things. The fundamental principle of alchemy was the natural process of
development of metalline bodies. "When common people," says Al-Khazini,
writing in the twelfth century, "hear from natural philosophers that
gold is a body which has attained to perfection of maturity, to the
goal of completeness, they firmly believe that it is something which has
gradually come to that perfection by passing through the forms of all
other metallic bodies, so that its gold nature was originally lead,
afterward it became tin, then brass, then silver, and finally reached
the development of gold; not knowing that the natural philosophers mean,
in saying this, only something like what they mean when they speak of
man, and attribute to him a completeness and equilibrium in nature and
constitution--not that man was once a bull, and was changed into an
ass, and afterward into a horse, and after that into an ape, and finally
became a man."

CHAPTER V.

CONFLICT RESPECTING THE NATURE OF THE SOUL.--DOCTRINE OF
EMANATION AND ABSORPTION.

European ideas respecting the soul.--It resembles the form
of the body.

Philosophical views of the Orientals.--The Vedic theology
and Buddhism assert the doctrine of emanation and
absorption.--It is advocated by Aristotle, who is followed
by the Alexandrian school, and subsequently by the Jews and
Arabians.--It is found in the writings of Erigena.

Connection of this doctrine with the theory of conservation
and correlation of force.--Parallel between the origin and
destiny of the body and the soul.--The necessity of founding
human on comparative psychology.

Averroism, which is based on these facts, is brought into
Christendom through Spain and Sicily.

History of the repression of Averroism.--Revolt of Islam
against it.--Antagonism of the Jewish synagogues.--Its
destruction undertaken by the papacy.--Institution of the
Inquisition in Spain.--Frightful persecutions and their
results.--Expulsion of the Jews and Moors.--Overthrow of
Averroism in Europe.--Decisive action of the late Vatican
Council.

THE pagan Greeks and Romans believed that the spirit of man resembles
his bodily form, varying its appearance with his variations, and growing
with his growth. Heroes, to whom it had been permitted to descend into
Hades, had therefore without difficulty recognized their former friends.
Not