amely, the
contents of my parchment documents. The first one I opened was that
containing the private instructions of Heliobas to myself for the
preservation of my own health, and the cultivation of the electric
force within me. These were so exceedingly simple, and yet so wonderful
in their simplicity, that I was surprised. They were based upon the
plainest and most reasonable common-sense arguments--easy enough for a
child to understand. Having promised never to make them public, it is
impossible for me to give the slightest hint of their purport; but I
may say at once, without trespassing the bounds of my pledged word,
that if these few concise instructions were known and practised by
everyone, doctors would be entirely thrown out of employment, and
chemists' shops would no longer cumber the streets. Illness would be
very difficult of attainment--though in the event of its occurring each
individual would know how to treat him or herself--and life could be
prolonged easily and comfortably to more than a hundred years, barring,
of course, accidents by sea, rail and road, or by deeds of violence.
But it will take many generations before the world is UNIVERSALLY
self-restrained enough to follow such plain maxims as those laid down
for me in the writing of my benefactor, Heliobas--even if it be ever
self-restrained at all, which, judging from the present state of
society, is much to be doubted. Therefore, no more of the subject, on
which, indeed, I am forbidden to speak.

The other document, called "The Electric Principle of Christianity," I
found so curious and original, suggesting so many new theories
concerning that religion which has civilized a great portion of
humanity, that, as I am not restrained by any promise on this point, I
have resolved to give it here in full. My readers must not be rash
enough to jump to the conclusion that I set it forward as an
explanation or confession of my own faith; my creed has nothing to do
with anyone save myself. I simply copy the manuscript I possess, as the
theory of a deeply read and widely intelligent man, such as Heliobas
undoubtedly WAS and IS; a man, too, in whose veins runs the blood of
the Chaldean kings--earnest and thoughtful Orientals, who were far
wiser in their generation perhaps than we, with all our boasted
progress, are in ours. The coincidences which have to do with
electrical science will, I believe, be generally admitted to be curious
if not convincing. To me,