_Brook Farm_, October 18th, Saturday [1841]
Most dear wife, I received thy letter and note, last night, and was
much gladdened by them; for never has my soul so yearned for thee as
now. But, belovedest, my spirit is moved to talk to thee to day about
these magnetic miracles, and to beseech thee to take no part in them.
I am unwilling that a power should be exercised on thee, of which we
know neither the origin nor the consequence, and the phenomena of
which seem rather calculated to bewilder us, than to teach us any
truths about the present or future state of being. If I possessed such
a power over thee, I should not dare to exercise it; nor can I consent
to its being exercised by another. Supposing that this power arises
from the transfusion of one spirit into another, it seems to me that
the sacredness of an individual is violated by it; there would be an
intrusion into thy holy of holies--and the intruder would not be thy
husband! Canst thou think, without a shrinking of thy soul, of any
human being coming into closer communion with thee than I may?--than
either nature or my own sense of right would permit me? I cannot. And,
dearest, thou must remember, too, that thou art now a part of me, and
that, by surrendering thyself to the influence of this magnetic lady,
thou surrenderest more than thine own moral and spiritual
being--allowing that the influence _is_ a moral and spiritual one.
And, sweetest, I really do not like the idea of being brought, through
thy medium, into such an intimate relation with Mrs. Park!
Now, ownest wife, I have no faith whatever that people are raised to
the seventh heaven, or to any heaven at all, or that they gain any
insight into the mysteries of life beyond death, by means of this
strange science. Without distrusting that the phenomena which thou
tellest me of, and others as remarkable, have really occurred, I think
that they are to be accounted for as the result of a physical and
material, not of a spiritual, influence. _Opium_ has produced many a
brighter vision of heaven (and just as susceptible of proof) than
those which thou recountest. They are dreams, my love--and such dreams
as thy sweetest fancy, either waking or sleeping, could vastly
improve upon. And what delusion can be more lamentable and
mischievous, than to mistake the physical and material for the
spiritual? What so miserable as to lose the soul's true, though
hidden, knowledge and consciousness of heaven, in the mist of an
earth-born vision? Thou shalt not do this. If thou wouldst know what
heaven is, before thou comest thither hand in hand with thy husband,
then retire into the depths of thine own spirit, and thou wilt find it
there among holy thoughts and feelings; but do not degrade high Heaven
and its inhabitants into any such symbols and forms as those which
Miss Larned describes--do not let an earthly effluence from Mrs.
Park's corporeal system bewilder thee, and perhaps contaminate
something spiritual and sacred. I should as soon think of seeking
revelations of the future state in the rottenness of the grave--where
so many do seek it.
Belovedest wife, I am sensible that these arguments of mine may appear
to have little real weight; indeed, what I write does no sort of
justice to what I think. But I care the less for this, because I know
that my deep and earnest feeling upon the subject will weigh more with
thee than all the arguments in the world. And thou wilt know that the
view which I take of this matter is caused by no want of faith in
mysteries, but from a deep reverence of the soul, and of the mysteries
which it knows within itself, but never transmits to the earthly eye
or ear. Keep thy imagination sane--that is one of the truest
conditions of communion with Heaven.
Dearest, after these grave considerations, it seems hardly worth while
to submit a merely external one; but as it occurs to me, I will write
it. I cannot think, without invincible repugnance, of thy holy name
being bruited abroad in connection with these magnetic phenomena. Some
(horrible thought!) would pronounce my Dove an impostor; the great
majority would deem thee crazed; and even the few believers would feel
a sort of interest in thee, which it would be anything but pleasant to
excite. And what adequate motive can there be for exposing thyself to
all this misconception? Thou wilt say, perhaps, that thy visions and
experiences would never be known. But Miss Larned's are known to all
who choose to listen.
October 19th. Monday.--Most beloved, what a preachment have I made to
thee! I love thee, I love thee, I love thee, most infinitely. Love is
the true magnetism. What carest thou for any other? Belovedest, it is
probable that thou wilt see thy husband tomorrow. Art thou
magnificent? God bless thee. What a bright day is here; but the woods
are fading now. It is time I were in the city, for the winter.