dualism

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appeared that when one was so laid his or her legion

disappeared also. Long ago such phantasms ceased to

haunt my nerves, because I discovered their unreality;

I am now venturing to believe that their mythologic

forms cease to haunt my studies, because I have found

out their reality.

Why slay the slain ? Such may be the question that

will arise in the minds of many who see this book. A

Scotch song says, ' The Devil is dead, and buried at

Kirkcaldy ; ' if so, he did not die until he had created

a world in his image. The natural world is overlaid

by an unnatural religion, breeding bitterness around

simplest thoughts, obstructions to science, estrange-

ments not more reasonable than if they resulted from

varying notions of lunar figures, — all derived from

the Devil - bequeathed dogma that certain beliefs and

disbeliefs are of infernal instigation. Dogmas moulded

in a fossil demonology make the foundation of institu-

tions which divert wealth, learning, enterprise, to fictitious

ends. It has not, therefore, been mere intellectual

curiosity which has kept me working at this subject

these many years, but an increasing conviction that the

sequelae of such superstitions are exercising a still formid-

able influence. When Father Delaporte lately published

his book on the Devil, his Bishop wrote — ' Reverend Father,

if every one busied himself with the Devil as you do,

the kingdom of God would gain by it.' Identifying the

kingdom here spoken of as that of Truth, it has been

with a certain concurrence in the Bishop's sentiment

that I have busied^ myself with the work now given to

the public.

---- end of preface -----

DUALISM.

Origin of Deism — Evolution from the far to the near — Illustrations

from witchcraft — The primitive Pantheism — The dawn of

Dualism.

A COLLEGE in the State of Ohio has adopted for its

motto the words 'Orient thyself/ This significant ad-

monition to Western youth represents one condition of

attaining truth in the science of mythology. Through

neglect of it the glowing personifications and metaphors

of the East have too generally migrated to the West only

to find it a Medusa turning them to stone. Our prosaic

literalism changes their ideals to idols. The time has

come when we must learn rather to see ourselves in them :

out of an age and civilisation where we live in habitual

recognition of natural forces we may transport ourselves

to a period and region where no sophisticated eye looks

upon nature. The sun is a chariot drawn by shining

steeds and driven by a refulgent deity ; the stars ascend

and move by arbitrary power or command ; the tree is the

bower of a spirit ; the fountain leaps from the urn of a

naiad. In such gay costumes did the laws of nature hold

VOL. I. a

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