Stack

Annex
BF
161

1865

OBSERVATIONS

GROWTH OF THE

BT

MIND.

SAMPSON REED.

FIFTH EDITION.

BOSTON:
T. H.

CARTER AND COMPANY.

LONDON:

C. P.

1865.

ALVT.

KIVERSIDE, CAMBRIDGE:

STEEEOTTPED AND FEINTED BY

H. 0.

HOUGHTON AND COMPANY.

Stack

Annex

PREFACE
TO THE THIRD EDITION,

"

THE Growth

of the

Mind " was

first

published in

and has now been through two

country, and one or more in England.

the year 1826,

in this

So

far as an author duly feels in

stands,

it

editions

whose presence he

can be no source of gratification

attract personal admiration or praise.

to

He

him

must

to

re-

gard himself as only a medium of truth from the one

only Source of truth, and the forms in which he has

been permitted

to present

it,

as useful only so far as

they are suitable vessels to contain and to communicate

is

it.

Truth

itself

at the present

by

few.

unadorned

simple

divine

day revealed, yet noticed and loved

of Kings and Lord of Lords is

The King

nor comeliness

"
;

but he hath no form

and when we

shall see him, there is

standing in the midst of us

no beauty that we should desire him."

sense of the Sacred Scripture

despised and rejected of men."

is

The

opened ;

"

spiritual

yet

is

it

PREFACE.

IV

The

present age

characterized

is

the love of

by

Fashion-

pleasing, as opposed to the love of truth.

able education, as

it is

often pursued,

almost be

may

This

is

labor

is

bestowed, by which a wardrobe of accomplishments

is

defined the cultivation of the art of pleasing.

but too frequently the end for which so

proyided, which

When
it

is

may

much

be used as occasion requires.

the disposition to please takes the

first

place,

obvious that truth must be sought only as

subservient

"

this

to

object.

How

it is

can ye believe,

which receive honor one of another, and seek not the

honor that cometh from
is

pleasing

opposed

God

The

only."

love of

when a

to the love of truth,

son desires to please others, in order that he

may

per-

gain

an influence over them, for the sake of promoting

own

The

private ends or personal advantage.

of pleasing

is

consistent with the love of truth,

a person desires

to please, for the

when

sake of promoting

the good of others, and the cause of truth

The New Church can

his

love

discern, in

itself.

almost every

moral or religious writer of any acknowledged merit

at

the

power

day, some

present
;

while

its

outbreakings of

ural sciences, like so

many gushing

inexhaustible fountain above them.

see

how

little

willingness there

source of truth

its

own

principles are pressing into the nat-

is to

streams from an
It

is

painful to

acknowledge the

and how often a man seems

to think

PREFACE.
that

has answered

it

has bedecked his

mand

when he

legitimate purpose,

therewith, so as to com-

the admiration of the multitude.

The

New

its

own person

time

approaching when the claims of the

is

Church on the public

There

easily set aside.

is

it

difficult

be

may

a problem

to

solve, to

this

Church,

which those who reject the claims of

will find

not

attention

to furnish a solution

and the mis-

representations and ignorance which have often prevailed in regard to

it,

will,

before

many years, be

seen

to be neither consistent with good manners nor good

The

scholarship.

of

writings

pure in their character

Swedenborg are so

and influence, that the moral

sense of the community will bear testimony that there

is

no

their

wilful imposture

method and

community
sanity.

will

The

be silenced

logic,

bear

and they are so perfect in

that the rationality of

testimony that there

is

in-

two witnesses cannot

voice of these

and the day

the

no

is

when

approaching,

the

assertion that these writings are not of sufficient im-

portance to

command

the attention of the public, will

not be hazarded by any one,

who

either

is

man

of

intelligence or seeks to be so esteemed.

Still,

the natural

mind

is

ever backward to receive

revealed truth, both from the character of this truth

itself,

and from the

fact of its

being revealed

the character of the truth, because

it

is

from

opposed

to

PREFACE.

VI

the affections and principles of the natural mind, and

and regenerate them

calculated to reform
fact of its

the

for

being revealed, because

pride

him take the water of

is

"

of discovery.
life

the

is

common

But the

beast.

receive

it

water of

life,

will,

The water

freely."
;

and

this

that

is,

we should

should acknowledge

and endeavor

to live

life

we

all

will to

be the

to

it

from

that

it

should seek to be purified and regenerated by

And

fluence.

alas

how few

themselves, which requires

we

its in-

are disposed to comply

how much do

with these conditions, and

let

of

man and

gift of Providence to

condition

we

that

leaves no place

Whosoever

really as free as natural water

know

it

from the

these find in

be subdued and put

to

away

From

these causes

it is

not to be expected that the

truths of the spiritual sense of the Sacred Scripture,

which the Lord has now revealed through

Emanuel Swedenborg,
This
the

will find

Transcendentalism*

tion.
is

will

the product of man's

human mind

his servant

a very ready receprather

own

be caressed.

brain

and when

has been compelled to relax

its

grasp

on sensualism, and the philosophy based on the senses,

Tranbe expected first to take refuge here.
it

may

* By Transcendentalism,, I mean such transcendentalism as we

now find, without any reference to its origin, or to the original
meaning

of the word.

PREFACE.

Vll

scendentalism, even now, offers indications of an ap-

proaching popularity in this

when

something gained,

work of

worships the

ally

his

own

liter-

even

and worship

still,

So

imagination.

be

may

own hands

though he be in heart an idolater

the creations of his

It

country.

the idolater no longer

it

may

be

a step forwards from sensualism to transcendentalism.

It

may be

a necessary step in the progress of the

human mind.

But they still lie near each other

There is among insects a class
Their instinct leads them to deposit
parasites.

almost in contact.
called

when

their eggs in the bodies of other insects, where,

the young

is

and eat up

its

analogous to
falsity to
is

has only to open

it

hatched,
brother.

It

would seem

its

be removed by another.

work,

will

it

mouth

be in a

way

Providence often permits one

this, that

the parasite of sensualism

done

to

its

Transcendentalism

and when

be found

to

be

it

shall

itself

have

a worm,

and the offspring of a worm.

The Sacred

Scripture

which we can enter

and

all

who would

and robbers.

into

the only door through

is

life,

or receive living truths

climb up any other

Imagining themselves

way

are thieves

spiritual,

it

is

possible that they should be even the lowest of the

sensual

for they

wings, by which

may

it

only give to their sensuality

may

gain an apparent elevation,

without any real change in

its

nature

superadding to

VU1
its

PREFACE.

inherent properties that of monstrosity

and a vain imagination.

thou go, and dust shalt thou

fernal influence

belly shalt

days of thy
nature

life,"

is

ers, its

the

air,

On

thy

eat, all

the

and

If

it.

live

real quality will

its

transcend this law must

to

rather debase than elevate

itself into

"

with the serpent the law of

and any attempt

becoming

the monstrous offspring of the in-

a winged serpent

it

to raise

presume

on the nectar of flow-

become the more apparent

and disgusting it will only defile what can afford it

no nutriment, and all the birds of heaven will instinctively

shun

its

company.

Let every one know, there-

fore, that his real faith in the

humble dependence upon

it

Sacred Scripture and

for life

and

light,

are the

only measure of his spirituality that whatever seems

to abound more than these, is nothing, or worse than

Such " sons of the morning

nothing.

pected

in

these latter times

for the

"

may be

ex-

morning

has

indeed come, and, with the beginning of a brighter

day than the world has yet seen, are awakened

life

into

forms as monstrous as those of the dark ages.

S.

BOSTON, Feb.

28, 1838.

R.

OBSERVATIONS

GROWTH OF THE

NOTHING

is

MIND.

more common subject of

remark than the changed condition of the

There is a more extensive intercourse

world.

of thought, and a more powerful action of

mind upon mind, than formerly. The good

and the wise of all nations are brought nearer
together,

and begin

to exert a power, which,

though yet feeble as infancy,

is felt

throughout

Public opinion, that helm which

directs the progress of events by which the

the globe.

world

is

guided to

has received a
attained an

shaking
past.

new

its

ultimate destination,

direction.

The mind has

upward and onward look, and is

errors and prejudices of the

off the

The

structure of the feudal ages, the

ornament of the

desert,

has been exposed to

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

10

the light of heaven

at for

its

and continues to be gazed

it ceases to be admired

ugliness, as

The world

for its antiquity.

is

deriving vigor,

not from that which has gone by, but from

that which is coming not from the unhealthy
moisture of the evening, but from the name;

less influences of the

on

morning.

the past to instruct us, as

Rock of Ages, comes back

future.
Both mankind, and

The loud
it falls

call

on the

in echo from the

the laws and prin-

by which they are governed, seem about

The moral and
to be redeemed from slavery.
ciples

man

intellectual character of

as this
undergoing, a change; and
of all
effected, it must change the aspect

and
is

has undergone,

is

things, as

when

the position-point

from which a landscape

is

viewed.

is

altered

We

ap-

which will be
pear to be approaching an age
the silent pause of merely physical force before
the powers of the

awed

mind

the timid, subdued,

condition of the brute, gazing on the

and godlike form of man.

These remarks with respect to the present
era are believed, to be just, when it is viewed

erect

on the bright

side.

They

are not

made by one

GKOWTH OF THE MIND.

who

is

insensible to its evils.

11

Least of

all,

are

they intended to countenance that feeling of

self-admiration,

which

carries

with

it

the seeds

of premature disease and deformity for to be

proud of the truth is to cease to possess it.
;

Since the

fall

difficult for

of man, nothing has been more

him than

know

to

his real

con-

dition, since every departure from divine order

is

attended with a loss of the knowledge of

what

it

is.

When

our

first

parents

left

the

garden of Eden, they took with them no means

by which they might measure the depths of

degradation to which they fell; no chart by
which they might determine their moral longitude.

Most of our knowledge implies

relation

and

one age, or
comparison.
one individual, to be compared with another
but this determines only their relative condiIt is

not

difficult for

The

tion.

actual condition of

man can

be

seen only from the relation in which he stands

to his

immutable Creator

and

this relation is

discovered from the light of revelation, so far

as,

by conforming to the precepts of

it is

revelation,

permitted to exist according to the laws

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

12

of divine order.

Bible

letter of the

be,

and

It is
is

mankind

still

not sufficient that the

This

in the world.

may

continue in ignorance of

to the hand.

must be obeyed from the heart

The book must be eaten, and

constitute the

living flesh.

themselves.

It

relative condition of the

When

world

are apt to exult over other ages

as

if

we

very mists
cleared.

world

is

regarded,

we

and other men,

ourselves were a different order of

till

beings,

is

only the

we are enveloped in the

from which we are proud of being
at length

But when the

justly

relative state of the

viewed from the

the individual, the scene

is

real state of

lighted from the

chaste light of
point of the beholder with the
it is not fordeceives
never
humility which
;

gotten that the

way

lies

forward

the cries of

exultation cease to be heard in the march of

and the mind, in whatever it learns

of the past and the present, finds food for improvement, and not for vainglory.
progression,

As

all

the changes which are taking place in

the world originate in the mind,

itself,

might be

would change
and whatever is

naturally expected that nothing

more than the mind

it

GROWTH OP THE MIND.

13

While
connected with a description of it.
men have been speculating concerning their

own

powers, the sure but secret influence of

revelation has been gradually changing the

moral and intellectual character of the world,

and the ground on which they were standing

has
their

passed from under them, almost while

words were in their mouths. The powers

of the

mind

most intimately connected

are

with the subjects by which they are occupied.

cannot think of the will without feeling,

We

of the understanding without thought, or of

the imagination without something like poetry.

The mind

is visible

when

and as the subjects on which

it is

active;

engaged are
the
themselves
changed,
powers
present a different aspect.
New classifications arise, and

new names
simple
till

is

are given.

it is

What was

considered

thought to consist of distinct parts,

at length

the

philosopher hardly

knows

whether the African be of the same or a

ferent species;

and though the soul

is

dif-

thought

to continue after death, angels are universally

considered a distinct class of intellectual beings.

Thus

it is

that there

is

nothing fixed in

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

14

the philosophy of the mind.

a science which

though

now

is

It is said to

not demonstrative

be

thought to

be

and

brought to

state of great perfection, another century, un-

der the providence of God, and nothing will

be found in the structure which has cost so

much
but

but the voice, "

labor,

He

is

not here,

is risen."

Is,

then, everything that relates to the im-

mortal part of man fleeting and evanescent,

while the laws of physical nature remain unal-

become changeable as we
approach the immutable and the eternal ?
The laws of the mind are
Far otherwise.
in themselves as fixed and perfect as the laws
tered?

Do

things

but they are laws from which we

have wandered. There is a philosophy of the
of matter

mind, founded not on the aspect

it

presents in

any part or in any period of the world, but

on its immutable relations to its first cause; a
before
philosophy equally applicable to man,
or after he has passed the valley of the shadow of death not dependent on time or place,
;

but immortal as

its subject.

philosophy has begun to

The

beam

light of this

faintly

on the

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

world, and

mankind

will

15

yet see their

own

moral and intellectual nature by the light of

revelation, as it shines through the moral and
intellectual character it shall
ated.

It

may

be

have

remarked,

itself

cre-

also, that

the

changes in the sciences and the

it is

arts are en-

To

revelation

to be ascribed, that the genius

which has

tirely the effect of revelation.

taught the laws of the heavenly bodies,

and

analyzed the material world, did not spend

bow

or in throwing the

lance, in the chase or in

war; and that the

itself in

drawing the

vast powers of Handel did not burst forth in

the wild notes of the war-song.

It is

the ten-

dency of revelation to give a right direction to

every power of every mind and when this is
;

effected, inventions

and discoveries

will follow

things assume a different aspect,

and the world itself again becomes a paradise.

of course,

It is

all

the object of the following pages not to

be influenced by views of a temporal or local

nature, but to look at the mind as far as possible

in its essential revealed character,

beginning with

its

and

powers of acquiring and

retaining truth, to trace

summarily that devel-

16

GKOWTH OP THE MIND.

opment which is required,

truly useful and happy.
It is said, the

ing

truth,

powers of acquiring and

because truth

some continued
by which

in order to render

it is

not retained without

is

same powers
There is the most

acquired.

many

me

any one, by which

be borne in

is

get by heart,

of our

is

obvious from

is signified

a desire to

do not forget

meant do not cease

to love

me

which means to commit to

It is also

obvious from observation

own minds; from

the constant recur-

we most

rence of those subjects which

and the extreme difficulty of

own

the

such as remember

his or her affections

me, by which

memory.

memory with

This connection

familiar expressions

to

retain-

exertion of the

intimate connection of the

affections.

it

love,

detaching our
minds or the minds of others from a

favorite pursuit.

It is

obvious from the power

of attention on which the

depends, which,

if

memory

principally

the subject have a place in

our affections, requires no

effort

if it

have not,

the effort consists principally in giving it a real

or an artificial hold of our feelings as it is pos;

sible, if

we do

not love a subject, to attend to

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

it,

because

wealth.

may add

it

to our

17

fame

or our

obvious from the never-fading

It is

freshness retained by the scenes of childhood,

when

the feelings are strong

the later periods of

back on the road of

of active

vivid,

his pilgrimage,

through

man

looks

many

years

the old

unseen in the valley, as

life lie

on the

rests

As

life.

and

his

presenting a beautiful illustration of the

ner in which the

human mind, when

have accomplished

shall

eye

rising ground of his younger days;

its

man-

revelation

work, shall no

longer regard the scene of sin and misery behind, but having completed the circle, shall

next to the present moment, on the

rest, as

golden age, the infancy of the world.

The connection of the memory with the
affections is also obvious

of ideas

since the train of thoughts suggested

ings

his

or event in

any individual, deown peculiar and prevailing feel-

by any scene
pends on

from the association

as whatever enters into the animal sys-

tem, wherever

it

may

arise,

seems

first

to

be

recognized as a part of the man, when it has

found its way to the heart, and received from
that

its

impulse.
2

It is

but a few years, (how

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

18
strange to

tell

since

!)

man

blood circulated through the

discovered that the

human

body.

We

have, perhaps, hardly learned the true nature of

that intellectual circulation, which gives

and health

human mind. The

to the

life

affections

what the heart is to the body.

send
forth
their treasures with a vigor not
They
less powerful, though not material, throughout
are to the soul,

the intellectual man, strengthening and nour-

and again receive those treasures to

ishing;

themselves, enlarged by the effect of their

own

operation.

Memory

is

the effect of learning, through

whatever avenue
It is said, the

may have entered the mind.

effect, because the man who has
it

read a volume, and can perhaps tell you nothing of its contents, but simply express his own

views on the same subject with more clearness

and precision, may as truly be said to have

remembered, as he that can repeat the very

words. In the one case, the powers of the

mind have
they are
in

the

received a

new

tone

in the other,

encumbered with a useless burden

one, they

other, they are

are

made

stronger; in the

more oppressed with weight

GROWTH OP THE MIND.

in the one, the food is absorbed

19

and becomes

a part of the man; in the other, it lies on the

stomach in a state of crude indigestion.

There

is

no power more various in

different

This

may be

individuals, than the memory.

ascribed to
of every

two

reasons.

First, this partakes

power of the mind, since every mental

exertion

a subject of memory, and

is

may

therefore be said to indicate all the difference

that

actually

exists.

Secondly, this power

varies in its character as

do with time.

and

has more or less to

Simple divine truth has nothing

to do with time.
to-day,

it

It is

forever.

the

same yesterday,

The memory

of this

is

simply the development of the mind. But we

by facts of a local and tem-

are so surrounded

poral nature

when, make

the place where, and the time

so great a part of

what is presented

to our consideration, that the attribute

is

mis-

taken for the subject; and this power sometimes appears to have exclusive reference to
time, though, strictly speaking,

There

it

has no rela-

a power of growth in the

spiritual man, and if in his progress we be able

tion to

it.

is

to mark, as in the grain of the oak, the

number

20

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

of the years, this

all

lines

ited

only a circumstance, and

is

gained would be as real if no such

existed.
The mind ought not to be lim-

that

is

by the

short period of

its

own

duration in

and end comprising

should be poised on its own

the body, with a beginning

a few years

it

immortality, and what is learned, should be

learned with a view to that real adaptation of

knowledge

to the

harmony of

we

ever

mind which

creation

exist, it

results

from the

and whenever

or wher-

will be useful to us.

The memory has, in reality, nothing to do

with time, any more than the eye has with
As

space.

the latter learns by experience to

measure the distance of

objects, so the con-

sciousness of the present existence of states of

mind,
past.

is

referred to particular periods of the

But when the

soul has entered on its

eternal state, there is reason to believe that the

past and the future will be swallowed up in

that memory and anticipation

the present;

will be lost in consciousness

that everything

of the past will be comprehended in the present,

without any reference to time, and every-

thing of the future will exist in the divine

fort of progression.

ef-

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

What

is

time

There

is

21

perhaps no question

that

would suggest such a variety of answers.

It is

represented to us from our infancy as pro-

ducing such important changes, both in destroying some, and in healing the

wounds

it

has inflicted on others, that people generally

not an actual person, it is at least a
real existence.
begin with time in the

imagine,

if

We

Primer, and end with reasoning about the

knowledge of God. What is time ? The

forediffi-

culty of answering the question, (and there are

few questions more difficult,) arises principally

from our having ascribed so many important
effects to that which has no real existence.
It
is

true that all things in the natural world are

subject to change.

may

But however

these changes

be connected in our minds with time,

it

requires but a moment's reflection to see that

time has no agency in them. They are the
effects of chemical, or

more

properly, perhaps,

of natural decompositions and reorganizations.

Time, or rather our idea of

ing produced anything,
changes.
ture,

There

is

it,

so far from hav-

itself the effect

of

are certain operations in na-

which, depending on fixed laws, are in

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

22

themselves perfectly regular;

equally

never be asked.

things were

how

the question

so,

if all

long ? might
should never speak of a

We

premature old age but everything passing on in an invariable order, all the
idea of time that would remain with respect to
late season, or of

any
of

object,

its

would be a

condition,

its

sort of instinctive sense

progress or decay.

most of the phenomena

are exceedingly irregular

But

in the natural world

;

for

though the same

combination of causes would invariably produce the same effect, the same combination
very rarely occurs.

Hence, in almost every

change, and we are conversant with nothing

but changes, we are assisted in ascertaining its

nature and extent, by referring it to something
in itself perfectly regular.
larity in the

moon.

it,

find this regu-

apparent motions of the sun and

how much our idea

It is difficult to tell

of time

ing

We

is

the effect of artificial

and what would be our

means

of keep-

feelings

on the

to the simple operations of

but they would probably be little else

subject, if left

nature

than a reference of

all

natural

phenomena

to

that on which they principally depend, the

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

relative situation of the

23

sun and earth

idea of an actual succession of

and the

moments would

be, in a measure, resolved into that of cause

and

effect.

Eternity

We

ture.

ing

is

all

to the

mind what time

attain a perception of

is

to na-

by regard-

it,

the operations in the world within us,

as they exist in relation to their

cause

first

for

in doing this, they are seen to partake some-

what

of the nature of that

We

they depend.
conception of

it,

whom

make no approaches

to a

by heaping day upon day

This

year upon year.

tion of time

Being on

is

or

merely an accumula-

and we might as well attempt to

convey an idea of mental greatness by that of

actual space, as to communicate a conception
of eternity by

years or thousands

Mind and matter

are not

more

each other than their properties

of years.

distinct
;

from

and by an

attempt to embrace all time, we are actually

farther from an approach to eternity than when

we

confine ourselves to a single instant

cause

we

amount
is

be-

merely collect the largest possible

of natural changes, whereas that which

eternal approaches that

which

is

immutable.

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

24

This resembles the attempt to ascend to heaven

by means of the tower of Babel, in which they

were removed by their pride from that which

they would have approached, precisely in proportion to their apparent progress.

It is

impos-

sible to conceive of either time or space without

The reason

matter.

matter

and as

they are the effect of

by creating matter that

is,

it is

they are produced, so

it is

that they are conceived

how

said

of.

by thinking of it
It need not be

exceedingly improper

it is

to apply

the usual ideas of time and

space to the
him
Divine Being
making
subject to that
which he creates.
;

Still

our conceptions of time, of hours, days,

or years, are

among

the most vivid

and we neither wish nor find

them

in question.

fact, that

time

We

we

possess,

easy to call
are satisfied with the
it

indicated on the face of the

is

watch, without seeking for

and machinery.

it

But what

among
is

the wheels

the idea of a

Every natural change that comes under

year
our observation leaves a corresponding impres?

sion on the

mind

and the sum of the changes

which come under a single revolution of the

GBOWTH OF THE MIND.

earth

25

round the sun, conveys the impression of

a year.

a year

Accordingly,
is

we

find that our idea of

continually changing, as the

comes conversant with

different objects,

susceptible of different impressions

days of the old man, as they

close,

mind

and

We

is

and the

draw near

seem to gather rapidity from

proach to the other world.

be-

their

their ap-

have

all

ex-

perienced the effect of pleasure and pain in

accelerating

ments

and retarding the passing mo-

and since our

changing,

we have no

feelings are constantly

reason to doubt that

they constantly produce a similar effect, though

it
may not be often noticed. The divisions of

may seem to be,

may serve the common

time, then, however real they

and however well they

purposes of conversation, cannot be supposed

same impression to any two

mind in different periods

to convey the

minds, nor to any one

of

its

Indeed, unless this were the

existence.

fact, all artificial

unnecessary.

modes of keeping

would be

is
nothing real so
minds.

Time, then,

far as it exists in our

Nor do we

it,

own

find a nearer

by any analysis of

nature.

approach to reality
Everything, as

was

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

26

change, and one change pre-

said, is subject to

pares the

by which there is
There are also motions of

for another;

way

growth and decay.

the bodies, both in nature and

their operation observe fixed

end.

The more we

things, the farther are

that answers

art,

laws

which

in

and here we

enter into an analysis of

we from

finding anything

and

to the distinctness

reality

which are usually attached to a conception of

time, and there is reason to believe that when
and

this distinctness

reality

may

rooted, (whatever

are

most deeply

be the theory,) they are

uniformly attended with a practical belief of

the actual motion of the sun, and are indeed
the effect of

it.

of time, as

we

the sun

but

Let us then continue to

talk of the rising

let

and

effect,

talk

setting of

us think rather of

in their origin

changes
a sense of time

and

those

from which

This will carry

produced.
us one degree nearer the actual condition of
things

it

will

is

admit us one step further into

no longer a temple

the temple of creation

created six thousand years ago, and deserted

by him who formed it; but a temple with the

hand of the builder resting upon it, perpetually

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

we bow
Him who

and as

renewing, perpetually creating

ourselves to worship the " I

27

AM,"

"

who

created heaven and

the things that are therein,

and the earth and

liveth forever

and

ever,

the things that are therein, and the sea and the
things that are therein,"

we may

hear in accents

of divine love the voice that proclaims " that

there shall be time no longer."
It is

not the living productions of nature, by

which the strongest impression of time is produced.

The oak, over which may have passed
a hundred years, seems to drive from our minds
the impression of time, by the

which

it

supports

tendency to
cayed, though

of an hour

ened by

it

it is

still

its

own
It

decay.

into dust

its

life,

same power by
and resists every

that which

is

is

de-

have been the offspring

may

the ruined castle mouldering

if

more,

the contrast be strength-

being covered with the living pro-

ductions of nature

it

is

the half

consumed

remains of some animal once strong and vigorous, the discoveries of the undertaker, or the
filthy relics

of the

catacomb, by which the

strongest impression of time

it is

is

conveyed.

with the possessions of the mind.

So
It is

GROWTH OP THE MIND.

28
that which

not used, which seems farthest

is

memory, and which is held by the most

doubtful tenure; that which is suffered to
in the

waste and decay because it wants the life of

our own affections that which we are about
;

to lose, because

us

it

whereas that

does not properly belong to

truth,

which

is

applied to the

use and service of mankind, acquires a higher

polish the more it is thus employed, like the

who forever approximate to

a state of perfect youth, beauty, and innocence.
It is not a useless task, then, to remove from
angels of heaven,

our minds the usual ideas of time, and

vate a

mind

memory

of things.

It is to

culti-

leave the

and active posattainments, and exercise of

is to remove from it, that only

in the healthy, vigorous,

session of

all its

all its powers

it
which contains the seeds of decay and putrefaction
to separate the living from the dead
;

the veil by which it would

avoid the direct presence of Jehovah, and pre-

to take from

serve its

own

Truth,

all

from

its

ble,

it

possessions without using them.

truth

be otherwise.

is

practical.

It is

nature and origin, that

Whether

its effect

impossiit

should

be directly

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

29

change the conduct, or it simply leave an

impression on the heart, it is in the strictest
to

sense practical.

use \vhat

to

we

If

possible

we

tinct

we

learn, than

remember

to

it, we shall remember it

we wish merely to remember, it
we may never use it. It is the

all

truth to

some

effect

look at this object,

it

object.

form a

will

and permanent image on the mind

look merely at the truth,

away,

it.

if

tendency of
If

should rather be our desire

desire to use

of course
is

It

we

like rays

Keeping

in

of light falling into vacancy.

mind

us, as not merely active in

of truth, but active in

is

if

vanish

view what has been said on the

subject of time, then, the

memory

will

it

dis-

the

fire

its

presented to

is

the acquirement

The

possession.

of the vestal virgins, send-

ing forth perpetual light

not the grave which

preserves

simply because annihilation

possible.

The

reservoir of

is

be seated in the affections, sending forth

influence throughout the mind,

ing in word and deed,

im-

knowledge should

if I

may

the

expression, merely because

and

outlets are situated

its

and terminatbe allowed

its

channels

below the watermark.

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

30

There prevails a most erroneous sentiment,

mind

that the

only to be

is

believe, that

and there
is

opinion
false

is

reason to

most intimately

conceptions

of

time.

is

originally a most delicate germ,

husk

body planted in this

and heat of heaven may
with a gentle radiance, and call

The mind
whose

up

this

connected with

and requires

originally vacant,

filled

is

the

world, that the light

fall

is

it

upon

forth

its

energies.

The

of learning

process

not by synthesis or analysis.

perfect illustration of both.

most
jects

are

It

the

is

As

sub-

presented to the operation of the

mind, they are decomposed and reorganized

in a manner peculiar to itself, and not easily
explained.

Another

object of

the preceding remarks

upon time is, that we may be impressed

with the immediate presence and agency of
God, without which a correct understanding
of

mind

that
er

matter can never be

or

we may

of the

matter,

the

attained

be able to read on every pow-

mind, and on
of

every

our

language
Father worketh hitherto, and

particle
"

of

Lord,

My

work."

We

GROWTH OP THE MIND.

31

usually put the Divine Being to an immense

distance, by supposing that the world was
created

many

tain laws,

by which

We

erned.

and subject

years ago,
it

ourselves

find

structing machines,

to cer-

since been

has

gov-

capable of con-

which move on without

our assistance, and imagine that the

world

same way.

We

was constructed

the

in

forget that the motions of our machines de-

pend on the uniform operation of what we

and that there can
call the laws of nature
;

be nothing beyond, on which these depend,

unless it be the agency of that Being from

whom
clock

they

exist.

continues to

The pendulum of the

move from the uniform
no explanaa law of our machi-

operation of gravitation.
tion, to

say that

nery that the

it is

It

is

We

pendulum should move.

simply place things in a situation to be

acted upon by an all-pervading power
but
;

what

all-pervading power
by which
is
itself
gravitation
produced, unless it be
there

is

power of God ?
The tendency of bodies

the

something with which

to the

from

our

earth,

is

childhood

32

GROWTH Or THE MIND.

we have been so
we have regarded
in

familiar

a certain sense,

is

it

motions with which

we

something which

much

so

as a cause, since,

the cause of

all

the

are acquainted; that

not agreeable to our habits of thinking,

to look at it as an effect.
Even the moit is

tions of the heavenly bodies

ly

accounted

seem complete-

by simply extending

for,

phenomena, the feelings with which

to these

we have

been accustomed to regard the tendency of

bodies

to

the

earth

the

if

whereas,

two

things were communicated at the same period of life, they would appear equally won-

An

derful.

when

it

is

event appears to be explained,

brought within the pale of those

youthful feelings and associations, which in

their

There

things.
child,

do not ask the

simplicity

from

his

is

reason of

formed in the mind of the

most familiar

observations,

however imperfect they may be, as it were

a little nucleus, which serves as the basis
of his future progress.
prises a

large

This

proportion

of

usually comthose

natural

appearances, which the philosopher in later

periods of

life

finds

it

most

difficult to

ex-

GROWTH OP THE MIND.

The

plain.

child

grows up in his father's

and arranges the most fa-

house and collects

and events.

miliar operations

still

a feeling with which won-

never associated.

This
is

home

at
is

may communicate, and

science

tory or

der

Into this col-

he afterwards receives whatever his-

lection

feels

33

is

not altogether as

should be.

it

It

mature mind to ask the

natural for the

cause of things.

It

unsatisfied

is

when

it

does not find one, and can hardly exclude

the thought

things exist.
the

whom

of that Being, from

When

therefore

we

all

have gone

of

circle

beyond
youthful knowledge,
and found a phenomenon in nature, which
in

its

insulated

of

miration

quench

this

something of

nomena

state

God

let

this

us beware

holy

youthful treasures.
3

transfer

to

which have not

class,

boundaries of

reference

ad-

how we

minds beyond the

As

of their actual existence.

the

admiration to those phe-

same

hitherto directed our

tends the

us with

Let us rather

feeling.

of the

fills

That

the rnind ex-

its

God

knowledge,
descend into

light

fact

which

let
its

in the

GROAVTH OF THE MIND.

34
distance
as

it

seemed

on our

falls

seem

to

be a miraculous

own

divine, but will

native

hills

blaze,

may

not surprise us

still

and

a sense of the constant presence of God will

be happily blended with the most perfect
freedom.
Till the

time of Newton, the motion of the

heavenly bodies

was indeed a

was an event which stood

miracle.

It

and was

alone,

probably regarded with peculiar reference to

The feeling of worship
the Divine Being.
with which they had previously been regarded,

had subsided into a feeling of wonder till at

length they were received into the family of
;

our most familiar associations.

step further.

ever

it

may

It is

There

one

is

to regard gravitation, wher-

be found, as an

effect of the

con-

stant agency of the Divine Being, and from a

consciousness of his presence and cooperation

in every step

we

take, literally

" to

walk hum-

It is agreeable to the
bly with our God."
laws of moral and intellectual progression, that
all

phenomena, whether of matter or mind,

should become
length

all

gradually classified

till

at

things, wherever they are found;

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

all

events, whether of history or experience,

mind

of

85

or matter; shall at once conspire to

form one stupendous miracle, and cease to

They will form a miracle in that

be such.

seen to depend constantly and

on
the power of the Lord and they
equally
will cease to be a miracle in that the power
are

they

which pervades them, is so constant, so uniform, and so mild in its operation, that it produces nothing of fear, nothing of surprise.
From whatever point we contemplate the
scene, we feel that we are still in our Father's

roof,

go where we will, the paternal

the broad canopy of heaven, is extended

house

over us.
It is

agreeable to our nature, that the

mind

should be particularly determined to one obThe eye appears to be the point at

ject.

which the united rays of the sun within and

the sun without, converge to an expression of

unity and accordingly the understanding can

be conscious of but one idea or image at a
;

time.

kind

Still there

of

is

another and a different

consciousness

mind, which

is

which

pervades

the

coextensive with everything

it

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

36

but one object

in nature on which the eye looks directly, but

There

actually possesses.

the whole body

is

pervaded with nerves which

is

convey perpetual information of the existence

and condition of every part. So it is with
the possessions of the

mind

and when an

object ceases to be the subject of this kind

of consciousness,

The memory,

it

ceases to be remembered.

therefore, as

was

said, is not

It is rather
dormant, but an active power.
the possession than the retention of truth.
It

a consciousness of the will

is

ness of character

a conscious-

a consciousness which

produced by the mind's preserving in

whatever

it

actually

power which
truth,

ject

of

without actually making

of thought
bearing a
;

thought,
the

possesses.

mind has

the

analogous

actual

language.

to

perception

It

what
of

the

effort,

the

is

preserving

it

the

sub-

relation

to

bears

to

this

senses,

Thus we remember a

is

or to

distant ob-

without actually thinking of it, in the

same way that we think of it, without actuject

ally seeing

it.

The memory

is

not limited, because to the

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

37

viewed simply as such, number is

not applicable.
They become distinct and
affections,

are classified,

when connected with

from being developed, are

applied

truths, or,

to

their

proper objects.

Love may be

increased, but

not multiplied.

A man may

feel intensely,

and the quantity and quality of

may

affect the

his feeling

character of his thought, but

its

The most ardent

still

it

preserves

love

is

not attended with more than one idea,

unity.

but on the contrary has a tendency to confine

the mind to a single object.
Every one must

have remarked, that a peculiar state of feeling

belongs to every exercise of the understanding

unless

somewhat of

this feeling

remained

after the thought had passed away, there

would be nothing whereby the latter could
be recalled.
The impression thus left, exists

continually in the

mind; though, as

different

engage the attention, it may become

These impressions go to comprise
character of an individual
especially

objects

less vivid.

the

when they have acquired a reality and

edness,

in

consequence

of

the

feelings

which they originated, having resulted

fix-

in

in the

GROWTH OF TEE MIND.

38

actions to which they tend.

every subject about which

and the

enter into

They

we

are

thinking,

particular modification they receive

from that subject gives them the appearance

of individuality
while they leave on the
;

subject

which they
When a

image of that character

the

itself,

constitute.

man

has become acquainted with

any science, that state of the affections which

properly belongs to this science, (whatever di-

mind may take

rection his

maintains a certain influence; and this

ence

is

the creative

power by which

edge on the subject

are to

pressions

is

reproduced.

the mind,

still

afterwards,)

his

influ-

knowl-

Such im-

what logarithms

numbers; preserving our knowledge in

fulness indeed, but before it has expanded

are in
its

into

an

infinite variety of thoughts.

remarks,
ideas,

"

it is

We

will

said,

and they

of our volition
idea

is

Brown

the existence of certain

arise in

consequence

though assuredly to will any

to know that we will, and therefore
;

be conscious of that very idea, which

surely need not desire to know, when we
to

ready

know

it

so well as to will

its

we
al-

actual

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

The author does not

existence."

39
discriminate

between looking at an object and thence desiring it, and simply that condition of feeling be-

tween which and certain thoughts there is an

established relation, so that the former cannot
exist to

any considerable degree without pro-

ducing the latter. Of this exertion of the will,

every one must have been conscious in his
efforts of recollection.
will,

Of

this exertion of the

must be conscious, when,

the priest

(if

he be sincere,) by the simple prostration of

his heart before his Maker, his mind is crowd-

ed with the thoughts and language of prayer.

Of this exertion of the will, the poet must be
conscious,
the

when he makes
of

reception

nature,

breathing with his

it is

own

bare his

bosom

for

and presents her

and soul.
But

life

needless to illustrate that of which every

one must be sensible.

It

follows from these views of the subject,

that the true

way

to store the

develop the affections.

memory is to
The mind must grow,

not from external accretion, but from an internal principle.

ers in aid of its

Much may be done by

development; but in

all

oth-

that

GROWTH OP THE MIND.

40

done

is

from

it

should not be forgotten that, even

its earliest

it

infancy,

possesses a charac-

and a principle of freedom, which should

be respected, and cannot be destroyed.
Its
ter

be discerned, and

may

peculiar propensities

proper nutriment and culture supplied

but

the infant plant, not less than the aged tree,

must be permitted, with

absorption,

its

to separate that

liarly adapted to itself;

cast off as a

own

organs of

which

otherwise

is

foreign substance, or

pecu-

will be

it

produce

nothing but rottenness and deformity.

The

science of the

effect of its

mind

be the

itself will

own development.

This

is

merely

an attendant consciousness, which the mind

own powers;

possesses, of the growth of its

and

therefore,

made a

it

would seem, need not be

Thus the

distinct object of study.

power of reason may be imperceptibly

oped by
ences.

devel-

the study of the demonstrative

As

it is

conscious of
is

its

He

enough.
on the subject.

what more

is

sci-

developed, the pupil becomes

existence

and

its use.

This

can in fact learn nothing more

If he learns to use his reason,

desired

Surely

it

were

useless,

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

and worse than

41

useless, to shut

the senses, and live in

up the door of
indolent and laborious

contemplation of one's

own powers

anything

learned

is

truly,

when,

if

must be what

it

these powers are, and therefore that they ought

not to be thus employed.

we

possess will find their

around

us, and, as

mate the whole

ble world.

it

The

best affections

home

in the objects

were, enter into

rational, animal,

If the

and

ani-

and vegeta-

eye were turned inward

to

a direct contemplation of these affections,

would
for

find

them

when they

are active,

not of them

it is

are thinking, but of the objects

rest.

The

we

on which they

science of the mind, then, will be

the effect of
child

it

bereft of all their loveliness

grow up

all

the other sciences.

in active usefulness,

Can

the

and not be

conscious of the possession and use of his own

limbs ? The body and the mind should grow

and form the sound and perfect man,

whose understanding may be almost measured
The mind will see itself in
by his stature.
together,

what

it

loves

own works

and

is

able to accomplish.

will be its mirror

and when

present in the natural world, feeling the

Its
it is

same

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

42
spirit
it is

it

which gives

to every object

life

surrounded, in

its

by which

very union with nature

will catch a glimpse of itself, like that of

pristine

own

beauty united with innocence, at her

native fountain.

What

then

nature of the

is

that development which the

human mind

that education

requires

which has heaven

and such a heaven as

What

is

for its object,

will be the effect of the

man ?
in common which

orderly growth of the spiritual

As

all

minds possess that

makes them human, they require to a certain

extent the same general development, by which
will be brought to view the same powers, however distinct and varied they

may

be found in

and as every mind possesses something peculiar, to which it owes its

character and its effect, it requires a particular
different individuals;

development by which may be produced a full,

sincere, and humble expression of its natural

and the most vigorous and efficient

These make
exertion of its natural powers.
features,

one, so far as regards the individual.

Those sciences which

exist

embodied

in the

natural world, appear to have been designed to

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

occupy the

first

43

place in the development of

all

minds, or in that which might be called the

general development of the mind. These comprise the

laws of the animal, vegetable, and

mineral kingdoms.
as

The human mind, being

were planted in nature by

it

Father,

was designed

and detect knowledge,

growth and nutrition.

to

its

heavenly

enter into

matter,

own

purposes of
This gives us a true

for its

idea of memory, or rather of what

memory

We

no longer think of a truth as

being laid up in a mind for which it has no
affinity, and by which it is perhaps never to be
should be.

used

but the latent affections, as they expand

under proper culture, absolutely require the

truth to receive them,

very nutriment

and

it affords.

its first

It is

use

is

not more

cult for the tree to return to the seed

which

it

sprung, than for the

learned thus, to cease to

the

diffi-

from

man who

has

The

nat-

remember.

ural sciences are the basis of all useful knowl-

edge, alike important to

place, or

condition he

man
is

in

whatever time,

found.

They

are

coeval with our race, and must continue so

long as the sun, moon, and stars endure.

Be-

GROWTH OP THE MIND.

44
fore there

were

facts for the

record, or vices for the

pen of history to

arm of law

to restrain,

or nations for the exhibition of institutions for

the government of themselves and intercourse

with each other, at the very creation, these

were pronounced good in the general benedicand when history shall have finished her

tion

and woe, and law

tale of sin

shall

ished her millions of offenders, and

have pun-

civil

society

have assumed every possible form, they

will remain the same as when presented in
shall

living

characters

human

to the

first

parents of the

race.

Natural philosophy seems almost essential

to

an enlightened independence of thought and

A man may lean

action.

upon

others,

and be

by an equal pressure in all

directions, as to be apparently dependent on
no one but his independence is apt to degenso well supported

erate into obstinacy, or betray itself in

ness, unless his

mind

is

A knowledge

ing

basis.

his

manners

fixed

on

this

weak-

unchang-

of the world

may give
currency to his sentiments, and plausibility to
edge of

the

but

it is

more frequently a knowl-

world that gives light to the path,

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

and

stability to the purposes.

may

what

learn

coin

is

what possesses intrinsic

world was precisely and

By

current,

value.

45
the one he

by the other
The natural

perfectly adapted to
and
invigorate
strengthen the intellectual and
moral man. Its first and highest use was not
to support the vegetables

which adorn, or the

animals which cover,

surface

its

nor yet to

human body
it has a
and
of
in
the
attainment
holier
higher
object,
which these are only means. It was intended
give sustenance to the

to

draw

and mature the latent energies

to impart to them its own verdure

forth

of the soul

and freshness; to initiate them into its own

and by its silent and humble demysteries
;

pendence on

when

it is

its

Creator, to leave on them,

withdrawn by death, the

full

im-

pression of his likeness.

It

was

infant

the design of Providence, that the

mind should possess

science.

If

be learned.

it

were not

The

care of

so,

the

germ of every

they could hardly

God

provides for the

flower of the field a place wherein

regale with

beauty.

Is

its

it

may

grow,

fragrance, and delight with

his

its

providence less active over

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

46

whom

those to

The

No.

soil

this flower offers its incense?

which produces the vine

most healthy luxuriance

is

to the end, than the world

not better adapted

we

inhabit to draw

forth the latent energies of the soul,

them with

and

life

vigor.

in its

As

and

fill

well might the

eye see without light, or the ear hear without

human mind be

sound, as the
letic

healthy and ath-

without descending into the natural world

and breathing the mountain air. Is there aught

in eloquence, which warms the heart ?
She
draws her
aught
There

fire

from natural imagery.

in poetry, to enliven the

is

the secret of

all

Is there

imagination?

her power.

Is there

aught in science to add strength and dignity to

human mind ? The natural world is only

the

the body, of which she

science
it

is

is

the soul.

were in a dried and preserved

time

In books,

presented to the eye of the pupil, as

may come when

state

the

the instructor will take

him by the hand, and lead him by the running

streams, and teach him all the principles of
science as she

would smell
gathering

it.

comes from her Maker, as he

the fragrance of the rose without

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

47

This love of nature, this adaptation of

man

place assigned him by his heavenly

Father, this fulness of the mind as it descends
into the works of God, is something which has
to the

been

felt

degree
It is

by every one, though to an imperfect

and therefore needs no explanation.

the part of science, that this be no longer

a blind affection

but that the mind be opened

to a just perception of
loves.

The

affection

what

it

is

which the lover

which

it

first feels

may be attended only by a

general sense of her external beauty; but his
mind gradually opens to a perception of the
for his future wife,

peculiar features of the soul, of

ternal appearance
with nature. Do

the

moon, the

is

we

stars,

fection contains in

which the ex-

only an image.
love to gaze

So

it is

on the sun,

and the planets ? This afbosom the whole science

its

of astronomy, as the seed contains the future

tree.

It is

the office of the instructor to give

an existence and a name, by making known

the laws which govern the motions of the heavit

enly bodies, the relation of these bodies to each

other,

and

their uses.

Have we

felt

delight in

beholding the animal creation, in watching

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

48

pastimes and their labors

their

It is the office

of the instructor to give birth to this affection,

by teaching the

different classes of

animals,

with their peculiar characteristics, which inhabit the earth, air, and sea.
Have we known
the inexpressible

pleasure of beholding the

beauties of the vegetable world ? This affection can only

Thus

it is

may become
mind

the
its

own

it is

in the science of botany.

expand

that the love of nature in the mass,

the love of

will

all

the sciences,

grow and bring

inherent power of development.

that

memory

and

forth fruit from

Thus

growth and exand what is thus, as it

refers to the

pansion of the mind

were, incorporated into its substance, can be

forgotten only

by a change

in the direction of

the affections, or the course of conduct of the

individual analogous to that in his physical

man, by which
exchanged

his very flesh

for those of

and bones are

a different texture

nor

does he then entirely cease to remember, inasmuch as he preserves a sense of his own
identity.
It is in this

way

the continual endeavor of

Providence, that the natural sciences should

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

49

be the spontaneous production of the human

To these should certainly be added,
mind.
poetry and music

works of God as

when we study
should, we cannot

for

we

regard that inherent beauty and

which these

mind

in the

glow of

its first
it

harmony

delight, like the

offered to the

is

in

These occasion

arts originate.

taste of food, as

the
dis-

mouth

and the pleasure they afford, is a pledge of the

strength and manhood afterwards imparted by
the sciences.

By
truth

poetry

is

meant

all

by natural imagery, which spring from

the fact, that this world

who made

and

this art will

is

the mirror of

Him

Strictly speaking, nothing has

it.

do with

less to

will come,

mere

those illustrations of

than poetry.

fiction
it

may

The day
when

not be far distant,

have another

test of merit

than

versification, or the invention of strange

stories

when

the laws by which poetry

tested will be as fixed

laws of science

when

is

and immutable as the

a change will be intro-

duced into taste corresponding to that which

Bacon introduced into philosophy, by which
both will be confined within the limits of
4

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

50

things as they actually exist.

would be cramped that

of invention would be destroyed

that genius
ers

would seem

It

human mind,

fining the

the

as

it

powby con-

were, at home,

within the bounds which nature has assigned.

But what wider scope need it have ? It reaches
the throne of

God

All things spiritual

There
truth

much

as

is

presented in

it

rests

on

and natural
that

is

his footstool.

are before

true as false;

natural imagery,

dressed in the garments which

God

it.

and

is

only
has given

it.

The imagination was permitted

to involve the world

in darkness,

theory in the place of fact;

greatest

man

till

for ages

by putting

at length the

revealed the simplest truth, that

our researches must be governed by actual

God

observation.

is

the source of

all truth.

Creation (and what truth does not result from

creation

is

and Wisdom.

the effect of the Divine

Simply

to will

and

Love

to think,

with the Divine Being, result in creating in

actually producing those realities, which form
;

the

groundwork of the thoughts and affections

But for the philosopher to desire a

of man.

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

and to think that

thing,

it

51

produced

existed,

nothing but his own theory. Hence it was

necessary that he should bring his mind into
coincidence with things as they exist,
other words, with the truth.
Fiction in poetry must
science, for they

with theory in
depend equally on the works

The word

of creation.

fall

however,

fiction,

not intended to be used in

sense

or, in

most

its

but to embrace whatever

is

literal

not in

is

exact agreement with the creative spirit of

God.
this

belongs to the true poet to

It

and to be governed by it to be
to live and breathe

spirit,

raised above the senses

in the

inward

efforts

of things

to feel

power of creation, even before he

effect;

feel

the

sees the

and smiles

to witness the innocence

not by extending the

back
to
chaos, but by raising
imagination
of nature's

infancy,

the soul to nature's origin.

spirit,

so

far

from

strongest bulwark
soul

the
is

even

the

misleading

Without

heartless

presence

true poetic

any,

it,

study,

is

It

against deception.

of science.

cheerless,

The

the

the
is

latter

distrusting

and power of

Him

to

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

52

whom

it

owes

poetry which

its

exists, that

age

God which

Could the

and antipathies
tions

presents

left

is

when

future,

false

have

may

shall

shall

now

protected,
off.

have dwindled

mass of

useless

from them, and

have ceased to allure with

this

weight of extraneous

throw

fallen

we might

beauty
the rudiments of
;

partialities

have passed away, and

to rest on their own founda-

into insignificance, from the

matter that

all

shall

when good works

bad ones

im-

the

stamped on nature.
poetry which now prevails be

viewed from the

things are

the

all

only possesses the

seal of immortality, which

of

Of

existence.

catch a glimpse of

divine

art,

amid the

matter by which

and which

it

The imagination

is

will

it

is

destined to

be refined

into a chaste

and sober view of unveiled na-

It will

be confined within the bounds

ture.

no longer lead the way

to insanity and madness, by transcending the
works of creation, and, as it were, wanderof

reality.

ing where

It will

God

has no power to protect

it

but finding a resting-place in every created

object, it will enter into it and explore its

GROWTH
hidden

.OF

the

treasures,

THE MIND.
relation

53

which

in

stands to mind, and reveal the love

to

its

The

it

bears

it

Creator.
state of poetry has

always indicated

The gods

the state of science and religion.

are hardly missed more,

when removed from

than they are

when taken from their poetry or than theory is, when taken from their philosophy.
the

temples of

the

ancients,

Fiction ceases to be pleasing

to

gain

in itself,

credence

when

ceases

it

and what they admired

commands much

of

its

admiration

now, as a relic of antiquity. The painting

which in a darkened room only impressed
us with the reality, as the sun rises upon
it

discovers the

marks of the pencil

and

mind can never again

that shade of the

re-

turn, which gave to ancient poetry its vivOf this we may be

idness and its power.

by only considering how entirely

powerless it would be, if poetry in all respects similar, were produced at the present
A man's religious sentiments, and his
day.
sensible,

knowledge

of the

interwoven with

sciences,

all

his

are

so

associations

entirely
;

they

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

54

shed such light throughout every region of

the mind, that nothing can please which is

and though the

opposed to them
forms which poetry may offer may sometimes
directly

be presented where
into

they

obscurity,

sky and the

and

this

to sink

light begins

should

serve, like

clouds, as a relief to

the

the eye,

some unnatural body protrud-

not, like

ing on the horizon, disturb the

quiet they

When

there shall

are intended to

produce.

be a religion which shall see God in everything,

and

at all times;

and the natural

not less than nature

ences,

regarded in

connection with

sci-

be

itself,

shall

Him

the

fire

its

im-

of poetry will begin to be kindled in

mortal part, and will burn without consum-

The

ing.

inspiration

so

often

feigned, will

real, and the mind of the poet will

the spark which passes from God to

become
feel

nature.

The

veil

will

be withdrawn, and

beauty and innocence displayed to the eye ;

for which the lasciviousness of the imagination and the wantonness of desire may seek
in vain.

There

is

a language not of words, but of

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

When

things.

made

this

apparent,

have answered

its

end

which
;

have been

shall

language

that

55

is

human

and being as

will

were

it

resolved into its original elements, will lose

The use of language

nature.

in

itself

the expression of our feelings

and

the manifestation of the mind.

thing which
ble,

is

which
If

we

whether animal or vegeta-

designed, as of

it is

did but understand

we

because
it

drown

But every-

of the expression of that use for

full

our words add to

could

find

fs,

is

desires

are

its

its

existence.

meaning

unwilling to

necessary to say so

own

language, what

its

It is

we
and we

hear, that

much

the voice of nature with

the

discor-

dant jargon of ten thousand dialects. Let a

man's language be confined to the expression

of that which

own mind

and

blade which
for itself.

let

actually

belongs to

him respect the smallest

grows, and permit

Then may

to

speak

there be poetry,

which

it

not be written perhap?, but which

be felt as a part of our being.

may

his

may

Everything which surrounds us is full of

the utterance of one word, completely ex-

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

56
of

pressive

name
see

it,

name

is

to

its

all

creating

every work of

word

This

nature.

God, even

for

now,
things,
his

is

we

could

its

but

and giving a

love, in its

per-

adaptation to that for which it is deBut man has abused his power, and
signed.
fect

has become insensible to the real character

of the

brute creation

still

more

so to that

of inanimate nature, because, in his

ness, he is

very.

disposed to reduce them to

Therefore

animal world

he

either

is

in

deaf.

We

state

wildness, or enslaved submission.

ble, that, as

may

the character of

attain a

man

sla-

find the

of

savage

It is possiis

changed,

condition equally

midway
removed from both.
As the mind
they

selfish-

of

man

acknowledges
dependence on the Divine
Mind, brutes may add to their instinct submission to human reason
preserving an units

broken chain from our Father in heaven, to

the most inanimate parts of creation.
Such
be supposed to have been the condition
of the animal on which the King of Zion
rode into Jerusalem
at once free and sub-

may

ject to the will of the rider.

Everything will

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

seem

be conscious of

to

its

use

57

and man

become conscious of the use of every-

will

thing.

By music

is

that

which

rational world, whether in

the

exists in

meant not merely

song of angels or

men

the

not merely the sing-

and the lowing of

of birds

cattle, by
which the animal world express their affecbut that harmony
tions and their wants

ing

which pervades also all orders of creation

the music of the harp of universal nature,

which

is

touched by the rays of the sun, and

whose song
the seasons.

is

the morning, the evening and

Music

is

the voice of God, and

poetry his language, both in his

The one

works.

is

to the eye.

to

the

ear,

Word and
what the

Every child of nature

There was a time,

other

is

must

feel their influence.

when

the

human mind was

in

more

perfect

harmony with the Divine Mind, than the

lower orders of creation and the tale of the
;

harp

of

Orpheus, to

vegetables,

which the

and the rocks

brutes, the

listened, is not al-

but when the

together unfounded in reality
selfish
and worldly passions usurped the
;

GKOWTH OF THE MIND.

58

God and our neighbor,

man began to be mute in its

place of love to our

mind

the

of

The

praise.

listen to

reversed.

we do

well to

and

almost

them.

There

most

is

inseparable

intimate

between poetry and

connection

This

music.

was

order

original

stones cry out, and

The very

is

indicated

are

by the

fact

united.

that

is

Nothing
sung
always
which has not some pretensions to poetry
and nothing has any pretensions to poetry
they

which there

in

ear

good

rhythm

is

fection

of

not something of

is

is

essential

essential

poetry,

to

rhythm

to verse.

that

it

It is

for the

prepares the affections

the

presented

that

between the heart of

two

that

it

before

light through

communi-

understanding, by forming

cation

and

the per-

object

sends

it

addresses

senses at once, the ear and the eye

it is

music.

man and

the

works of God.

The

character of music

must have always

harmonized with that of poetry.

tial to

the former that

ment with our

it

feelings

It is

essen-

should be in agreefor it is

from

this

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

circumstance that

music which

it

derives its power.

So various

Mind, alone deserves the name.

is

found

it

the

in

That

unison with the Divine

in

is

59

conditions

different

of

man, that it is hardly recognized as the

same thing.
There is music in the warsong of the savage, and in the sound for
Alas
how unlike that music, which

battle.

proclaimed peace on earth and good will

towards men. Poetry and music, like virtu-

ous females in disguise, have

race

into

the

followed our

darkest scenes

to

which the

We

find them in
brought them.
the haunts of dissipation and vice
in the

has

fall

revelry and

lewdness.

song

of

them

again, kindling the

the altar of

more

God

perfect

as

and

fire

find

We

meet

of devotion at

them more and

we approach

their

divine

origin.

There
music,

and

as

prevail,

diverse

religious.

at

as

present,
their

The one

is

two kinds

origins

of

profane

the result of the

unrestrained expression of natural feelthe other, of a kind which indicates

ings

free,

that these feelings are placed under restraint.

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

60

In the one, there

suality

is

often something of sen-

There

in the other, of sadness.

is

a point in moral and religious improvement,

which the sensual will be subdued, and

in

the sorrowful disappear

When

the other.

God

shall

which

combine

will

one with the sanctity of

the pleasure of the

a sense of the presence of

be coextensive with the thoughts of

the mind,

and

religion shall consecrate every

word and action of our

lives,

the song of

Zion will be no longer sung in a strange

The Divine Love, the soul and es-

land.

sence

of

music, will

descend,

not

in

the

thunders of Sinai, but will seem to acquire

volume, as
itself,

heart.

it

tunes the heart in unison with

and ihe tongue

The changes

music, which

may

ual

be the
of

unison

in

in the

with the

character of our

effect of the grad-

the world,

are hardly
regeneration
within the reach of conjecture.
Enough has been said to illustrate generally the influence of the natural

world in the

The

actual con-

development of the mind.

dition

of

society

operates

to

produce

sarns effect, with hardly less power.

the

In this

GROTVTH OF THE MIND.

are comprised the religious

of

tions

own

one's

character

in

and

country

which

they

61
civil institu-

that

originate

peculiar
;

and

knowledge of the past, as, by disclosing the

origin and progress of things, it throws light

As the
on the prospect actually before us.
world
connected
with
the
natural
philosophy
is

that in which

by which

mind may take

the

root,

an

independence
may possess
worthy a being whose eternal destiny is in
so the moral and civil instihis own hands
it

tutions, the actual condition of society, is the

atmosphere which surrounds and protects it;

in which it sends forth its branches and bears
fruit.

The

part of

spiritual

man

substance as the material; and

of acting

spirit,

its

first

the

warmth of

love,

as capable

is

impetus

it,

It

it

those

and

even before

of thought.

as matter

mind

advice, that the

shadow

really

upon matnot from words of instruction and

upon

It is

ter.

as

is

is
it

is

is

of the infant derives

gathers

strength

from

which

over-

affections

nourished by a mother's
has attained the power
the natural

tendency of

62

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

things, that

an individual should be brought

which the external con-

into a situation, in
dition of the place,

which he

in

is,

and the

are

circle of

society

particularly adapted

to

bring forth to view his hereditary character.

The actual condition of the human mind is,
as

it

were, the solid substance, in which the

laws of moral and

political

quality)

ences

intellectual philosophy

be

(whatever may
embodied, as the natural

economy
exist

do in the material world.

edge of those laws, such as they

natural

and
their
sci-

knowl-

exist, is the

consequence of the development of

the affections

by which a

child

is

connected

with those that surround him.

The connection
ful

or

universal

minds, whatever

of

may

not unconnected with

ly,

not

mind

than

is

not less power-

that of

matter.

All

be their condition, are

God

unconnected with

and, consequent-

each

other.

All

nations, under whatever system of government, and in whatever state of civilization,

Providence surely, but

almost imperceptibly, advancing to a moral
and political order, such as the world has
are under the Divine

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

not yet seen.

suffered

by the same
the same destiny.

are guided

They

hand, and with a view to

Much remains

63

be done, and more to be

but the end is certain. The humto

may, nay, must aid in the

accomplishment of this consummation. It is
individual

blest

not for time or space to set limits to the

effects of the life of a single man.
Let then
the child bs so initiated into a knowledge of

the
first

condition of mankind, that the love

indulged

in

circle of

the

family shall gradually subside

and sober love of

his

into

country

a chaste

and of

at

father's

his

his

country, not as opposed to other countries,

but as aiding them in the same great object.

Let the young mind be warmed and cherished by whatever is chaste and generous in
the

mind of

the public

and be borne on to

a knowledge of our institutions, by the rich

current of the disposition to preserve them.

Thus

it is,

that

the

child

is

no

sooner

brought into this world, than the actual condition,

both of the world

ety, acts powerfully to

gies of his mind.

If

itself

draw

and of

forth

mankind had

soci-

the enerretained

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

64
order

that

in
in

influence,

would have

which they were

created, this

cooperation with

the

been

sufficient,

signed to have been, for

God.

as
the

all

and the purest

which approach

seem

as if the

certain

as

witnessed
natural

same

mind

origin,

would

it

any process of growth which

the

among

of this

but in none

of

productions

But man

world.

operation

results,

of

purposes of

would be almost as

effect

fallen

is

influence, in

conditions of society,

for

de-

affections of the heart,

nearer the

still

acting together on the infant

him

Divine,

was

Nature, the very image of divine love-

liness

the

it

is

the

and

different

produce different

may

is sufficient

to capacitate

and happiness

for that life of usefulness

The influence
which he was designed.
be
cannot
sufficient, since this
society

cannot raise a

man

above

the society of earth

of heaven.

ward

all

savage,

This

vigor to the

direct

own

its

level

and

no longer the society

influence

the warlike

and

is

may

bring

energies of the

them

in

their

for

young
utmost

destruction of his enemies, and

of the beasts of the forest;

and he may look

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

omvard with rapture

65

the

to

happy huntingWhat disapbeyond the grave.

awaits
him
in
the
other
pointment
world, all

grounds
us

of

may

may
bring

This

influence

gratify the

unchaste

easily imagine.

and

forth

and beastly passions of the Turk and he

may look forward, with his Koran in his
;

heaven of sensuality and crime.

need not be said how widely different will

hand, to a
It

be

found

the

reality.

Christians

generally

standing in expectation of a happiness

as boundless in extent, as it is undefined in
are

its

nature

passions,

have

in

and with an

whose

experienced

heaven

gratification
delight,

are

variety of

alone they

expecting

result

must of

necessity, be as various

as the condition of the individuals by

it is

which simple useless enjoyment

like a flood and immerse the mind.

in

will rise

The

infinite

anticipated.

whom

Still there is a church yet

coming, unseen, though not unseeing,

shrouded from the rest of the world by the

in its

very brilliancy of
resist the

its

own

impulse of every

light,

which would

evil affection,

and

look for heaven simply in the delight of that

5

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

66

and holy which, by

which renders duty undelightwould draw nigh to the only Source of

which

is

chaste, pure,

removing that
ful,

enjoyment; which would find

real

ness and

God

its

in the very

which have been the

which the
it

is

its

happi-

commandments

terror of the

world; to

no longer doubtful, since

the cause, and

effect is

made acquainted with

which, as

it

anticipates no reward, will

meet

with no disappointment. When this church

shall be fully established on the earth, the
voice

of

the

structed as

ens

"

it

Suffer

Lord

will

be

no

longer

ob-

descends from above the heavlittle

children to come unto me,

and forbid them

not,

dom of God"
The influence

of the natural world,

ever beneficial

it

may

was designed

to have been.

for of such

prove,

is

is the

king-

how-

not such as

Man

it

has ever

sought a condition in nature, which should

correspond with the state of his own mind.

The savage would

pine and droop,

if

too sud-

denly removed to scenes of civilization, like

grass which had grown in rank luxuriance under the shade of the oak,

if

the branches were

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

and

cleft,

it

of the sun.

was at once exposed

The character of

67

to the
all

power

the lower

has suffered a change in

orders of creation

in the condition of man,

which cannot be measured.

consequence of that
the

extent

of

That the sun was darkened at the

crucifix-

Lord was no

was as

ion of our

miracle.

It

much

the necessary consequence of that event,

as

present lustre

its

is

of His glory.

It is

not

then for these, the objects of nature, to restore

want

to us that moral order, the

of which has

wrought such changes on themselves.

There is then another power which
sary to the orderly

the

is

neces-

development of the

power of the Word of God.

mind

This

in-

deed has been implied in all the preceding

remarks. No possessions and no efforts of the

mind

are unconnected with

it,

whatever

be the appearance.
Revelation so
with everything which meets us, that

may

mingles
not

it is

easy for us to measure the degree to which

our condition is affected by it. Its effects appear miraculous at

become

first,

but after they have

established, the mind, as in the ordi-

nary operations of nature,

is

apt to become

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

68

unconscious of the power by which they are

produced.
All

growth or development

within, outward.
so with vegetables
is

it is

so with the

Were

so with the mind.

within the soul, as the soul

it

it

is

from

effected

so with animals

It is
;

is

it is

body

it

not for a power

within the body,

could have no possibility of subsistence.

That the growth of the material part depends

on the presence of that which is spiritual, is
obvious from the fact, that at death the former
falls to

If it

decay.

were possible

be detached from our spiritual

decay

likewise.

The

immortality of the soul

for

part, this

is,

simply,

union of the Divine with the

all

would

" I in

human

It is

my
the

of that

things are, and on which they

depend, the Divine Will, with

the connecting

to

doctrine, then, of the

Father, and ye in me, and I in you."

from which

God

medium

man

through

of Divine Truth.

It

the tendency of the Bible to effect this union, and of course to restore a consciousness
is

of
all,

it.

It is

God desires with

wicked who reject it

a union which

therefore even the

partake of his immortality, though not of his

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

When,

happiness.

union

tion, this

is

69

in the process of regenera-

accomplished, the fear of

dissolution will be as impossible in this world

as in the other

and before

fear of dissolution
here.

may

this is effected, the

exist there as well as

not the place where a person is,

is to be re-

It is

but the condition of mind which

garded; and there is no antidote against the

but the consciousness of being

fear of death,

united with the Fountain of

asked,

how can

has actually taken place

the spiritual

life.

But

it is

the fear of death exist after

The

and material

it

separation of

part, so far as the

nature of their connection

is

understood, can

produce no fear. Were it not for evil in ourselves, it would rather wear the appearance of
a state of

uncommon

quiet.

There

is

upon

no subject a more powerful tendency to

stinctive

in-

knowledge, than upon that of death.

The darkness with which

it is

veiled, presents

but a lamentable picture of our present condition.

mind

It is its

is afraid

with

God which

may

render

it

own

dissolution of

which the

and that want of conjunction

renders this fear possible here,

possible anywhere.

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

70

It is the sole object

the soul with

God

and, as this

be understood in what

may

a plain and simple

as

is

Holy

necessary to the

the

de-

its

it

Spirit

is

of

development of

mind, as the power of the natural sun

But

way.

let

and

light

may

most noxious poison

of God, in

same

in the

us remember, that, as in na-

the heat and

into the

may

the

way

fact, that

to the growth of vegetables,

ture

effected, it

not a mere metaphor,

It is

velopment.

God,

is

operates interiorly to produce

Spirit

the

of the Bible to conjoin

itself

perfectly

be converted
so the Spirit

and

pure

holy,

be converted into passions the most op-

posite to

nature.

its

our hearts to

mandments.

mandments

It is

its

left

obeying the

open
com-

my

com-

influence, by
" If
ye love me,

and

I will

to us to

keep

pray the Father, and

he shall give you another Comforter that he

" He that bemay abide with you forever."
lieveth

on the Son hath everlasting

life

"
;

and

he will become conscious of living and growing from God.

It is

not consistent with the nature of things

that the full practical effect of a subject should

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

The

be at once revealed to the mind.

led

71
child

is

on to a knowledge of his letters by a thoulittle enticements, and by the tender co-

sand

ercion of parental authority, while he is yet

mysteriously con-

ignorant of the treasures

The

cealed in their combinations.

been courted merely

cation they afford.
ligion

have

for the transient gratifi-

Their connection with re-

and with the sciences

be discovered

arts

is

beginning to

and they are yet to yield a

powerful influence in imparting to the mind

The
its
moral harmony and proportions.
sciences themselves have

been studied

prin-

cipally as subjects of speculation and amuse-

ment.
ification

They have been sought

they

afford,

and

for

standing they give in society,

distinction

which

is

the

by
drawn between

The discovery

and the vulgar.

for the gratartificial

the line of
the learned

of their con-

nection with the actual condition of man,

of later origin
to use is yet in
to

throw a

and though

is

their application

infancy, they are beginning

on almost every department

its

light

of labor, hitherto unexampled in the annals

of the world.

Religion, too, has been a sub-

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

72

something evanescent, a
It remains for this
theory, a prayer, a hope.
also to become practical, by the actual accomject of speculation,

plishment of that which

mains

it

It

promises.

re-

promise of reward to be swal-

for the

lowed up in the work of salvation.

It remains for the soul to be restored to its union
with
of
its

God

life

to heaven.

Christianity

again planted in the world

own

vital

power,

it

is

the tree

and, by

has been, year after

year, casting off the opinions of

men,

like the

external bark which partakes not of its

It

remains

for

conformed to

the

human mind

its spirit,

that

to

life.

become

its principles

may

possess the durability of their origin.

Such

are the effects to be anticipated from

the Bible in the development of the mind.

has begun the work, and will perfect

it

It

in each

by a life according to the

he
becomes willing that it
commandments,
should.
There is within it a secret power,
individual, so far as,

which exerts an influence on the moral and

intellectual

may

like that of the

sun on the

and, however long and successfully

be resisted by some, not the less cer-

physical
it

world

GKOWTH OF THE MIND.

tain in its effect
I

society.

am

am

73

on the ultimate condition of

aware

that, in these remarks, I

ascribing to the spirit of

God,

to the spirit

Word, a power which some may be unThe Bible is thought

willing to allow to it.
of the

and to be subject to
the same laws of criticism and we may be
to resemble other books,

sometimes in danger of becoming insensible

to its internal power, from the very mass of

human

learning with which

it is

"
" Is not this the
carpenter's son ?

There

is

encumbered.
,

one law of criticism, the most im-

portant to the thorough understanding of any

work, which seems not to have been brought

sufficiently into
ble.

It is

view

in the study of the Bi-

that by which

we

should be led by

a continued exercise of those powers which

are most clearly demonstrated in an author;

by continued habits of mind and action to

approximate to that intellectual and moral
;

condition, in

which the work originated.

If

were desired to make a child thoroughly acquainted with the work of a genuine poet, I

it

would not put the poem and lexicon in his

hand, and bid him study and learn I would

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

74

make him

rather

familiar with whatever

calculated to call forth the

since

himself;

same powers
I

produce.

was

power of poetry in

requires the exercise of the

it

to

understand, that

would point him

it

does to

to that source

from which the author himself had caught his

inspiration, and, as I led

him

to the baptismal

I would consecrate his powers

from
whom nature exists. I
Being
would cultivate a sense of the constant pres-

fount of nature,

to that

ence and agency of God, and direct him inward to the presence-chamber of the Most

High, that his mind might become imbued

I would endeavor, by the
with His spirit.

whole course of
a living poem,
of others,
of his

it

own

his education, to

make him

when he read

the poetry

that,

might be effulgent with the light

mind.

The poet stands on

the mountain, with the

face of nature before him,

we would
where he
his eye,

tive

calm and

enter into his views,

is.

and

We

must catch the

yield ourselves

guidance of his

up

If

direction of

to the instinc-

we may have a
meaning that we may

will, that

secret foretaste of his

placid.

we must go

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

be conscious of the image in
that

tion

we may

gradual growth,

perceive

till

75

its first

its

at length

concep-

beginnings and

becomes

it

dis-

tinctly depicted on the retina of the mind.

Without

this,

we may

our hands, and

word, and

know

still

take the dictionary in

of every

settle the definition

as

little

of the lofty con-

ceptions of the author, as the

weary traveller,
round
in
the
farthest
passes
verge which
visible from the mountain, knows of the

who
is

scenery which

been truly

is

seen from

said, that

its

summit.

has

It

Johnson was incapable of

Yet John-

conceiving the beauties of Milton.

son was himself a living dictionary of Milton's

The

language.
full, fills

left to

his

true poet,

when

language to overflowing

the reader to preserve

cannot contain.
be defined

that which

instinctively from the

than

what

It is that part

itself,

mind
and

it is

the words

which cannot

that which shrinks

approach of anything

and though

present, like

un per-

the inhabitants of the other world,

is

ceived by flesh and blood, which

worth

the

rest.

is

too delicate to en-

is

dure the unrestrained gaze

less chaste

his

is

all

This acknowledges no dwelling-place

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

76

but the mind.

Stamp

the living light on the

extended face of nature, beyond the power of

darkness at the setting of the sun, and you
may preserve such light as this, when the mind
rises

not to meet

If it

it

in its coming.

were desired to make an individual

ac-

quainted with a work in one of the abstract

sciences, this

might be best

him gradually

to

effected

by leading
whatever conduced to the

growth of those powers, on which a knowledge

of these sciences depends

by cultivating a

principle of dependence on the Divine Being,

a purity and chastity of the affections, which

will produce a tranquil condition, of all things
the most favorable to clear perceptions
by
leading him to an habitual observation of the
;

relations of things,

and to such continued

ex-

ertion of the understanding, as, calling into use

its full

powers without inducing fatigue,

may

impart the strength of the laborer, without the

in a word, by formdegradation of the slave
ing a penetrating, mathematical mind, rather
;

than by communicating mathematical inforThe whole character and complexion

mation.
till at
of the mind will be gradually changed
;

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

it

length

will

become (chemically speaking)

in its very nature

They

subjects.

77

an active solvent of these

to

fall

pieces

they come in contact with

it,

soon as

as

and assume

an arrangement agreeable to that of the mind

itself, with all the precision of crystallization.

They
fect

are then understood;

for the

understanding of a subject

perception of
subject

is

most

per-

simply a

harmony existing between the

and the mind

itself.

Indeed, the un-

derstanding which any individual possesses of

a subject might be

mathematically defined
1^1
and ther6 1S * Constant

the subject proposed,

the actual

liter of his mind;

struggle for the divisor

the

same by a change

that the result

may

and dividend

to

become

in the one or the other,

be unity, and the under-

standing perfect.

There

is

an analogy (such as

may

exist

beween things human and things divine) between that discipline which is required in order
to understand a production of taste or science,

and that which

is

necessary to a clear per-

ception of the truths of the Bible.

requisite to

full

As

it is

sense of the beauties of

poetry, that the individual should be himself a

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

78

thorough knowledge of a work

of science, that he should not merely have

and

poet,

to a

scientific information,
it

scientific

mind

so

necessary to a knowledge of the Bible,

is

mind should be formed

that the

and

but a

likeness of

Word

is

precepts.
rich

An

God.

the effect of a
It requires,

in the

image

understanding of the
life

according to

its

not the obedience of the

man who went away sorrowful, but the

who holds every other pos-

obedience of him
session,

of the

whether

mind

tion to the

it

consist in the acquirements

or in earthly property, in subjec-

Holy

" If

Spirit within him.

ye

do the will of God, ye shall know of the

doctrine," is a law of exegesis, before which
will

false sentiments will

fore the rising sun.

melt away, like frost beThere is within the mind

the golden vein of

duty, which,

aright, will lead to

an increasing brightness,

before which the proudest

man

if

followed

monuments

of hu-

criticism will present an appearance like

that of the dark disk of this world, as the eye of

the dying

man

what

was.

opens on the scenes of the other.

The world is beginning to be changed from
it

Physical

power, instead of

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

boasting of

its

79

deeds of prowess, and pointing

with the tomahawk or the lance to the bloody

testimonies
leave

and

of

its

strength, is

beginning to

image on the rugged face of nature,

its

to feel the living evidence of its achieve-

ments, in the happy circle of domestic

remains

for

consciousness of

its

life.

It

strength to lose the

intellectual

existence in the passions

subdued, and to reap the reward of its labors,

not in the spoils of an enemy, but in the fruits
of honest industry.
It remains for us to be-

come more thoroughly acquainted with the

laws of moral mechanism.
unnecessary and

Instead of making

ineffectual exertions in the

direct attainment of truth,

make equal
and

to

it

remains

efforts to cleanse

do good to others

fore unattainable will

for

and what was

become

Lord

may

Bible differs from other books, as our

differed

woman,
Father.

nature

be-

easy, as the rock

which untutored strength cannot move,

be raised by a touch of the ringer.

The

us to

own minds

our

It is
is

He was

from men.

but his

spirit

humble

was the
in

when compared

its

born of a
everlasting

appearance, as

to art

and some

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

80
parts

which

Providence

remain within the same

attracted

From

innocence

by him by
in

its

permitted

its

whom

to

have often

cover

more attention than that which

really divine.
fect

has

is

the very nature of peris

unnoticed, save

loved.

Divine Love,

presence
it is

perfect thoughtlessness of

itself,

the atheistical heart, unperceived.

enters

Such an

one thinks meanly of those who think humbly

of themselves, and with perfect humility the
last vestige

of reality disappears.

both nature and the

Word

To

him,

are like a deserted

building, through which, as he passes, he is

sound of

conscious of nothing but the

his

own

footsteps; but to him whose heart opens

to the Divine Influence, this building appears
to assume, from the internal cause of

its

crea-

symmetry of perfect proportions, till

length, as he becomes more and more

tion, the

at

conscious of the presence with which

" for the Lord
filled, he sees no temple,

Almighty and the

Lamb

are

the

it

is

God

temple."

The Word resembles the Hebrew language,

To him
in which much of it is written.

who knows

not

its spirit, it is

an empty form

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

81

without sound or vowel; but to him

who

alive to the Divine Influence, it is filled

is

with

the living voice of God.

The
either

Bible can never be fully understood,

subservient

it

by making

to

natural

blindly adopting what reason

but
by that illumination of the
reject;
understanding and enlargement of the reason
which will result from a gradual conformity
or

reason,

by

would

to

its

Reason now

precepts.

from what

very different
turies past.

We

mode

it

is

something

was a few

cen-

are in the habit of thinking

has changed
be merely an indication
of a change which has taken place in the

that

but

the

this

of reasoning

appears to

character of the

be

soning will
higher and

mind

itself.

Syllogistic rea-

by something
amounts to nothing

superseded

better.

It

but the discernment and expression of the

particulars which go to comprise something

more general

and, as the

human mind

per-

mits things to assume a proper arrangement

from their own inherent power of attraction,

no longer necessary to bind them toFew minds can now

gether with syllogisms.

it

is

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

82

endure the tediousness of being led blindfold

to a conclusion, and of being satisfied with
merely from the
having been satisfied on the

the

result

mind
not

of

recollection
to

way

The

it.

requires to view the parts of a subject,

only separately, but

together

and the

understanding, in the exercise of those powers of

arrangement,

presented in

approaching

subject

of reason.

that

We

appear to be

condition which

the union of reason and eloquence,

be

satisfied

We

neither wish to see

of finery

and

requires

and

with neither without the

bare muscles, nor

of

is

just relations to other things,

its

name

takes the

by which a

will

other.

an anatomical plate

the

gaudy daubings
but a happy mixture of strength

beauty.

We

language neither
but blood warm. Rea-

desire

extravagant nor cold,

son is beginning to learn the necessity of simply tracing the relations which exist between

created things, and of not even touching

it

examines,

lest it disturb the

the cabinet of creation

and

what

arrangement in
as,

in the pro-

gress of moral improvement, the imagination

(which

is called

the creative

power of man)

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

88

coincide with the actively creative will

of God, reason will be clothed with eloquence,
shall

as nature

Reason

man

with verdure.

is

said

is

to be

protection and

for his

power given to
Let us
safety.

not be deceived by words. If this were the

particular design, it should be found in equal
perfection

in

are in

for all

every condition of the

mind;
need
of
such
a
equal
power.

It is

the office of the eye

jects

of nature, and

to discern the ob-

may

it

protect the

body

from any impending injury; and the understanding may be useful in a similar way to
the spiritual man.
ral

and

partly

Reason

is

partly a natu-

an acquired power.

The un-

the eye, with simply the power

derstanding
of discerning the light but reason is the eye,
is

whose powers have been enlarged by

exercise

and experience, which measures the distance

of

objects,

cerns

compares their magnitudes, disand selects and arranges

their colors,

them according
each other.

ment no

mode

to

the relation they bear to

In the progress of moral improvepower of the mind, or rather no

of exercising the understanding, under-

GKOWTH OP THE MIND.

84

goes a more thorough and decisive change

than this. It is like the change from chaos
to creation

since

requires a similar exercise

it

man

of the understanding in
creation, to

what

does in

it

to

comprehend

God

to produce

and every approach to him, by bringing

it;

us nearer the origin of things, enables us to

discover analogies in
is

sign

of

revelation

should therefore
of prayer,

spirit

what was

a change which

This

to

it is

before chaotic.

the grand de-

accomplish

come

to revelation

and not

in

that

reason
in

the

of judg-

ment. Nothing can be more intimately and

necessarily connected with the moral charac-

an individual than his rational powers,

his moral character which is the

ter of

since

it is

cause

grand

and

of

that

peculiar

which

arrangement
mind hence revelation,
;

mer, must change the

The

in

classification

characterizes

his

changing the

for-

latter also.

insufficiency of reason to judge of the

obvious on the very face of revelation from its miracles.

The laws of Divine
is

Bible,

Operation are perfectly uniform and harmonious and a miracle is a particular instance
;

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

of Divine Power, which, for

85

want of a more

and extended knowledge of the ways

of God, appearing to stand alone, and to
interior

have been the result of an unusual exertion

of the Divine Will, creates in the minds of

men, what its name implies, a sensation of

That there are miracles in the Bi-

wonder.
ble,

proves that there are laws of the Divine

and of the Divine

Government,
which are not embraced within the utmost
Operation

limits of that classification

which

is

and arrangement,

the result of natural reason.

therefore,

human

vinced of the reality of revelation

miracles,

Let

it

let

bow

it

While,

reason professes to be con-

humble

itself

to the

itself

from

them.

before

earth, that

its

it

may

be exalted to a more intimate

acquaintance

with these heavenly strangers.

Let

the

Lord

in

the

regeneration,

till

follow

it

the

won-

derful disappear in the paternal.

who have somemen, who would much

Miracles are like angels

times been visible to

more

willingly have

introduced

acquaintance with the laws

heaven, than have

filled

them

to

an

and society of
fear and

them with

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

86

consternation.

are

They

insulated

examples

of laws as boundless as the universe, and by

the manner in which we are affected by

how much we have to learn,

and how utterly incompetent we are to judge

them,

prove

of the

ways

is

of God, from that reason which

own

founded on our

cious

observation.

The

limited

Lord must have been a very

was

to

They saw

Mary.

falla-

of our

mira-

different

cle to the angels at the sepulchre,

it

and

resurrection

it

from what
from

the

other side of the grave, with a knowledge of

nature of that death which they had

themselves experienced she saw an insulated
fact, not at all coincident with her views on
the

the subject of which

They saw

it

illustration.

the use and design of that which

had been accomplished

and the

was an

linen clothes

intensely at

the

she

lying.

same

saw

the sepulchre

As they gazed

subject,

the

veil

of

heaven was withdrawn, and they beheld each

She was filled with fear;
other, face to face.
they with

were to

love

and

compassion.
of this

in

If

Mary
subject

persist
judging
from her own reason from a knowledge of
;

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

laws with which she was

those

acquainted

come

how

angelic

be

light of the rising

Man

alone, of

own

his

sun

even

the

at

present

things, appears
full

meas-

because he alone has

He

creation.

to

stands,

convinced

period, half

of the reality of the future

design of revelation

be-

cloud

with the rich

account to want the

the order of his

ever

dark

the

filled

created

ure of his happiness

left

could

ever

all

previously

her views

could

How

of admiration

on

87

It is

state.

restore to

the

him that

moral condition in which he will possess as

necessarily the

consciousness of immortality,

brute does that of existence

as the

for

consciousness of existence, together with that

of

union with

God,

is

consciousness

of

Let us come to the Bible, then,

with no hopes of arbitrary reward, and no
eternal

life.

fears

of

come

to

arbitrary

aright, will

it,

as

punishment

to

produce

which happiness

will

but

let

us

if

followed

a condition of

mind of

that,

which,

be the natural and ne-

cessary consequence.
It is

often said that the Bible has nothing

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

88

An

to do with metaphysics or the sciences.

individual, whatever be his condition, always

a certain

retains, to

extent, a

consciousness

of his moral and intellectual character; and

more

the

this character

is

exalted, the

more

minute and discriminating will be this consciousness.

Who is it that formed the hu-

man

restore

the

who

mind, and
to

it

mind

true order?

its

for

here

is

its

endeavoring to
The Bible has

subject, that

mind which has heaven

Father of mind for

its

condition

for its object,

author.

Has

of

and the
it

noth-

It has indeed
ing to do with metaphysics ?
nothing to do with that metaphysics which

we

with our bodies in the graves;

but of that which will shine with more and
shall leave

more

as

the

passage is opened,
not through distant regions of space, but
through the secret part of our own souls to
the

brilliancy,

presence of God,

Can

it is

the very

life

and

omniscience

contemplate the
happiness of the mind, without regard to its
nature ? Were we disposed to improve the

being.

condition of the savage,

we

pursue

Should

what course should

we

not

endeavor

to

GKOWTH OF THE MIND.

habits of

his

change

89

mind and body, by

teaching him the arts of civilization, instruct-

ing him in the sciences, and gradually introducing him to that portion of social order

which

is

these

most

own

attained

here

are

of

rnind

expression

all

our

Are

they not
countenance ?

of

not

with

intimately connected

condition

merely the

And

its

same way is it the endeavor of the

Divine Mind in the Bible to restore all to
In the

his

own image and

b'keness;

and

to say that

the Bible has nothing to do with metaphysics, is to say that the present condition of
the

mind has nothing to do with what it

and that present metaphysics
be,

should

have nothing to do with

It is

religion.

said that the Bible has nothing to do

with the

sciences.

It

not teach them directly

is
;

true

but

that
it is

it

does

gradually

unfolding a condition of mind, out of which

the sciences will spring as naturally, as the
leaves

them.

and blossoms from the

It

is

the

same

tree that bears

power which

simultaneously to develop the soul

to develop

nature

to

form the

itself,

acts

and

mind and

GKOWTH OF THE MIND.

90

mould which

the

As we behold
our

souls

will

and we

spirit;

destined

is

hold
shall

bodies, to the

round

us.

receive

communion with

seem

sciousness beyond the

own

to

it.

the external face of the world,

narrow

living

The mind

its

to extend our conlimits of

objects

that

enter into

will

our
sur-

nature

him who forms

her
by the
and can be no longer ignorant of her laws,
secret path of

when

it

is

a witness of her creation.

have endeavored to

illustrate, generally,

what way the natural sciences, the actual

condition of society, and the Word of God,

in

are necessary to the development of

manner analogous to
earth, the atmosphere and

in a

the

minds,

sun combine

to bring forth the productions of

shall

all

that in which the

say but a few words

nature.

with respect to

that particular development which

is

requisite

to the full manifestation of the peculiar powers

possessed by any individual.

It is

well

known

that at a certain period

man begins to be
He
marked.
appears to bedistinctly
come separated from that which surrounds

of

life

more

the character of a

GKOWTH OF THE MIND.

him

ow

measure aloof from

to stand in a

to raise his

associates

91
his

head above the shad-

any earthly object into the light of

heaven, and to walk with a more determined
of

step

on the earth beneath.

ifestation

existed,

of a

and which

cumulating by
it

has attained

When
it is

ucation.

"

has, as

little

and

its full

man

left to

This

it

stature.

has become his

own

yielding and

himself to decide,
its

present form.

yet

pliable.

ed-

For

far,

accountable

not as

his character is
it is

master,

own

has one Father, God."

not in the strictest sense

is,

at length

little, till

himself to complete his

He

man-

were, been ac-

the formation of his character, thus

that

the

is

which has always

character

he

is

that

so fixed, but
It is left

how

far it shall

This

is

to

remain in

indeed a period of

deep responsibility. He has taken the guidance of a human being, and is not the less
accountable, that this being

ligament

is

now

mind was bound

he

is

is

himself.

cut asunder by which

to

placed on his

its

earthly guardian,

own

feet,

The
his

and

exposed to the

bleak winds and refreshing breezes, the clouds

GKOWTH OF THE MIND.

92

and the sunshine of

this world, fully account-

God and man

able to

him not be made dizzy from a sense

own
but
is

him remember that the eye

now

fixed

anxiously,
It

own

liberty, nor faint under his

let

is

human

full, it

Let

for his conduct.

might

of his

weight;

God

of

almost be said

upon him.

with the
body.

human mind,

as with the

All our race have those limbs

and

features, and that general aspect, from

which they are denominated men.
But, on

nearer

we

view,

find

them divided

into

nations possessed of peculiar appearance and

habits,

and these subdivided into

individuals, in

all

of which

thing peculiarly their own.

families

there

is

and

some-

The human mind

most general sense) requires

be instructed in the same sciences, and

(speaking in the
to

needs the same general development, and is

destined to make one common and universal
for

effort

several

its

own

emancipation.

nations of the

earth

also

But the
will, at

future period, stand forth with a distinctness

of character which cannot

of.

The

part which

each

now
is

be conceived

to perform

in

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

the regeneration

of the

more and more

distinctly
;

become

world, will

marked and uni

and every nation

acknowledged
be found to possess resources
versally

93

in

its

natural productions, which will render

the whole.

the

real

good of

its

own

must be converted

borers for the

Then

people
;

precisely

and standing

into

promotion of the

willing la-

same

object.

will the nations of the earth resemble

the well-organized

same body,
light which is

parts of the

and no longer convert that

given them for the benefit of
into

es-

and happiness of
Every government must find that

harmonizes with that of others

armies

it

the well-being

to

sential

own
own

its

moral and intellectual character, and

will

their brethren,

an instrument by which they are de-

graded and enslaved.

But we stop not here.

Every individual
which should

also possesses peculiar powers,

be brought to bear on society in the duties

best

fitted

to

receive

them.

The

highest
degree of cultivation of which the mind of

any one
fect

is

capable, consists in the

most

per-

development of that peculiar organiza-

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

94

which as

tion,

really exists in infancy as in

The seed which

maturer years.
is

said

to

in

possess

is

planted

miniature, the

trunk,

branches, leaves and fruit of the future tree.

So

it is

with the mind; and the most that

can possibly be done, is to afford facilities

by which its development may be effected
with the same order.
In the process of the
formation of our minds there exists the

spirit

of prophecy; and no advancement can create

surprise,

scious

We

because

of that

we

from which

must not seek

to

add one cubit to our

tious or
off,

is

produced.
hair white

All

stature.

adventi-

assumed importance should be cast

as a filthy garment.

employment
ergies

it

make one

vain for us to attempt to

It is in

or black.

have always been con-

may
may

for the

We

should seek an

mind, in which

be warmed

all its

into existence

en-

which

be allowed the expression) may

(if
There is
bring every muscle into action.
do
better
one
can
which
every
something
I

and it is the tendency,

than any one else
and must be the end, of human events, to
;

assign to each

his true calling.

Kings

will

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

95

be hurled from their thrones, and peasants

exalted to the highest stations,
sistible

These

mind

tendency of
effects

may

the short period

to

by

its

this irre-

true level.

not be fully disclosed in

of this

life

most incredulous must be

vinced that the truth

is

but even the

ultimately

no respecter of

conper-

by learning the simple fact, that a man

cannot be other than what he is.
Not that
sons,

endless progression in moral goodness

wisdom

are not within the reach of

but that the state will never

may

not look back to

the

arrive,
first

and

in

any one;

when

he

rudiments,

original stamina of his own mind, and

be almost able to say, I possessed all at the

the

time of

my

birth.

The more a person

in singleness of heart, in simplicity,

cerity, the
It

this

more

becomes

and

lives
sin-

will this be apparent.

us, then, to seek

peculium of our

and to cherish

own minds,

as the pat-

rimony which is left us by our Father

heaven
as that by which the branch
united to

the

vine

as

the

in
is

forming power

within us, which gives to our

persons

that

by which they are distinguished from others

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

96
and, by a

life

mandments

we

governed by the comleave on the duties

entirely

of God, to

are called to perform the full impress of

our real characters.

Let a man's ambition

to be great disappear in a willingness to be

what he

is;

then

may

he

fill

a high

place

without pride, or a low one without dejection.

As our desires become more and more
concentrated

to

those

spond to the peculiar

minds, we shall have

which

is

of which

objects

which

organization

foretaste

corre-

of
of

our
that

coming, in those internal tendencies

we

are conscious.

As we perform

with alacrity whatever duty presents itself

before us, we shall perceive in our own hearts
a kind of preparation for every external event
or occurrence of our lives, even the most
trivial,

springing from the all-pervading ten-

dency of the Providence of God, to present

the opportunity of being useful wherever there
is

the disposition.

Living in a country whose peculiar characteristic is said to be a love of equal liberty,

let it

of all

be written on our hearts, that the end

education is a life of active usefulness.

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

We

want no education which

97
raise

shall

man

out of the reach of the understanding,

or the sympathies of any of his species.

We

are disgusted with that kind of dignity

the possessor

is

which

himself obliged to guard

venerate that, which, having

actual character of the

its

but

origin in the

man, can receive no

and

increase from the countenance of power,

suffer

no diminution from the approach of

that dignity in which the indivi-

weakness

dual appears to live rather in the consciousness of the light which shines from above,
that of

than in

There

is

his

beneath.

a spiritual atmosphere about such an

one, which

is

at once its

own

him with

the protection of

nected

own shadow

which, while

it is

protection

whom

it

is

and
con-

free as air alike to

most powerful and the most humble, conveys a tacit warning that too near an approach

the

is

We acknowledge the invisiwhich binds together all classes of

and would apply to it the electric

not permitted.

ble chain
society,

spark of knowledge with the hand of tenderness and caution.

acknowledge the

We

healthy union of mental and bodily exercise,

7

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

98

and would rather see

all

men

industrious and

enlightened, than to see one half of mankind

slaves to the other,

passions.

world

is

We

and these slaves

one vast mine of wisdom, and

this reason it is the

man

to their

acknowledge that the natural

for

scene of the labors of

and that

in seeing this wisdom, there

and
in loving it, there is rephilosophy,
Most sensibly do we feel, that as
ligion.
;

is

the true end of instruction

man

is

prepare a

to

some particular sphere of usefulness

he has found this sphere, his education

for

when

has then truly commenced, and the finger of

God is pointing to the very page of the

book of

his oracles,

from which he

the profoundest wisdom.

of Providence

that

was

It

may draw
the design

there should be

enough

of science connected with the calling of each

for the highest

and

holiest purposes of heaven.

the natural world from which the phi-

It is

losopher draws his knowledge

ural world in
bread.

we
and

Alas

which the slave

when

are willing
religion

will they be

to

practise

makes

our

the nat-

it is

for

toils

one

what we

duty

our

his

When

learn,

delight.

GROWTH OF THE MIND.

99

The mass of mankind must always labor;

hence it is supposed that they must be always

Thus has

ignorant.

the pride of

man

converted that discipline into an occasion of

darkness
only to

and misery, which was intended

give reality to knowledge, and to

make happiness

Truth

eternal.

the

is

way

which we should act; and then only is a

man truly wise when the body performs

in

what the mind

and blood are made

dom

In this way, flesh

perceives.

to partake of the wis-

man

of the spiritual

and the palms of

our hands will become the book of our

on which
the

inscribed

wisdom we

directs
his

is

man

duty that

possess.

to

his

he

is

all

the love

It is

duty

usefulness,
silken

his

cord which

is

enlightened

he become identified with his

and

own

directs

by doing
thus

own

vocation
to

knowledge and the blessings of

THE END.

all

the light which

it

life,

and

his
all

does

acts

of

is

the

heart the

mankind.

>\

IS
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>L

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