maenima genomai
Aemati to ote ken se Pharis kai phoibus Apollon,
Esthlon eont, olesosin eni Skaiaesi pulaesin."][3]

This was not merely a poetical fancy, or a superstitious faith of the
ignorant, for we find it laid down as a great physical truth by the
greatest of the Greek philosophers, the divine Socrates:--

[Greek: "To de dae meta touto epithumo humin chraesmodaesai, o
katapsaephisamenoi mou kai gar eimi aedae entautha en o malist
anthropoi chraesmodousin hotan mellosin apothaneisthai."][4]

In Xenophon, also, the same idea is expressed, and, if possible, in
language still more definite and precise:--{117}

[Greek: "Hae de tou anthropou psuchae tote daepou theiotatae
kataphainetai, kai tote ti ton mellonton proora."][5]

Diodorus Siculus, again, has produced great authorities on this
subject:--

[Greek: "Puthagoras ho Samios, kai tines heteroi ton palaion
phusikon, apephaenanto tas psuchas ton anthropon uparchein
athanatous, akolouthos de to dogmati touto kai progignoskein
autas ta mellonta, kath hon an kairon en tae teleutae ton apo
tou somatos chorismon poiontai."][6]

From the ancient writers I yet wish to add one more authority; and I do
so especially, because the doctrine of the Stagirite is therein
recorded. Sextus Empiricus writes,--

[Greek: "Hae psuchae, phaesin Aristotelaes, promanteuetai kai
proagoreuei ta mellonta--en to kata thanaton chorizesthai ton
somaton."][7]

Without encroaching further upon the space of this periodical by
multiplying evidence corroborative of the same fact, I will content
myself by drawing the attention of the reader to our own great poet and
philosopher, Shakspeare, whose subtle genius and intuitive knowledge of
human nature render his opinions on all such subjects of peculiar value.
Thus in _Richard II_., Act ii. sc. 1., the dying Gaunt, alluding to his
nephew, the young and self-willed king, exclaims,--

"Methinks I am a prophet new inspired;
And thus, expiring, do foretel of him."

Again, in _Henry IV., Part I._, Act v. sc. 4., the brave Percy, when in
the agonies of death, conveys the same idea in the following words:--

"O, I could prophesy,
But that the earthy and cold hand of death
Lies on my tongue."

Reckoning, therefore, from the time of Jacob, this belief, whether with
or without foundation, has been maintained upwards of 3500 years. It was
grounded on the assumed fact,