When first gazing on my reflected image in the floor-mirror, I had suspected the nature and fervor of the regal passion; but now, as he touched me—as our spheres blended, and strange thrills went bounding and dancing through every avenue of my being, I realized that not one half of the reality had ever been imagined, even in a remote degree.
Among people of the higher orders in human society, the testimony of the 'hear-says' is not regarded as being of the most satisfactory or convincing kind. This book and those which are to follow it, is, and will be, addressed only to those who think and feel for themselves; are intended for those who can pierce through the mere formalism of narrative and statement, to the solid principles underlying them. And for this reason, therefore, have I forborne to repeat many strange and wonderful things told me by him who now stood at my right side notwithstanding that such repetitions would be deeply interesting to those people who believe they have immortal souls, but are not quite certain of that fact. It is better to tell what I saw, felt, learned and experienced, than to relate what others told me.
I may remark, en passant, that the sentence 'stood by my side' appeared to be well founded; for although I knew my comrades to be spirits, yet they were to me quite as really and palpably human, as was the mother at whose dear breast I drew in life many a long year ago.
Mention has been made of the fact that knowledge comes to a person in the higher life, just in proportion to that person's fitness for its. reception, the Use in the great economy which it will subserve, and the Good that it will do. I was now in a condition to be taught,
