Article #47 - Communications

Mr. Editor,

            Thank you! for your timely notice to your readers to send communications, or be minus a copy of the Journal; though I do not understand this new relation between Editor & Patrons, it seemes [sic] most too authoritative on the part of the Editor, but let it pass. Though the object of these few lines is to cause the appe[a]rance of your number, yet there is something I wish to communicate which is concerning the non-appearance of many of our members at our meetings for some time back. The inquiry has been passing around amongst us for some time but not until lately has the reason been discovered. It appears that certain members have conceived the importance, and carried into execution the idea of developing those organs with which they are endowed termed in the last journal the lower Souls,. The Lyceum meeting &  Reading Circles, being found not to be well adapted to this purpose, they have choozen [sic] for themselves other places and times more favourable to this new development, which they have laboured so enthuastically to promote, as even to resist to a great extent the strong opposition of old Morpheus. They have lighted up the darkness of midnight, with the brightness of noonday, for the purpose of cultivating and bringing into practical use these neglected faculties. Strong natural tendencies, remaining for a time inactive, when once aroused often become uncontrol[l]able. In view of this fact is it not well for us to be admonished of the danger of promoting too rapidly dispositions that have such tendencies, and espiceally [sic] under circumstances where temperance

and other habits, that give to the Upper Soul power to govern and direct aright those lower propensities, are so much neglected, as to leave predominant Alimentiveness alone, to dictate to the stomach the amount to be consumed, from tables loaded with almost every thing that nature

can produce, or art prepare, at least 3 times during one evening. I agree with Channing, that the true end of education is the development of our whole nature, and therefore admit that every power & faculty ought to be cultivated and exercised, but I can not but think that the continued exercise of these lower organs, to an extent that renders them, almost (as we are told) the center of the nervous system and thinking apparatus, is both an excep {? escape? exception?]

and a[n] abuse.

                                                M

{In another hand:]

Editor, I have told the object of this article

            so you need not insert in the journal.

                        Please excuse