that, beyond the energy of his possessed and conscious intellect, he is capable of a new energy (as of an intellect doubled on itself), by abandonment to the nature of things; that, beside his privacy of power as an individual man, there is a great public power on which he can draw, by unlocking, at all risks, his human doors, and suffering the ethereal tides to roll and circulate through him: then he is caught up into the life of the Universe, his speech is thunder, his thought is law, and his words are universally intelligible as the plants and animals. The poet knows that he speaks adequately, then, only when he speaks somewhat wildly, or,' with the flower of the mind;' not with the intellect, used as an organ, but with the intellect released from all service, and suffered to take its direction from its celestial life." Once more, in the same Essay: "The painter, the sculptor, the composer, the epic rhapsodist, the orator, all partake one desire, namely, to express themselves symmetrically and abundantly, not dwarfishly and fragmentarily. They find or put themselves in certain conditions, as, the painter and sculptor before some impressive human figures; the orator, into the assembly of the people; and the others, in such scenes as each has found exciting to his intellect; and each presently feels the new desire. He hears a voice, he sees a beckoning. Then he is apprised, with wonder, what herds of dæmons hem him in. He can no more rest; he says, with the old painter, 'By God, it is in me, and must go forth of me.' . . In our way of thinking, we say, 'This is yours, this is mine;' but the poet knows well that it is not his; that it is as strange and beautiful to him as to you; he would fain hear the like eloquence at length." The meaning of these passages is unmistakable. The most original of modern essayists and the most transcendental of ma poets declares unequivocally that his best thoughts, his highest productions, are not his, but come from a source, a gazine" of thought and of creative energy, behind or beyond him-in fact, that all true poets, thinkers, orators, artists, are but mediums for "the ethereal tides to roll and circulate through. It may be urged, however, that Mr. Emerson finds the source of these "ethereal tides," not in individual disembodied spirits, but in what he terms the "Over-Soul," a sort of all-surrounding atmosphere or ocean of soul or spirit. True; but our philosopher's definition of this "Over-Soul," so far as he has given any, makes it clear that he regards it, not as an impersonal, unintelligent element, like air or ether, but as in some real sense constituted of individual souls, and embracing all such, embodied and disembodied, in the universe. His language is: "that Over-Soul, within which every man's particular being is contained and made one with all other." If men in the body do not lose their personal identity, consciousness, and characteristics, by being thus "contained" in the Over-Soul, no more do those who have cast off the earthly" shell; and since the latter class must constitute the vast majority of human beings in the universe, Mr. Emerson must regard them as at least the chief source of that" flowing river" of thought, that "alien energy" of inspiration, from which all productions of genius are derived. In fact, from his own showing, Mr. E. is what Spiritualists term an Inspirational Medium," although he appears to lack that opening of the interior vision, or spirit-sight, which some possess, and which enables them to perceive and distinguish to some extent the individual entities who constitute the "Over-Soul." 66 Other testimonies to the same effect, from other men of accredited genius and originality, might be cited were it necessary. An incident occurring under the writer's noticeone of many of similar significance-illustrates and corroborates the view here taken. It was my privilege to attend a public meeting held in Boston immediately after the exciting Presidential campaign in which Abraham Lincoln was first chosen President of the United States. The meeting was one of congratulation and rejoicing upon that event, and it was to be addressed by that "silver-tongued orator," WENDELL PHILLIPS, to whom all delight to listen, whether in sympathy with his thought or otherwise. The audience was immense, and the enthusiasm unbounded. I had the good fortune to have by my side an intimate and trusty companion, who at times was gifted by an opening of the inner senses, which revealed the presence of beings invisible to the common eye. Nothing of the kind, however, was anticipated on this occasion, and what followed was as surprising as it was significant to us both. As the orator stepped upon the platform, and began his address, my companion whispered to me that she saw, as it were above and in his rear, another platform, or a vast amphitheatre, on which were assembled a noble array of dignified and shining beings, with countenances all aglow with interest in the occasion. Among those in the foreground she soon distinguished the unmistakable lineaments of a large number of the patriots, statesmen, and worthies of American history, prominent among whom was the majestic form of WASHINGTON, who appeared to be an object of deferential regard by all the assembled host, and spokesman or master of ceremonies for the occasion. Intently regarding this unexpected scene, she soon perceived that the chief personages revealed to her vision were in some way unitedly engaged in giving expression to thoughts, accompanied by symbolic representations, of wonderful artistic beauty and force of significance, and evidently appropriate to the object of the meeting there convened. At my request, she repeated to me, in a low whisper, as fully as possible, the ideas she received, and described the imagery which was made to pass before her surprised vision. Listening to her words, and at the same time to the eloquent language of the visible orator, I soon perceived that the VOL. II.-3 latter was but following in the same track, and repeating the substantial ideas-sometimes the very words-which had a moment before been whispered in my ear. When he indulged, as was his wont, in a figure of speech, he but dimly indicated what had just been presented as a vivid picture before my companion's vision! This continued through the whole address, which was delivered apparently impromptu, and was one of Mr. Phillips' most thrilling and commanding efforts, as will be remembered by thousands who heard it. To us this incident, which has been paralleled by many others of a similar significance, furnished conclusive proof that this chief of orators on the American platform is at times (that he is always, is not affirmed) a medium for the transmission of thought from exalted minds once tabernacled in clay. And if this be true of Mr. Phillips, it is and has been doubtless equally true of many other distinguished speakers and writers throughout the world, and in all times. Whether or not the eminent orator referred to was at that time, or is ever, conscious of any extraneous influence exerted • upon him; or, if so, whether he is aware of the true nature and source of " that flowing river which out of regions he sees not, pours for a season its streams into him," I know not. Consciousness of such influence appears to depend upon some peculiarity of organism or temperament. But instances are not wanting of public men and authors of high repute, who have been both sensible of such inspirational aid, and aware of its source as they have acknowledged in private to confidential friends-but who have refrained from avowing the fact to the world, through motives of prudence or policy. Whether this has been wise or otherwise on their part, I presume not to judge. It is hardly necessary to add, that when the disembodied can command the services of such cultured instruments as EMERSON and PHILLIPS for the transmission of their thoughts to this mundane sphere, their productions are not lacking in either vigor of conception or felicity of expression. And if the philosopher of Concord is right, neither he nor any other master of thought, of oratory, of poetry, or of art, can say of his best productions, "This is mine," nor deny that it has proceeded from some mind or assemblage of minds in the spiritual realm. In fact, it is doubtless chiefly through the instrumentality of the most expanded and cultured souls in all departments of human attainment, still in the flesh, that the great and good of our race who have passed on to higher fields of thought and achievement, cast back the effulgence of their grander lives upon our dim world. Thus it is that mankind advances, and earth from age to age grows brighter. "The mightiest souls of all time hover o'er us, Who labored like gods among men, and have gone MIND AND BODY. `HAT creature must be supremely sluggish whose bleared sense We cannot the Body and the outward circumstances of the world. entertain the idea of such ignoble subordination. But it is illogical to admit the superiority of the Mind, and yet maintain that it is only the offspring of our corporeal nature-born and extinguished with the animal fires-that the soul is merely phenomenal, and results from the slow combustion of carbonaceous matter, and the inevitable action of air, light, electricity and other subtle agents on a curious organic structure. To presume that effects thus transcend their causes, in degrees that admit of no comparison, is an absurd assumption. Nor is the fundamental error rendered more respectable by the constant misapplication of the terms Nature, Reason, and Philosophy. S. B. B. |