Simone Weil, the French philosopher, political activist, and religious mystic, was little known when she died in 1943. The aphorisms in this book reflect the religious philosophy of Weil's last years. This book shows why critics have called Weil a great soul who might have become a saint and the outsider as saint, in an age of alienation. INTRODUCTION vii Thomas R. Nevin INTRODUCTION 3(46) Gustave Thibon VOID AND COMPENSATION 49(6) TO ACCEPT THE VOID 55(2) DETACHMENT 57(5) IMAGINATION WHICH FILLS THE VOID 62(3) RENUNCIATION OF TIME 65(2) TO DESIRE WITHOUT AN OBJECT 67(4) THE SELF 71(7) DECREATION 78(9) SELF-EFFACEMENT 87(3) NECESSITY AND OBEDIENCE 90(9) ILLUSIONS 99(10) IDOLATRY 109(2) LOVE 111(8) EVIL 119(12) AFFLICTION 131(6) VIOLENCE 137(2) THE CROSS 139(6) BALANCE AND LEVER 145(2) THE IMPOSSIBLE 147(4) CONTRADICTION 151(6) THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE NECESSARY AND THE GOOD 157(3) CHANCE 160(2) HE WHOM WE MUST LOVE IS ABSENT 162(5) ATHEISM AS A PURIFICATION 167(2) ATTENTION AND WILL 169(8) TRAINING 177(5) INTELLIGENCE AND GRACE 182(6) READINGS 188(3) THE RING OF GYGES 191(3) MEANING OF THE UNIVERSE 194(6) METAXU 200(4) BEAUTY 204(5) ALGEBRA 209(3) THE SOCIAL IMPRINT 212(4) THE GREAT BEAST 216(7) SOCIAL HARMONY 223(9) THE MYSTICISM OF WORK 232