162 THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 



" Do you not know that there is a spirit within you more than 

 flesh? Do you not dream and wander in thought to distant 

 places in your sleep? Nevertheless, your body rests in one spot. 

 How do you account for this?" 



"Well, how do you account for it?" said Commoro, laughing. 

 " It is a thing I cannot understand ; it occurs to me every night." 



" The mind is independent of the body ; the actual body can 

 be fettered, but the mind is uncontrollable; the body will die 

 ind will become dust, or be eaten by vultures, but the spirit will 

 exist forever." 



"Where will the spirit live?" 



" Where does fire live? Cannot you produce a fire by rubbing 

 two sticks together, yet you see no tire in the wood ? Have you 

 no idea of the existence of spirits superior to either man or 

 beast? Have you no fear of evil except from bodily causes?" 



"lam afraid of elephants and other animals when in the 

 jungle at night, but of nothing else." 



"Then you believe in nothing; neither in a good nor evil 

 spirit ! And you believe that when you die it will be the end of 

 body and spirit ; that you are like other animals, and that there 

 is no distinction between man and beast ; both disappear and end 

 at death?" 



" Of course they do." 



" Do you see no difference in good and bad actions?" 



"Yes, there are good and bad in men and beasts." 



"Do you think that a good man and a bad must share the 

 same fate, and alike die, and end?" 



"Yes; what else can they do? How can they help dying? 

 Good and bad all die." 



"Their bodies perish, but their spirits remain; the good in 

 happiness, the bnd in misery. If you have no belief in a future 

 state, why should a man be good? Why should he not be bad, if 

 he can prosper by his wickedness?" 



" Most people are bad ; if they are strong they take from the 

 weak. The good people are all weak ; they are good because 

 they are not strong enough to be bad." 



