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HPB-SB-11-246: Difference between revisions
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{{Style P-HPB SB. Title continued |The “Occult World,” by A.P. Sinnett*|11-245.1}} | {{Style P-HPB SB. Title continued |The “Occult World,” by A.P. Sinnett*|11-245.1}} | ||
{{Style P-No indent| | {{Style P-No indent| | ||
the interest of readers and of the subject, to expose the folly and the vanity of some of these eager, conceited people, who have sat | the interest of readers and of the subject, to expose the folly and the vanity of some of these eager, conceited people, who have sat in judgment upon matters upon which they are not qualified to pronounce opinion. Nature, adducing against them their own writing as witness, has not accorded this gift to them.}} | ||
Old-fashioned magic, by which we mean ''real'' magic, has gone long ago. It was a lost case with It when Addison began to write his Spectator. The man was far too sensible. Was that tranquil, philosophical mind to be disturbed by magic? Certainly not Sentimental common-sense, considerable elegance, combined with an expatiating feeble hum our was his line. Miracle has gone. Consequently the true springs of the Christian Religion—which is miracle all over, or ''nothing''—have gone with it. It is a pity on many accounts. For have we gained in its dismissal? We think not. The “Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge,” the “Penny Magazine,” the “Saturday Magazine,” that “Schoolmaster” who has always been “abroad.” and has never yet been “at home.” the Chief Reviews in their bragging, audacious ways, Church Charges in their elaborate, cut-and-dry naturalness, the talkativeness of innumerable busy Church defenders, the smoothing-out of the wrinkles in the ploughed heart of the people by the comfortable warm flat iron of those classes “put in authority” over us in the “Church,” the well-meant efforts to “coddle” the National Church, lastly the Newspapers, bringing their incessant bolsters and props to the Church Anglican—to keep all quiet—have driven off the supernatural in the making of everything so supremely human. Now everything is natural. Man is so very natural. Nature is so very natural. Everything is so ''really real.'' We only think strange thoughts when we are “not right.” We only see strange things when we are unwell, or when the mind begins to oscillate. Hеnсе, we repeat, that as the belief in miracle is vanished, that the idea of magic in this age has become an impossible thing, that Christianity, in its true senses, has ceased to be a thing of any other life than of a false, forced life, that this book will cause wonder. But wonder of what sort? You cannot take half-measures with such a production. It is either true, or it is not true. No one will for a moment doubt that it is not true in the impressions of Mr. A. P. Sinnett. But the public will doubt whether ho be not himself deceived. And this, because he relates gravely some of the most stupendous impossibilities—as they appear. | Old-fashioned magic, by which we mean ''real'' magic, has gone long ago. It was a lost case with It when Addison began to write his Spectator. The man was far too sensible. Was that tranquil, philosophical mind to be disturbed by magic? Certainly not Sentimental common-sense, considerable elegance, combined with an expatiating feeble hum our was his line. Miracle has gone. Consequently the true springs of the Christian Religion—which is miracle all over, or ''nothing''—have gone with it. It is a pity on many accounts. For have we gained in its dismissal? We think not. The “Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge,” the “Penny Magazine,” the “Saturday Magazine,” that “Schoolmaster” who has always been “abroad.” and has never yet been “at home.” the Chief Reviews in their bragging, audacious ways, Church Charges in their elaborate, cut-and-dry naturalness, the talkativeness of innumerable busy Church defenders, the smoothing-out of the wrinkles in the ploughed heart of the people by the comfortable warm flat iron of those classes “put in authority” over us in the “Church,” the well-meant efforts to “coddle” the National Church, lastly the Newspapers, bringing their incessant bolsters and props to the Church Anglican—to keep all quiet—have driven off the supernatural in the making of everything so supremely human. Now everything is natural. Man is so very natural. Nature is so very natural. Everything is so ''really real.'' We only think strange thoughts when we are “not right.” We only see strange things when we are unwell, or when the mind begins to oscillate. Hеnсе, we repeat, that as the belief in miracle is vanished, that the idea of magic in this age has become an impossible thing, that Christianity, in its true senses, has ceased to be a thing of any other life than of a false, forced life, that this book will cause wonder. But wonder of what sort? You cannot take half-measures with such a production. It is either true, or it is not true. No one will for a moment doubt that it is not true in the impressions of Mr. A. P. Sinnett. But the public will doubt whether ho be not himself deceived. And this, because he relates gravely some of the most stupendous impossibilities—as they appear. | ||
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— “Pleased with rattles and tickled with straws,”— whether political rattles, scientific rattles, or literary or artistic rattles or Jingles, and this in all the grades of society, high and low. | — “Pleased with rattles and tickled with straws,”— whether political rattles, scientific rattles, or literary or artistic rattles or Jingles, and this in all the grades of society, high and low. | ||
The “{{Style S-Small capitals|Occult World}}” regarded from any point of view is equal to its object—which is certainly the most difficult one. Indeed it may be called the most remarkable book—not simply from its nowness, but from the manner in which its newness is put— which has appeared since Mr. Spicer produced bis “Sights and Sounds, the Mystery of the Day.” And why does Mr. A P. Sinnett’s “{{Style S-Small capitals|Occult World}}” stand so alone? Let every person accustomed to exercise their common-sense apart from the ideas of others read it. Let them not only read it, but study it. For why? For these reasons which may be pronounced significant and cogent enough by all persons who are not of that powerless sort of compliance of brain which will admit the dicta of pretentious journals as so much unquestionable law. God knows that a great deal of law!—far from being justice— is not to be believed. And nearly all the literary criticisms of the time may be pronounced—to use the strong, but the true word—humbug—from the reason that it is written all round and round the subject without touching it. In regard to Mr. A. P. Sinnett’s book, two reviews which we have encountered, (the “Athenæum,” and the “Saturday Review,”) and which, owing to the extraordinary superstition—utterly mistaken—which prevails | The “{{Style S-Small capitals|Occult World}}” regarded from any point of view is equal to its object—which is certainly the most difficult one. Indeed it may be called the most remarkable book—not simply from its nowness, but from the manner in which its newness is put— which has appeared since Mr. Spicer produced bis “Sights and Sounds, the Mystery of the Day.” And why does Mr. A P. Sinnett’s “{{Style S-Small capitals|Occult World}}” stand so alone? Let every person accustomed to exercise their common-sense apart from the ideas of others read it. Let them not only read it, but study it. For why? For these reasons which may be pronounced significant and cogent enough by all persons who are not of that powerless sort of compliance of brain which will admit the dicta of pretentious journals as so much unquestionable law. God knows that a great deal of law!—far from being justice— is not to be believed. And nearly all the literary criticisms of the time may be pronounced—to use the strong, but the true word—humbug—from the reason that it is written all round and round the subject without touching it. In regard to Mr. A. P. Sinnett’s book, two reviews which we have encountered, (the “Athenæum,” and the “Saturday Review,”) and which, owing to the extraordinary superstition—utterly mistaken—which prevails as to their authority, might be regarded as intimating consequence and implying knowledge and good criticism—these are very bad—jokingly bad, superficially bed, as if the whole subject was wonderfully ''under'' the editors and only condescended to by them. These publications (still as, in their shallowness, they consider the public interest) have done their very best to ruin the “Occult World,” and to impair any chance of its success. All this is of course done literarily—always studying the interests of the great reading public, and watching with (grandmotherly) care its pabulum. The great comfortable public shall have its quiet nights— | ||
{{Style P-Poem|poem=“Such things cannot be; nor shall they overcome us, | {{Style P-Poem|poem=“Such things cannot be; nor shall they overcome us, | ||