & Matter in Conflict

Author: Henri Bergson

Commentator: H. Wildon Carr

Release Date: November 20, 2005 [EBook #17111]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MEANING OF THE WAR ***

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THE MEANING
OF THE WAR

LIFE & MATTER IN CONFLICT

BY HENRI BERGSON

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY
H. WILDON CARR

LONDON
T. FISHER UNWIN LTD.
ADELPHI TERRACE

_English translation first published June 1915_
_Second impression, July 1915_
_Third impression, August 1915_

(_All rights reserved_)

CONTENTS

PAGE

INTRODUCTION 9

LIFE AND MATTER AT WAR 15

THE FORCE WHICH WASTES AND THAT WHICH DOES NOT WASTE 41

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

This little volume contains the discourse delivered by M. Bergson as
President of the _Academie des Sciences Morales et Politiques_ at its
annual public meeting on December 12, 1914. It is the address which
preceded the announcement of the prizes and awards bestowed by the
Academy. It is now issued in book form with the consent of the author,
and his full appreciation of the object, to give it the widest
circulation. Although it is brief, it is a message addressed directly
to the heart of our people in the crisis of war. To it is added a
short article on the same theme, contributed to the _Bulletin des
Armees de la Republique_, November 4, 1914.

It has been said that war, with all its terrible evils, is the
occasion of at least one good which humanity values as above price: it
inspires great poetry. On the other hand, it seems to crush
philosophy. Many may think that in this message it is poetry to which
M. Bergson is giving expression. It is, however, from