Isubjoin，omittingthecapitals，Derham’s“VindicationofGodbytheInstitutionofHillsandValleys。”andWolff’saltogetherculinaryaccountoftheinstitutionofWater：——
“Theuses。”saysWolff，“whichwaterservesinhumanlifeareplaintoseeandneednotbedescribedatlength。Waterisauniversaldrinkofmanandbeasts。Eventhoughmenhavemadethemselvesdrinksthatareartificial，theycouldnotdothiswithoutwater。Beerisbrewedofwaterandmalt，anditisthewaterinitwhichquenchesthirst。Wineispreparedfromgrapes，whichcouldneverhavegrownwithoutthehelpofwater；andthesameistrueofthosedrinkswhichinEnglandandotherplacestheyproducefromfruit……ThereforesinceGodsoplannedtheworldthatmenandbeastsshouldliveuponitandfindthereeverythingrequiredfortheirnecessityandconvenience，healsomadewaterasonemeanswherebytomaketheearthintosoexcellentadwelling。Andthisisallthemoremanifestwhenweconsidertheadvantageswhichweobtainfromthissamewaterforthecleaningofourhouseholdutensils，ofourclothing，andofothermatters……Whenonegoesintoagrinding-milloneseesthatthegrindstonemustalwaysbekeptwetandthenonewillgetastillgreaterideaoftheuseofwater。”
Ofthehillsandvalleys，Derham，afterpraisingtheirbeauty，discoursesasfollows：“Someconstitutionsareindeedofsohappyastrength，andsoconfirmedanhealth，astobeindifferenttoalmostanyplaceortemperatureoftheair。Butthenothersaresoweaklyandfeeble，asnottobeabletobearone，butcanlivecomfortablyinanotherplace。Withsomethemoresubtleandfinerairofthehillsdothbestagree，whoarelanguishinganddyinginthefeculentandgrosserairofgreattowns，oreventhewarmerandvaporousairofthevalleysandwaters。Butcontrariwise，otherslanguishonthehills，andgrowlustyandstronginthewarmerairofthevalleys。
“Sothatthisopportunityofshiftingourabodefromthehillstothevales，isanadmirableeasement，refreshment，andgreatbenefittothevaletudinarian，feeblepartofmankind；affordingthoseaneasyandcomfortablelife，whowouldotherwiselivemiserably，languish，andpineaway。
“Tothissalutaryconformationoftheearthwemayaddanothergreatconvenienceofthehills，andthatisaffordingcommodiousplacesforhabitation，servingasaneminentauthorwordethit
asscreenstokeepoffthecoldandnippingblastsofthenorthernandeasterlywinds，andreflectingthebenignandcherishingsunbeamsandsorenderingourhabitationsbothmorecomfortableandmorecheerlyinwinter。
“Lastly，itistothehillsthatthefountainsowetheirriseandtheriverstheirconveyance，andconsequentlythosevastmassesandloftypilesarenot，astheyarechargedsuchrudeanduselessexcrescencesofourill-formedglobe；buttheadmirabletoolsofnature，contrivedandorderedbytheinfiniteCreator，todooneofitsmostusefulworks。For，wasthesurfaceoftheearthevenandlevel，andthemiddlepartsofitsislandsandcontinentsnotmountainousandhighasnowitis，itismostcertaintherecouldbenodescentfortherivers，noconveyanceforthewaters；but，insteadofglidingalongthosegentledeclivitieswhichthehigherlandsnowaffordthemquitedowntothesea，theywouldstagnateandperhapsstink，andalsodrownlargetractsofland。
“[Thus]thehillsandvales，thoughtoapeevishandwearytravelertheymayseemincommodiousandtroublesome，yetareanobleworkofthegreatCreator，andwiselyappointedbyhimforthegoodofoursublunaryworld。”
Youseehownaturalitis，fromthispointofview，totreatreligionasameresurvival，forreligiondoesinfactperpetuatethetraditionsofthemostprimevalthought。Tocoercethespiritualpowers，ortosquarethemandgetthemonourside，was，duringenormoustractsoftime，theonegreatobjectinourdealingswiththenaturalworld。Forourancestors，dreams，hallucinations，revelations，andcock-and-bullstorieswereinextricablymixedwithfacts。Uptoacomparativelyrecentdatesuchdistinctionsasthosebetweenwhathasbeenverifiedandwhatisonlyconjectured，betweentheimpersonalandthepersonalaspectsofexistence，werehardlysuspectedorconceived。
Whateveryouimaginedinalivelymanner，whateveryouthoughtfittobetrue，youaffirmedconfidently；andwhateveryouaffirmed，yourcomradesbelieved。Truthwaswhathadnotyetbeencontradicted，mostthingsweretakenintothemindfromthepointofviewoftheirhumansuggestiveness，andtheattentionconfineditselfexclusivelytotheaestheticanddramaticaspectsofevents。[335]
[335]Untiltheseventeenthcenturythismodeofthoughtprevailed。OneneedonlyrecallthedramatictreatmentevenofmechanicalquestionsbyAristotle，as，forexample，hisexplanationofthepowerofthelevertomakeasmallweightraisealargerone。Thisisdue，accordingtoAristotle，tothegenerallymiraculouscharacterofthecircleandofallcircularmovement。Thecircleisbothconvexandconcave；itismadebyafixedpointandamovingline，whichcontradicteachother；andwhatevermovesinacirclemovesinoppositedirections。
Nevertheless，movementinacircleisthemost“natural“
movement；andthelongarmofthelever，moving，asitdoes，inthelargercircle，hasthegreateramountofthisnaturalmotion，andconsequentlyrequiresthelesserforce。OrrecalltheexplanationbyHerodotusofthepositionofthesuninwinter：
ItmovestothesouthbecauseofthecoldwhichdrivesitintothewarmpartsoftheheavensoverLibya。OrlistentoSaintAugustine’sspeculations：“Whogavetochaffsuchpowertofreezethatitpreservessnowburiedunderit，andsuchpowertowarmthatitripensgreenfruit？Whocanexplainthestrangepropertiesoffireitself，whichblackensallthatitburns，thoughitselfbright，andwhich，thoughofthemostbeautifulcolors，discolorsalmostallthatittouchesandfeedsupon，andturnsblazingfuelintogrimycinders？……Thenwhatwonderfulpropertiesdowefindincharcoal，whichissobrittlethatalighttapbreaksit，andaslightpressurepulverizesit，andyetissostrongthatnomoisturerotsit，noranytimecausesittodecay。”CityofGod，bookxxi，ch。iv。
Suchaspectsofthingsasthese，theirnaturalnessandunnaturalnessthesympathiesandantipathiesoftheirsuperficialqualities，theireccentricities，theirbrightnessandstrengthanddestructiveness，wereinevitablythewaysinwhichtheyoriginallyfastenedourattention。
Ifyouopenearlymedicalbooks，youwillfindsympatheticmagicinvokedoneverypage。Take，forexample，thefamousvulneraryointmentattributedtoParacelsus。Forthistherewereavarietyofreceipts，includingusuallyhumanfat，thefatofeitherabull，awildboar，orabear，powderedearthworms，theusnia，ormossygrowthontheweatheredskullofahangedcriminal，andothermaterialsequallyunpleasant——thewholepreparedundertheplanetVenusifpossible，butneverunderMarsorSaturn。Then，ifasplinterofwood，dippedinthepatient’sblood，orthebloodstainedweaponthatwoundedhim，beimmersedinthisointment，thewounditselfbeingtightlyboundup，thelatterinfalliblygetswell——IquotenowVanHelmont’saccount——forthebloodontheweaponorsplinter，containinginitthespiritofthewoundedman，isrousedtoactiveexcitementbythecontactoftheointment，whencethereresultstoitafullcommissionorpowertocureitscousin-germanthebloodinthepatient’sbody。
Thisitdoesbysuckingoutthedolorousandexoticimpressionfromthewoundedpart。Buttodothisithastoimploretheaidofthebull’sfat，andotherportionsoftheunguent。Thereasonwhybull’sfatissopowerfulisthatthebullatthetimeofslaughterisfullofsecretreluctancyandvindictivemurmurs，andthereforedieswithahigherflameofrevengeabouthimthananyotheranimal。Andthuswehavemadeitout，saysthisauthor，thattheadmirableefficacyoftheointmentoughttobeimputed，nottoanyauxiliaryconcurrenceofSatan，butsimplytotheenergyoftheposthumouscharacterofRevengeremainingfirmlyimpresseduponthebloodandconcretedfatintheunguent。
J。B。VanHelmont：ATernaryofParadoxes，translatedbyWalterCharleton，London，1650——Imuchabridgetheoriginalinmycitations。
Theauthorgoesontoprovebytheanalogyofmanyothernaturalfactsthatthissympatheticactionbetweenthingsatadistanceisthetruerationaleofthecase。“If。”hesays，“theheartofahorseslainbyawitch，takenoutoftheyetreekingcarcase，beimpaleduponanarrowandroasted，immediatelythewholewitchbecomestormentedwiththeinsufferablepainsandcrueltyofthefire，whichcouldbynomeanshappenunlessthereprecededaconjunctionofthespiritofthewitchwiththespiritofthehorse。Inthereekingandyetpantingheart，thespiritofthewitchiskeptcaptive，andtheretreatofitpreventedbythearrowtransfixed。Similarlyhathnotmanyamurderedcarcaseatthecoroner’sinquestsufferedafreshhaemorrhageorcruentationatthepresenceoftheassassin？——thebloodbeing，asinafuriousfitofanger，enragedandagitatedbytheimpressofrevengeconceivedagainstthemurderer，attheinstantofthesoul’scompulsiveexilefromthebody。So，ifyouhavedropsy，gout，orjaundice，byincludingsomeofyourwarmbloodintheshellandwhiteofanegg，which，exposedtoagentleheat，andmixedwithabaitofflesh，youshallgivetoahungrydogorhog，thediseaseshallinstantlypassfromyouintotheanimal，andleaveyouentirely。Andsimilarlyagain，ifyouburnsomeofthemilkeitherofacoworofawoman，theglandfromwhichitissuedwilldryup。AgentlemanatBrusselshadhisnosemowedoffinacombat，butthecelebratedsurgeonTagliacozzusdiggedanewnoseforhimoutoftheskinofthearmofaporteratBologna。Aboutthirteenmonthsafterhisreturntohisowncountry，theengraftednosegrewcold，putrefied，andinafewdaysdroppedoff，anditwasthendiscoveredthattheporterhadexpired，nearaboutthesamepunctiliooftime。TherearestillatBrusselseye-witnessesofthisoccurrence。”saysVanHelmont；
andadds，“Ipraywhatisthereinthisofsuperstitionorofexaltedimagination？”
Modernmind-cureliterature——theworksofPrenticeMulford，forexample——isfullofsympatheticmagic。
Howindeedcoulditbeotherwise？Theextraordinaryvalue，forexplanationandprevision，ofthosemathematicalandmechanicalmodesofconceptionwhichscienceuses，wasaresultthatcouldnotpossiblyhavebeenexpectedinadvance。Weight，movement，velocity，direction，position，whatthin，pallid，uninterestingideas！HowcouldthericheranimisticaspectsofNature，thepeculiaritiesandodditiesthatmakephenomenapicturesquelystrikingorexpressive，failtohavebeenfirstsingledoutandfollowedbyphilosophyasthemorepromisingavenuetotheknowledgeofNature’slife？Well，itisstillinthesericheranimisticanddramaticaspectsthatreligiondelightstodwell。
Itistheterrorandbeautyofphenomena，the“promise“ofthedawnandoftherainbow，the“voice“ofthethunder，the“gentleness“ofthesummerrain，the“sublimity“ofthestars，andnotthephysicallawswhichthesethingsfollow，bywhichthereligiousmindstillcontinuestobemostimpressed；andjustasofyore，thedevoutmantellsyouthatinthesolitudeofhisroomorofthefieldshestillfeelsthedivinepresence，thatinflowingsofhelpcomeinreplytohisprayers，andthatsacrificestothisunseenrealityfillhimwithsecurityandpeace。
Pureanachronism！saysthesurvival-theory；——anachronismforwhichdeanthropomorphizationoftheimaginationistheremedyrequired。Thelesswemixtheprivatewiththecosmic，themorewedwellinuniversalandimpersonalterms，thetruerheirsofSciencewebecome。
Inspiteoftheappealwhichthisimpersonalityofthescientificattitudemakestoacertainmagnanimityoftemper，Ibelieveittobeshallow，andIcannowstatemyreasonincomparativelyfewwords。Thatreasonisthat，solongaswedealwiththecosmicandthegeneral，wedealonlywiththesymbolsofreality，butassoonaswedealwithprivateandpersonalphenomenaassuch，wedealwithrealitiesinthecompletestsenseoftheterm。IthinkIcaneasilymakeclearwhatImeanbythesewords。
Theworldofourexperienceconsistsatalltimesoftwoparts，anobjectiveandasubjectivepart，ofwhichtheformermaybeincalculablymoreextensivethanthelatter，andyetthelattercanneverbeomittedorsuppressed。Theobjectivepartisthesumtotalofwhatsoeveratanygiventimewemaybethinkingof，thesubjectivepartistheinner“state“inwhichthethinkingcomestopass。Whatwethinkofmaybeenormous——thecosmictimesandspaces，forexample——whereastheinnerstatemaybethemostfugitiveandpaltryactivityofmind。Yetthecosmicobjects，sofarastheexperienceyieldsthem，arebutidealpicturesofsomethingwhoseexistencewedonotinwardlypossessbutonlypointatoutwardly，whiletheinnerstateisourveryexperienceitself；itsrealityandthatofourexperienceareone。AconsciousfieldPLUSitsobjectasfeltorthoughtofPLUSanattitudetowardstheobjectPLUSthesenseofaselftowhomtheattitudebelongs——suchaconcretebitofpersonalexperiencemaybeasmallbit，butitisasolidbitaslongasitlasts；nothollow，notamereabstractelementofexperience，suchasthe“object“iswhentakenallalone。ItisaFULLfact，eventhoughitbeaninsignificantfact；itisoftheKINDtowhichallrealitieswhatsoevermustbelong；themotorcurrentsoftheworldrunthroughthelikeofit；itisonthelineconnectingrealeventswithrealevents。Thatunsharablefeelingwhicheachoneofushasofthepinchofhisindividualdestinyasheprivatelyfeelsitrollingoutonfortune’swheelmaybedisparagedforitsegotism，maybesneeredatasunscientific，butitistheonethingthatfillsupthemeasureofourconcreteactuality，andanywould-beexistentthatshouldlacksuchafeeling，oritsanalogue，wouldbeapieceofrealityonlyhalfmadeup。