We then asked him what he was now writing? He
replied, that he was now about to bring forth from his treasures, and
publish to the world, things of inmost wisdom, which would be comprised
under these general heads: I. Whether nature be derived from life, or
life from nature. II. Whether the centre be derived from the expanse, or
the expanse from the centre. III. On the centre and the expanse of
nature and of life. Having said this, he reclined on a couch at the
table; but we walked about in his spacious study. He had a candle on the
table, because the light of the sun never shone in that room, but only
the nocturnal light of the moon; and what surprised me, the candle
seemed to be carried all round the room, and to illuminate it; but, for
want of being snuffed, it gave but little light. While he was writing,
we saw images in various forms flying from the table towards the walls,
which in that nocturnal moon-light appeared like beautiful Indian birds;
but on opening the door, lo! in the light of the sun they appeared like
birds of the evening, with wings like network; for they were semblances
of truth made fallacies by being confirmed, which he had ingeniously
connected together into series.
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