ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 125 



CHAPTER III 



Division of the Doctrine of the Human Soul into that of the Inspired 

 Essence and the Knowledge of the Sensible or Produced Soul. 

 Second Division of the same Philosophy into the Doctrine of the 

 Substance and the Faculties of the Soul. The Use and Objects of 

 the latter. Two Appendices to the Doctrine of the Faculties of the 

 Soul: viz. Natural Divination and Fascination (Mesmerism). 

 The Faculties of the Sensible Soul divided into those of Motion 

 and Sense 



We now come to the doctrine of the human soul, from whose 

 treasures all other doctrines are derived. It has two parts the 

 one treating of the rational soul, which is divine, the other of the 

 irrational soul, which we have in common with brutes. Two 

 different emanations of souls are manifest in the first creation, 

 the one proceeding from the breath of God, the other from the 

 elements. As to the primitive emanation of the rational soul, 

 the Scripture says, God formed man of the dust of the earth, and 

 breathed into his nostrils the breath of life ; but the generation 

 of the irrational and brutal soul was in these words Let the 

 water bring forth ; let the earth bring forth. And this irrational 

 soul in man is only an instrument to the rational one, and has 

 the same origin in us as in brutes, viz., the dust of the earth ; for 

 it is not said, God formed the body of man of the dust of the 

 earth, but God formed man, that is, the whole man, the breath 

 of life excepted, of the dust of the earth. We will, therefore, 

 style the first part of the general doctrine of the human soul the 

 doctrine of the inspired substance, and the other part the 

 doctrine of the sensitive or produced soul. But, as we are here 

 treating wholly of philosophy, we would not have borrowed this 

 division from divinity, had it not also agreed with the principles 

 of philosophy. For there are many excellencies of the human 

 soul above the souls of brutes, manifest even to those who 

 philosophize only according to sense. And wherever so many 

 and such great excellencies are found, a specific difference 

 should always be made. We do not, therefore, approve that 

 confused and promiscuous manner of the philosophers in treat- 

 ing the functions of the soul, as if the soul of man differed in 

 degree rather than species from the soul of brutes, as the sun 

 differs from the stars, or gold from other metals. 



There may also be another division of the general doctrine of 



