power;--all puerile explanations and ideas, belonging to the childish
period of thought.

Others have sought to explain the mystery by assuming that THE ALL found
itself "compelled" to create, by reason of its own "internal
nature"--its "creative instinct." This idea is in advance of the others,
but its weak point lies in the idea of THE ALL being "compelled" by
anything, internal or external. If its "internal nature," or "creative
instinct," compelled it to do anything, then the "internal nature" or
"creative instinct" would be the Absolute, instead of THE ALL, and so
accordingly that part of the proposition falls. And, yet, THE ALL does
create and manifest, and seems to find some kind of satisfaction in so
doing. And it is difficult to escape the conclusion that in some
infinite degree it must have what would correspond to an "inner nature,"
or "creative instinct," in man, with correspondingly infinite Desire and
Will. It could not act unless it Willed to Act; and it would not Will to
Act, unless it Desired to Act and it would not Desire to Act unless it
obtained some Satisfaction thereby. And all of these things would belong
to an "Inner Nature," and might be postulated as existing according to
the Law of Correspondence. But, still, we prefer to think of THE ALL as
acting entirely FREE from any influence, internal as well as external.
That is the problem which lies at the root of difficulty--and the
difficulty that lies at the root of the problem.

Strictly speaking, there cannot be said to be any "Reason" whatsoever
for THE ALL to act, for a "reason" implies a "cause," and THE ALL is
above Cause and Effect, except when it Wills to become a Cause, at which
time the Principle is set into motion. So, you see, the matter is
Unthinkable, just as THE ALL is Unknowable. Just as we say THE ALL
merely "IS"--so we are compelled to say that "THE ALL ACTS BECAUSE IT