1. Doubt concerning the existence of spirits arises from ignorance of their real nature. People usually imagine spirits to be something apart from the rest of creation, and the reality of whose existence has not been proved. Many think of them as imaginary beings, known to them only through the fantastic tales of their childhood, and regard their authenticity much as they would that of the personages of a romance.

         Without stopping to inquire whether those tales, divested of absurd accessories, may not have some foundation of truth, they see only their absurdities; and not giving themselves the trouble to peel off the bitter husk in order to get at the kernel, they reject the whole, just as others, shocked at certain abuses in religion, confound the whole subject in the same reprobation. Whatever ideas we may hold in regard to spirits, the belief in their existence is necessarily founded on that of the existence of an intelligent principle distinct from matter; this belief is therefore incompatible with an absolute negation of such a principle.

         We assume then, as the ground-work of our belief, the existence, survival, and individuality of the soul, of which spiritualism is the theoretic and doctrinal demonstration, and Spiritism the practical proof. Let us then, for a moment, leave out of sight the fact of spirit-manifestations, properly so called, and let us see to what conclusions we are led by inductive reasoning.

         2. If we admit the existence of the soul and its individuality after death, we must necessarily also admit, 1st, that it is of a nature different from that of the body, since, when separated from the body, it enters upon a phase of existence distinct from the destiny of the body ; 2d, that the soul retains, after death, its individuality and self-consciousness, and the capacity of feeling happiness and unhappiness, as otherwise it would be an inert being, and its existence would be equivalent to non-existence. These points being admitted, it follows that the soul goes somewhere; but what becomes of it, and whither does it go? According to the ordinary belief it goes to heaven or to hell; but where is heaven, and where is hell? People used formerly to say that heaven was ''up on high," and hell, '' down below ; " but what is " up," and what is "down," in the Universe, since we have learned that the earth is round, and that, through the movement of all the stellar bodies, what is " up " now, will be " down " twelve hours hence, and this throughout the immeasurable extent of infinite space? It is true that, by "below," we may likewise understand the "deep places of the earth;" but what has become of those "deep places," since geologists have begun to dig into the interior of the globe? What has become of those concentric spheres called the "heaven of fire," the "heaven of stars," etc., since we have found out that the earth is not the centre of the universe, and that our sun is only one of the countless myriads of suns which shine in space, and each of which is the centre of a planetary system of its own? Where is now the earth's importance, lost as it is in this immensity? And by what unjustifiable privilege shall we assume that this imperceptible grain of sand, distinguished neither by its bulk, its position, nor any peculiarity of attribute, is the only sphere peopled by intelligent creatures? Reason refuses to admit such an inutility of infinitude; and common sense declares that all the other worlds of the universe must be inhabited, and that, being inhabited, they, too, must furnish their contingent to the realm of souls. But what, it may next be asked, becomes of the souls thus multiplied to infinity by the theory of the plurality of worlds, now that astronomy and geology have annihilated their ancient habitations?

         To this question we reply that, the doctrine which formerly localised souls being opposed to the data of modern science, another and more logical doctrine assigns to then, as their domain, not any fixed and circumscribed localities, but universal space itself which is thus seen to be one grand system, in the midst of which we live, which environs us unceasingly, and touches us at every point. Is there anything inadmissible in such a theory, anything repugnant to our reason? Assuredly not; on the contrary, our reason tells us that it cannot be otherwise. But, it may next be asked, what becomes of the doctrine of future rewards and punishments, if we rob them of their special localities? In replying to this objection, we must pause to remark that incredulity, in regard to those rewards and punishments, is ordinarily provoked by the fact of their being presented under inadmissible conditions; and that, if-instead of such conditions, we assume that souls carry their happiness or their misery in themselves, that their lot is always determined by their moral state, that the union of good and sympathetic souls is a source of felicity, and that, according to their degree of purity, is their power of penetrating and discerning things that are still dark to souls of lower degree-all difficulties disappear, and the grand idea of our continuous existence becomes comprehensible and acceptable. Let us assume, still farther, that the degree of each soul's elevation depends on the efforts it makes for its own amelioration during series of existences that serve as the means and tests of its progressive purification, that "angels" are only the souls of men who have attained to the highest degree of excellence; that all can attain to that degree by effort and determination; that those who have attained to that degree are God's messengers, charged to superintend the execution of His designs throughout the universe, and finding their happiness in these glorious missions,-and we surely attribute to the idea of our future felicity an end more useful and more attractive than that of a perpetual state of contemplation which would be only a perpetual state of inutility. Let us assume, yet farther, that (lemons" also are no other than the souls of wicked men, not yet purified, but who have the power to purify themselves like the others, and it must surely be admitted that such a theory is more in conformity with the justice and goodness of God than the assumption that they were created for evil, and predestined to a perpetuity of misery. Is there, we ask, in such a theory, anything opposed to reason, anything, in a word, that the most rigorous logic, or plain common sense, can find any difficulty in admitting?

         The souls, then, that people space, are what we call spirits: and spirits are nothing but the souls of men stripped of their envelope of gross terrestrial matter. If spirits were beings apart from ourselves, their existence would be merely hypothetical; but, if we admit that souls exist, we must also admit that spirits are nothing else than souls, and, if we admit that universal space is peopled by souls, we must equally admit that spirits are everywhere. We cannot deny the existence of spirits without denying the existence of souls.

         PART FIRST. CHAP. IV. – ITEM 49

         49. The multispiritist or polyspiritist theory. All the explanations we have passed in review, not excepting those of the negative order, are grounded on the observation of certain facts; but of facts that have been seen isolated and interpreted wrongly. If a house is red on one side and white on the other, those who have only seen one side will affirm it to be red, or white, according to the side they have seen. Both will be right, and both wrong; but he who has seen the house on both sides will say that it is red and white, and he alone will be right. So it is with Spiritism; what is said of it may be true in certain respects, and may yet be false if we generalise what is only partial, if we take for a rule what is only an exception, or regard as a whole what is only a part. It is for this reason we say that whoever would study Spiritism seriously must see much of it, and for a long time together; time alone will give him opportunities for seizing upon details, for remarking delicate shadings, and for observing a multitude of characteristic facts which will be for him so many rays of light; but, if he stops at the surface, he exposes himself to the danger of forming an opinion that will be premature, and consequently erroneous. Let us now proceed to sum up the general principles that have been deduced from the widest observation and study of the phenomena we are considering, and that may be regarded as forming the general basis of spiritist belief; all other interpretations being merely the expression of individual opinions:

         1st. Spirit-phenomena are produced by extra-corporeal intelligences; that is to say, by spirits.
         2nd. Spirits constitute the invisible world; they are everywhere; the infinity of space is peopled by them; they are always around us, and we are always in intimate union with some of them.
         3rd. Spirits act incessantly upon the physical world, and upon the moral world, and are one of the powers of nature.
         4th. Spirits are not beings of a different order from ourselves; they are the souls of those who have lived upon the earth or in other worlds, and who have thrown off their corporeal body: whence it follows that the souls of men are spirits in flesh, and that we, on dying, become spirits.
         5th. Spirits are of every degree of goodness and of badness, of knowledge and of ignorance.
         6th. Spirits are submitted to the law of progress and all will arrive at perfection; but, as they possess free-will, they arrive at perfection more or less rapidly, according to the amount of effort and determination put forth by them.
         7th. Spirits are happy or unhappy, in proportion to the good or the evil which they have done during their earthly life, and the amount of progress they have made. Perfect, unmixed felicity is the heritage of those spirits alone who have arrived at the supreme degree of perfection.
         8th. All spirits, under certain conditions, can manifest themselves to men; the number of those able to communicate with us is unlimited.
         9th. Spirits communicate through the agency of mediums, who serve them as instruments and interpreters.
         10th. The superiority or inferiority of Spirits is shown by their language; the good give only good Counsels, and say only what is good: everything about them attests their elevation. Bad Spirits deceive, and their statements usually bear the stamp of ignorance and imperfection. A knowledge of the different degrees passed through by spirits is indispensable to the comprehension of the nature of those who manifest themselves, with their good or evil qualities.