and novelist of the transition, born in Asturias, whose influence was
widely felt in Spanish letters. He died in 1905.]

I have a poor opinion of Clarin, although some of my friends regard him
with admiration. As a man, he must have been envious; as a novelist, he
is dull and unhappy; as a critic, I am not certain that he was ever in
the right.




V

THE PHILOSOPHERS


A thirst for some knowledge of philosophy resulted in consulting Dr.
Letamendi's book on pathology during my student days. I also purchased
the works of Kant, Fichte, and Schopenhauer in the cheap editions which
were published by Zozaya. The first of these that I read was Fichte's
_Science of Knowledge_, of which I understood nothing. It stirred
in me a veritable indignation against both author and translator. Was
philosophy nothing but mystification, as it is assumed to be by artists
and shop clerks?

Reading _Parerga and Paralipomena_ reconciled me to philosophy.
After that I bought in French _The Critique of Pure Reason_, _The
World as Will and Idea_, and a number of other books.

How was it that I, who am gifted with but little tenacity of purpose,