The psychologist

Preface

The accompanying Poem was written for the purpose of leading the mind of a friend, who had indulged in many unfounded fancies relative to the materiality of the Soul, who had attached undue influence over the destiny of Man to the movements of the planetary bodies, and who had allowed Socinian delusions to displace in his mind the pure doctrines of Christianity, to a serious review of the inconsistencies of the metaphysics of the Heathen philosophers ; to an admission of the fallacies of the exploded science of Astrology; and to the acceptation of those blessed truths which are set forth in " The unerring Word of God *

The mode by which such a revolution of feeling and opinion was attempted, may, perhaps, require some

VI PREFACE.

explanation. It was not deemed expedient to meet these errors with abrupt and serious arguments, but it was considered advisable to lead the mind, by the most vivid and startling images, into the very labyrinth of these fallacies, until it should become satiated with its absurdities, and bewildered in its attempts to extricate itself from its perplexities; and then to offer a solution, to point to the only guide which man should follow in his search for all knowledge relating to the Soul, and to show the only means by which he can secure eternal happiness in " the world which is to come."

The first book of the poem embodies many of the doubts which arise, and many of the doctrines which yet gain credence in the minds of men. The second book shows, and in some degree corrects, many of the systems which still find advocates in unrestrained and fertile minds. The latter book briefly sets forth the Christian religion, as opposed to all other systems of moral instruction and spiritual controul.

It may, perhaps, be asked, why such serious considerations should be set forth in verse ? The reply is, that poetry is the natural language of the soul, when Thought wanders amongst the heavenly bodies; that more forcible and lasting impressions are made by the brevity and harmony of verse, than could be effected by the more sober form wherein we usually convey our thoughts; and that poetry alone

PREFACE. Vll

admits of such rapid revolution of images as was necessary to exemplify the bewildering influences of metaphysical and psychological absurdities, as propounded in the systems of former times.

THE PSYCHOLOGIST.

BOOK I. Entoocattott

Spirit of Nature ! Spirit that rules the Night ! Thou art opening now splendours of Heav'n to sight. Ye Spirits, hail ! Before ye now I'm bending ; Your influence give, — it is on Mind descending !

Spirit of Nature ! Israel's' shepherd King Thou fore-time taught'st Creation's works to sing ! What thou did'st give when bright his Mind was soaring, To me impart, for Light I'm now imploring !

Spirit of Nature ! No Land there is, nor Tongue, Where thou art mute, or yet thy praise unsung ! Each day to day, to listening Globes appealing ; Each night to night mysteries of space revealing !

B

£ INVOCATION.

Spirit of Darkness ! Genius of Gloom and Night ! Darkness of this, our Globe, but Nature's light ! Thou openest worlds that distant Heaven possesseth ; My Soul and Tongue thy magnitude confesseth !

Spirit of Darkness ! But now for Night and Thee The Stars were veiled in deep obscurity ! No thought had Man of worlds that wheel around him, Research would end where matter-tie hath bound him !

Spirit of Nature ! Canst thou now tell or give The germ innate that makes dense matter live ? Not now am I thy widest grandeur grasping, But seek the Soul my bosom seems enclasping.

Spirit of Nature ! Be deaf no more to me ! Reveal this truth, or teach this mystery ! Surely the Soul, within my body dwelling, Is not unknown, its power beyond thy telling ?

Spirit of Nature ! Resume thy place again ! My Mind's desire thou can'st not now explain ! I seek, in thee, the Soul ! Thou'rt dark before me ! I'm lost in doubt ; a shadowy veil's thrown o'er me !

Spirit of God ! In Revelation shown, This vital truth proceeds from Thee alone ! Knowledge of this (which Time and Nature hideth), Knowledge that Soul from substance — dense divideth !

INVOCATION. 3

Spirit of God ! Thy Word's the Light-divine That sheds its beam on Souls, dark souls, to shine ! Than Nature's light far more thy dear Word giveth ; When Matter dies, it tells how Spirit liveth !

Spirit of God ! Without thy vital spark

How dead our Souls ! our vacant Minds how dark !

The fiend, in Man, delusion then begetteth,

When Man, in Thee, the fount of Truth forgetteth !

Spirit of God ! Within this Soul of mine

Shed thou, oh shed, one ray of Light-divine !

Give Spirit — Thought ; to Mind and Thought, inquiring,

The knowledge grant that now my Soul's desiring !

Spirit of God ! Thou'st promised here to all Who wait on Thee, and oft for fulness call ! For wandering souls, and weak ones too, thou seekest, I've wander'd oft, and yet I am thy weakest !

Spirit of God ! Thy fulness then impart ! Give Thought its strength, vigour to this my heart ! Give me to mount until my Faith hath found thee ; And then rejoice with Angels pure around thee !

Spirit of God ! Direct my wandering pen, Whilst I, this night, disclose to fellow men How I essayed the Soul to weave in story, And thine the praise, the honour be, the glory !

Entrottttctton*

The Soul ! — Whence born — and what its destiny ?

Problems proposed for test and scrutiny,

But ne'er resolved ! A subject this, we find,

With fitful awe, recurring oft to Mind !

Chaining awhile the Thought ; claiming the Ear

Of vice, which reels in riotous career !

Sealing the lip, and forcing pensive sway

On Mirth, and Joy, and Glee, in fullest play ;

The Conscience grasping too, with stern arrest,

Which binds each heart, and fastens thus each breast.

Your Mirth — why shown ? Gladness — where doth it tend ?

Vice — Passion — Feeling — where can, where do they end ?

To paint, or verbally define that Soul ;

Its cost to count, or estimate controul ;

To name its source, duration here, or worth,

As 'tis compared or weighed with things of Earth,

Draws ridicule on him who such solution tries,

And makes him seem " above what's written, wise,"

And thence, bespeaks a Fool !

And yet, to give No single thought to how or why we live ;