The Complete Works of Thomas Dick (English, French, Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1857 edition. Excerpt: ...delight. But all such prospects of knowledge and enjoyment would be for ever shut out, were the universe a collection of mere matter unconnected with mind or intelligence, arid the distant view of an immortal existence would present little else than a scene of monotony or a boundless blank. In the future world, although the circumstances in which the mind will exist will be different from its present local associations, yet its faculties, desires, and affections, will not be essentially changed. It will continue the same identical being, only transported to another region, and connected with other objects and associations. It will have the same or similar aspirations after happiness, the same desires after new objects and discoveries, and the expansion of its intellectual views, and the same delight in beholding one scene of creating grandeur after another unfolding itself to view, as it feels, in a certain degree, in the present state. Such desires afer progressive improvement in knowledge and happiness are implanted by the Creator, and form an essential part of the constitution of the human soul, and therefore can never be eradicated so long as it is sustained in existence. But if is evident, from what has been already stated, that such desires could never be gratified, and that its expectations of higher degrees of intellectual expansion and enjoyment would be frustrated, were the scene of Omnipotence nothing more than an indefinite extension of matter without life or intelligence 'r for in such a case there would be little scope for the exercise and expansion of its powers throughout an immortal existence. 3. The supposition that matter throughout the universe is not connected with mind would present a distorted view of the character...