e the phrase "Neo-Platonism," and so the philosophy of
Hypatia might be called "The New Neo-Platonism."

To know but one religion is not to know that one.

In fact, superstition consists in this one thing--faith in one religion,
to the exclusion of all others.

To know one philosophy is to know none. They are all comparative, and
each serves as a small arc of the circle. A man living in a certain
environment, with a certain outlook, describes the things he sees; and
out of these, plus what he imagines, is shaped his philosophy of life.
If he is repressed, suppressed, frightened, he will not see very much,
and what he does see will be out of focus. Spiritual strabismus and
mental myopia are the results of vicarious peeps at the universe. All
formal religions have taught that to look for yourself was bad. The
peephole through the roof of his garret cost Copernicus his liberty, but
it was worth the price.

Plotinus made a study of all philosophies--all religions. He traveled
through Egypt, Greece, Assyria, India. He became an "adept", and
discovered how easily the priest drifts into priestcraft, and fraud
steps in with legerdemain and miracle to amend the truth. As if to love
humanity were not enough to recommend the man, they have him turn water
into wine and walk on the water.

Out of the labyrinth of history and speculation Plotinus returned to
Plato as a basis or starting-point for all of the truth which man can
comprehend. Plotinus believed in all religions, but had absolute faith
in none. It will be remembered that Aristotle and Plato parted as to the
relative value of poetry and science--science being the systematized
facts of Nature. Plotinus comes in and says that both were right, and
each was like every good man who exaggerates the importance of his own
calling. In his ability to see the good in all things, Hypatia placed
Plotinus ahead of Plato, but even then she says: "Had there been no
Plato, there would have been no Plotinus; although Plotinus surpassed
Plato, yet it is plain that Plato, the inspirer of Plotinus and so many
more, is the one man whom philosophy can not spare. Hail, Plato!!"

* * * * *

The writings of Hypatia have all disappeared, save as her words come to
us, quoted by her contemporaries. If the Essays of Emerson should all be
swept away, the man would still live in the quotations from his pen,
given to us by every writer of worth who has put pencil to pa