Selections from Manuscripts (Volume 1) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1856. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... and the remedy--the thing to be desired and prayed for--is that God would directly govern. I had made up my mind to go and see Howard at Camden Town, but by unanimous statement of all parties no one had told Howard of it. Only Mrs. H knew it, and she did not get home until he was asleep on Saturday night--but he woke up saying, 'Papa will come to see Howard, ' or words to that effect, and being asked when, he said, 'this afternoon.' How did this happen? The driver of a locomotive engine appears to afford a good illustration of the relation of soul to body. Belatively to the functions of the engine he is not without the engine, he perishes with it--yet he is not it nor any part of it, nor has other than arbitrary connection with it. The engine may perform all its functions without him under influence of external conditions. The driver's only action is to regulate ft. An animal is an engine without a driver and acting according to external circumstances and internal conditions. A man is an engine with a driver, performing same actions in very same way, and yet by virtue of an altogether different regulating and determining power. How the action of the mind proceeds in direction of least resistance; how thought grows, gemmates, and developes alternately A wise plan in the cultivation of the mind is to let it act in direction of least resistance; accept the efficiencies of our nature and act out natural tendencies; not spend the vital action in overcoming a greater resistance, but spread out where least resisted. Thus animals have their perfection--their wonderful instincts--man by his will alters his natural development, and how often spoils himself. The largeness and simplicity of this idea of the universe becomes more striking when looked at with other v...