The Principles of Nature, Her Divine Revelations, and a Voice to Mankind

«PART FIRST. Any theory, hypothesis, philosophy, sect, creed, or institution, that fears investigation, openly manifests its own error.» — el primero de los tres lemas que la portada imprime, uno por parte, y que la Introduction adjudica al autor: toda teoría, hipótesis, filosofía, secta, credo o institución que teme la investigación manifiesta abiertamente su propio error.

«PART SECOND. Reason is a flower of the spirit, and its fragrance is liberty and knowledge.» — el lema de la segunda parte hace de la razón una flor del espíritu cuya fragancia son la libertad y el conocimiento.

«PART THIRD. When distributive justice pervades the social world, virtue and morality will bloom with an immortal beauty; while the Sun of Righteousness will arise in the horizon of universal industry, and shed its genial rays over all the fields of peace, plenty, and human happiness!» — el lema de la tercera parte pone el resultado en lo social: donde la justicia distributiva impregne el mundo social, la virtud y la moral florecerán con belleza inmortal y el Sol de la Rectitud saldrá en el horizonte de la industria universal.

«And it is owing to his peculiar physical and mental constitution that he has been enabled, by the assistance of magnetism, to abstract himself from the gross tangibilities of the outer world, and enter that state of exceeding spiritual exaltation and mental expansion that has enabled him to dictate the book now submitted to the world.» — Fishbough enuncia el nexo del que depende todo el volumen: por su constitución física y mental peculiar el joven pudo, con ayuda del magnetismo, abstraerse de las tangibilidades groseras del mundo exterior y entrar en el estado de exaltación espiritual y expansión mental que le permitió dictar el libro.

«Young Davis happening into the tailor-shop of Mr. Levingston during the general excitement, the latter gentleman proposed a trial to magnetize him. The experiment which followed succeeded; and the boy exhibited powers of clairvoyance which were truly surprising.» — Fishbough sitúa el primer magnetismo logrado en la sastrería de Levingston, como propuesta de ocasión, y dice que el muchacho exhibió entonces poderes de clarividencia sorprendentes.

«But after submitting for two or three months to all species of tests for no other purpose than that of gratifying curiosity and establishing the reality of the clairvoyant state, the boy, while in the latter state, protested against being longer subjected to any tests, except such as might involve matters of practical utility — informing Mr. Levingston that the great object of his powers in the stage of development to which they had then attained, was to enable him to examine, and prescribe for, the diseased.» — Fishbough consigna que el propio muchacho, desde el estado clarividente, protestó contra seguir sometido a pruebas de mera curiosidad y declaró que el objeto de sus poderes en esa etapa era examinar y prescribir para los enfermos.

«He also from time to time presented many novel and highly-interesting ideas concerning the nature and powers of the human soul, seeming to demonstrate an intimate connexion between the present and the spirit world.» — y data ahí la aparición de las ideas sobre la naturaleza y los poderes del alma humana, que según el escriba parecían mostrar una conexión íntima entre el presente y el mundo de los espíritus.

«On the 7th of March, 1844, he fell, without the assistance of the magnetic process, into a strange abnormal state, during which phenomena occurred of the most surprising character. For the greater part of the time during two days, he seemed to be entirely insensible to all external things, and to live wholly in the interior world.» — el episodio sin magnetizador que el escriba fecha el 7 de marzo de 1844: dos días de insensibilidad a las cosas externas y de vida enteramente en el mundo interior.

«It was during this extraordinary state of his mental and physical system that he received information of a very general character, of his future and peculiar mission to the world.» — y es en ese estado, según el escriba, donde Davis recibió noticia de carácter muy general de su misión futura y peculiar en el mundo.

«About the first of the following August, Mr. Davis, while in the clairvoyant state, voluntarily chose Dr. Lyon to be his magnetizer during the delivery of this book, this choice neither having been solicited nor in the least degree anticipated by Dr. L.» — quién elige a quién, que es dato del arreglo: Davis, desde el estado clarividente, eligió por su voluntad a Lyon como magnetizador para la entrega del libro, sin que Lyon lo hubiera pedido ni previsto.

«On the 27th of November, 1845, residing at the time in New Haven, Connecticut, we received per mail a note from Dr. Lyon, stating that we had been appointed by Mr. Davis, while in the clairvoyant state, as the scribe to report and prepare for the press his lectures which were to commence immediately.» — y el nombramiento del escriba se hace por la misma vía: Fishbough recibe por correo la noticia de que Davis, en estado clarividente, lo ha designado escriba para tomar y preparar para la prensa sus lecciones.

«Before Mr. Davis commenced his lectures, he voluntarily, while in the abnormal state, chose the three witnesses mentioned in his address to the world, to be present as their circumstances would allow, at the delivery of the lectures, in order to be able to testify of the medium through which they were given.» — la tercera designación desde el estado anormal: los tres testigos que habrían de estar presentes en la entrega de las lecciones para poder testificar del medio por el que se dieron.

«During the delivery of each lecture the clairvoyant required that the utmost tranquillity, both mental and physical, should be preserved in the room.» — la condición que el clarividente imponía para dictar: tranquilidad mental y física absoluta en la sala.

«While in the sphere of the body (a phrase hereafter to be explained), excitement of any kind always disturbed him, as did also the presence of persons whose “spheres” were uncongenial.» — y la razón que el escriba da: en la esfera del cuerpo, expresión que el libro promete explicar más adelante, cualquier excitación lo perturbaba, igual que la presencia de personas de esferas incongeniales.

«Certainly the sympathetic transmission of a thought from one person to another, while both are in the body, is quite as inexplicable as would be the transmission of the thoughts of a disembodied spirit to a person rendered duly susceptible to sympathetic influx.» — y argumenta por paridad contra quien objete el influjo simpático: transmitir un pensamiento entre dos personas en el cuerpo es tan inexplicable como transmitirlo desde un espíritu desencarnado.

«In the first place, the magnetizer and magnetizee are seated in easy positions facing each other. The ordinary manipulations are then performed, from three to five minutes being required for the completion of the process.» — aquí arranca la descripción del procedimiento, que es lo que el escriba sostiene sobre el método: magnetizador y magnetizado sentados frente a frente y de tres a cinco minutos de manipulaciones ordinarias.

«He next assumes a position inclined either to the right or to the left, and becomes cold, rigid, motionless, and insensible to all external things. The pulsations become feeble, the breathing is apparently almost suspended, and all the senses are closed entirely to the external world.» — el estado en que dicta, descrito por fuera: frío, rígido, inmóvil e insensible, con el pulso débil, la respiración casi suspendida y los sentidos cerrados al mundo externo.

«This condition, according to his own explanation, corresponds almost precisely to that of physical death.» — y la equivalencia que el propio Davis da de ese estado, según el escriba: corresponde casi exactamente al de la muerte física.

«His mind is now entirely freed from the sphere of the body, and, consequently, from all preconceived ideas, from all theological isms, and from all influences of education and local circumstances, and all his impressions are received from the interior or spiritual world.» — y el efecto que el escriba le adjudica: mente libre de la esfera del cuerpo y por tanto de toda idea preconcebida, de todo ismo teológico y de toda influencia de educación, con las impresiones recibidas del mundo interior o espiritual.

«He associates familiarly with the inhabitants of the spirit-world, and the diversified knowledge cultivated by them is rendered accessible to his mind.» — la fuente que el escriba nombra en concreto: trato familiar con los habitantes del mundo espiritual y acceso al saber que ellos cultivan.

«The associated spirits and angels of the “Second Sphere,” are, as one grand Man, in sympathetic communication with him to transmit knowledge to mankind on earth, which they perceive the latter are for the first time prepared to receive.» — y la figura con que la describe: los espíritus y ángeles asociados de la Segunda Esfera, como un gran Hombre, en comunicación simpática con él para transmitir a los hombres de la tierra el saber que estos, según perciben, están preparados por primera vez para recibir.

«His style is much such as he would use in his normal state if a knowledge were imparted to him on the subjects on which he treats while in his elevated condition.» — Fishbough acota qué parte del texto es del estado y cuál del hombre: el estilo es el que Davis usaría despierto si tuviera ese saber, y por eso la gramática es defectuosa.

«His great object was simply to present the idea, leaving the niceties of the verbal clothing to be adjusted by myself, with the restriction that the corrections should be such as not to destroy the peculiarities of the general style and mode of expression.» — y el reparto de tareas que de ahí sale: el objeto del hablante era presentar la idea, dejando las niceties del ropaje verbal al escriba, con la restricción de no destruir las peculiaridades del estilo.

«With these unimportant qualifications, the work may be considered as paragraph for paragraph, sentence for sentence, and word for word, as it was delivered by the author.» — la declaración de literalidad con que Fishbough responde por su propia mano: salvo tres transposiciones de párrafos contiguos, párrafo por párrafo, frase por frase y palabra por palabra como lo entregó el autor.

«With the exception of striking out a few sentences and supplying others, according to direction, I have only found it necessary to correct the grammar, to prune out verbal redundancies, and to clarify such sentences as would to the general reader appear obscure.» — hasta dónde dice haber llegado su mano: suprimir algunas frases y suplir otras por indicación, corregir la gramática, podar redundancias verbales y aclarar lo oscuro.

«All ideas have been most scrupulously preserved, and great care has been taken to give them to the reader in the precise aspect in which they appeared when received from the speaker.» — y el límite que se impone: preservar todas las ideas y darlas en el aspecto preciso en que llegaron del hablante.

«Furthermore, the work was originally proposed by the clairvoyant himself; the time of its commencement was fixed upon by himself; and all the instrumentalities connected with its production have constantly been under his authoritative direction.» — la iniciativa entera se adjudica al clarividente: él propuso la obra, él fijó el momento de empezarla y bajo su dirección autoritativa estuvieron todos los instrumentos de su producción.

«It recognises infallibility, in the unrestricted sense of that term, as belonging to no being save the Deity himself.» — la respuesta que el escriba da a la pregunta por la infalibilidad, y dice sacarla de la enseñanza de la obra misma: no hay infalibilidad sin restricción salvo en la Deidad.

«But the moment any teachings, artificially expressed, are forced upon the mind under the plea of infallibility, that moment Reason and Nature are thrown aside, and the standard of belief becomes entirely arbitrary.» — y el efecto que adjudica al alegato de infalibilidad: apartar la razón y la naturaleza y volver arbitrario el estándar de la creencia.

«Reader, do not consider this book as a standard so infallible as to relieve you from the exercise of your own reason.» — la acotación que el escriba dirige al lector de frente: no tomar el libro por estándar infalible que lo releve de ejercer su propia razón.

«At each entrance into the abnormal state for the purpose of lecturing, he was capable, by an effort of a few moments’ duration, of reviewing all the manuscripts of his previous lectures» — el control interno que el escriba describe: al entrar en el estado anormal para dictar, Davis podía repasar en unos momentos todos los manuscritos de sus lecciones anteriores.

«Twenty years ago, the obstructing influence of this class of minds would have been effectual, and hence this work was not at that time given.» — la datación que el escriba da del momento de la obra: veinte años antes la influencia obstructora de esa clase habría sido eficaz, y por eso, dice, la obra no se dio entonces.

«Brethren : Fear not, for Error is mortal and can not live, and Truth is immortal and can not die!» — aquí empieza la voz de Davis en primera persona, con el saludo y el lema del Address to the World: el error es mortal y no puede vivir, la verdad es inmortal y no puede morir.

«No arbitrary or external standard shall be recognised as suitable to test the truth of what is herein presented, or the character of the truths which may be herein contained.» — Davis pone el criterio fuera del libro y de toda autoridad: ningún estándar arbitrario o externo se reconocerá como apto para probar la verdad de lo aquí presentado.

«The verdict of Nature, and not of men, is required. Inasmuch as all terrestrial creations are the spontaneous productions of the Divine mind, no truth is lessened by disbelief—no error is made true because the learned receive it as such.» — y lo formula como veredicto de la Naturaleza y no de los hombres: ninguna verdad se aminora por la incredulidad y ningún error se vuelve verdadero porque los doctos lo reciban.

«The First Part, or Key, presents a general view of theories that exist, and unfolds the foundation of the philosophy that is presented in the Second Part, which is the soul or basis of the whole superstructure.» — Davis nombra y ordena sus propias partes: la Clave da la vista general de las teorías existentes y despliega el fundamento de la filosofía de la Segunda Parte, que es el alma o base de toda la superestructura.

«The physical and mental organization of man enforces the conclusion that there are no possible limits to social progress and spiritual attainment and elevation: for man is a microcosm, or a combined expression of all the perfections contained in the Divine essence that animates and preserves the harmony of the Universe.» — la tesis del microcosmos que Davis deriva de la organización física y mental del hombre: no hay límites posibles al progreso social ni a la elevación espiritual, porque el hombre es expresión combinada de todas las perfecciones de la esencia divina.

«Moreover, I was impressed to select three witnesses, who should be present at the lectures, so that the world through them might know from what source these revelations flow.» — la segunda declaración de estar impresionado, ahora sobre la elección de los tres testigos: para que el mundo supiera por ellos de qué fuente fluyen estas revelaciones.

«There is here and there a lecture (amounting to seventeen in all) which does not contain any signature as a witness; but the identity of the source of these with that of the others will not be doubted by any one on proper investigation.» — y consigna el hueco del propio registro sin repararlo: diecisiete lecciones sin firma de testigo, cuya identidad de fuente dice que nadie dudará tras investigación adecuada.

«The first witness chosen was Rev. J. N. Parker, whose physical and mental structure predisposed him to external observation and investigation. He was inclined to perceive and understand the nature and qualities of all exterior movements—had the ability to comprehend the things related—but was inclined to outward and general observation. Therefore he was qualified to take cognizance of each physical phenomenon» — Davis adjudica a cada testigo un principio, y al primero, el Rev. J. N. Parker, la observación externa: cualificado para tomar cognición de cada fenómeno físico.

«It is obvious to every intelligent mind that the condition of the human race, socially, nationally, mentally, and spiritually, is continually changing.» — Fishbough parte del cambio perpetuo de la condición humana en lo social, lo nacional, lo mental y lo espiritual para justificar por qué hacía falta un libro nuevo.

«Every period of human history shows, upon the whole, a distinct progress in the condition of mankind beyond that of previous periods.» — y sostiene que cada periodo de la historia humana muestra en conjunto un progreso distinto sobre los anteriores.

«Instances of apparent retrogression, as in the cases of the various catastrophes that have occurred at different periods during the geological history of the earth, only exhibit the apparent disorder incident to a transition from a lower to a higher state of development.» — Fishbough lee los retrocesos aparentes, y nombra entre ellos las catástrofes geológicas, como el desorden propio de una transición de un estado inferior a uno superior.

«This sensitiveness to spheres forms a striking trait in his character.» — del retrato del joven que hace el escriba: la sensibilidad a las esferas de las personas como rasgo saliente de su carácter.

«This reasonable demand shall be gratified to the extent of our present ability; and the main facts shall be substantiated by the testimony of disinterested persons.» — el escriba declara el método de su propia Introduction: dar cuenta de la vida y de la instrucción del joven y sostener los hechos principales con el testimonio de personas desinteresadas.

«But his father recently informed us that he was born in Bloominggrove, Orange county, New York, and that on the 11th of August, 1847, he will be twenty-one years of age — according to which he must have been born on the 11th of August, 1826.» — Fishbough data el nacimiento por boca del padre, y de paso enmienda el lugar que el primer testigo daba: Bloominggrove, condado de Orange, y no Hyde Park.

«Owing to this fact, in connexion with the straitened financial circumstances of the parents, the boy’s school tuition was confined to about five months, during which time he learned to read imperfectly, to write a fair hand, and to do simple sums in arithmetic.» — la cifra que el escriba repite como pieza central de su alegato: unos cinco meses de escuela, en los que el muchacho aprendió a leer imperfectamente, a escribir con buena letra y a hacer sumas simples.

«During the intervals between his hours of employment he was never known to frequent public libraries, and was seldom known to take up a book; and his very limited reading was confined to a few juvenile productions, fugitive essays, and light romances, not, perhaps, comprising over four hundred or five hundred pages at most; and even this little reading was pursued in the most desultory manner.» — y mide la lectura: nunca se le vio frecuentar bibliotecas públicas, rara vez tomar un libro, y lo leído no pasaría de cuatrocientas o quinientas páginas de producciones juveniles y romances ligeros.

«Dear Sir : In complying with your request, to write you an account of what I know, whether favorable or otherwise, of the character, habits, education, &c., of Mr. A. J. Davis, permit me to express my satisfaction at being enabled to render you an account which is favorable. I have enjoyed a personal acquaintance of three years with Mr. Davis, under circumstances favorable to obtaining a correct knowledge of his character, &c.; and so fully persuaded am I of his moral worth and integrity, that I would not hesitate to place implicit confidence in him under the most trying circumstances. From seeing and conversing with him almost daily during the first year of our acquaintance, and from the frequent subsequent intercourse we have had, I have the assurance to think I know him as well as any other person; and such is the opinion I have formed of him. His honesty, his frankness, his veracity, his sensibility— in short, his virtue to the fullest extent in which this word can be understood, are worthy of all praise. Of his education (that which he obtained at school or from books, I mean), I am constrained to say it is of a very limited character, he having never received more than about five months’ schooling, as he has often stated to me; which statement is corroborated by the testimony of those who have known him from his childhood. His reading has also been limited, and of a character calculated to yield him no great benefit. It has served as a mere pastime—a mere gratification for the moment. Indeed, he seemed to have no higher end in it than amusement for the time being. Yours, very respectfully, S. S. LAPHAM.» — el tercer testimonio, de S. S. Lapham, tras tres años de trato casi diario: honradez, franqueza y veracidad dignas de todo elogio, y una educación de libro y de escuela que no pasó de cinco meses; tramo largo releído entero en el crudo.

«His education barely amounted to a knowledge of reading, writing, and the rudiments of arithmetic. His reading was exceedingly limited, and confined to that of a light and juvenile description. During his two years of apprenticeship, he established a character for faithfulness and integrity not to be surpassed, and which is seldom equalled. There was no probability that we should have parted before the conclusion of his apprenticeship, for we were mutually satisfied with each other. But Mesmerism» — del testimonio de Ira Armstrong, el patrón zapatero a quien Davis estuvo aprendiz dos años: la educación apenas llegaba a leer, escribir y los rudimentos de la aritmética, y la separación la trajo el mesmerismo; el tramo se corta en el salto de plana.

«At that time, and until his services were wholly absorbed by the mesmeric art, he was engaged in the business of shoemaking.» — del testimonio del Rev. A. R. Bartlett, pastor en Poughkeepsie: hasta que el arte mesmérico absorbió sus servicios por entero, el muchacho estaba en el oficio de zapatero.

«The singular powers claimed for Mr. Davis were first brought into public notice by the experimental assistance of Mr. William Levingston, by whom he continued to be mesmerized for many months.» — Bartlett data en la asistencia experimental de William Levingston la primera notoriedad pública de los poderes que se reclaman para Davis, y cifra en muchos meses el tiempo en que siguió mesmerizándolo.

«In the autumn of 1843, a Mr. Grimes delivered in Poughkeepsie a number of lectures on Animal Magnetism, performing during his course a number of illustrative experiments.» — el escriba data el arranque de todo en las conferencias sobre magnetismo animal que un Mr. Grimes dio en Poughkeepsie en el otoño de 1843, con experimentos ilustrativos.

«Among the persons on whom Mr. Grimes essayed to operate was young Davis; but in this instance his most powerful efforts Jailed to produce any apparent effect.» — y consigna que sobre el propio Davis los esfuerzos de Grimes no produjeron efecto aparente; el troceo imprime el verbo deformado por el OCR.

«Either of the living witnesses is open to consultation; and each will testify to portions of the book being delivered in his presence by Mr. Davis while under the influence of magnetism — to the original manuscripts of which portions (which are carefully preserved) they may find their signatures attached.» — el escriba ofrece la comprobación material: cada testigo vivo puede ser consultado y hallará su firma en los manuscritos originales conservados.

«Our rooms, when the clairvoyant was not lecturing, were freely accessible to all persons, from seven o’clock in the morning until ten o’clock in the evening, including the hours of medical examinations.» — el alegato de puerta abierta con que Fishbough responde de antemano a la sospecha de fraude: las salas accesibles a cualquiera de siete de la mañana a diez de la noche.

«The fact is, however, it is known to an absolute moral certainty to Mr. Davis’s most intimate acquaintances, that he was, while in his normal state, totally uninformed on all the great leading subjects treated in his book, until he perused the manuscripts of his own lectures.» — y su conclusión sobre el estado normal: que en él Davis estaba totalmente desinformado de los grandes asuntos que su libro trata, hasta que leyó los manuscritos de sus propias lecciones.

«There were one hundred and fifty-seven lectures in all, the first being delivered November 28, 1845, and the last (viz., the “address to the world,” which comes first in the book) was delivered on the 25th of January, 1847.» — el censo entero de las sesiones y sus dos fechas extremas, con la nota de que el Address to the World fue la última dictada y va primera en el libro.

«The notes interspersed through the book, except that on page 593, were composed by ourself.» — y deslinda su voz de la del autor en el aparato: las notas del libro son suyas, con una sola excepción que localiza por página.

«Immediately after giving general directions as to the correction and publication of the work, he voluntarily, in the presence of a witness, and contrary to the expectation of every one, renounced all claim, direct and indirect, to any portion of the copyright, and the proceeds of the sales of the work, simply claiming a reasonable compensation for the time he had been employed in its delivery.» — el dato económico que Fishbough subraya: Davis renunció ante testigo a todo derecho de autor y a los ingresos de la venta, reclamando solo compensación razonable por el tiempo empleado; tramo largo releído entero en el crudo.

«It will be observed, however, that as the work advances from the commencement toward the close, the style and diction gradually improve — which fact is to be explained by the law of habit applicable to the mind in every condition in which it is capable of being placed.» — y anota un rasgo del texto con su explicación: el estilo y la dicción mejoran conforme avanza la obra, lo que atribuye a la ley del hábito aplicable a la mente en cualquier condición.

«The first of these consists of those who are strongly attached to hereditary customs and modes of thought, and who are averse to the unfolding of any truths in the departments of science and theology which conflict with that which they have been taught to believe and cherish as sacred.» — Fishbough clasifica de antemano a sus lectores en tres clases, y la primera es la de los apegados a las costumbres heredadas y adversos a lo que choque con lo que se les enseñó a tener por sagrado.

«The third class consists of those who are governed by the supreme love of truth and the practical results to which it leads.» — la tercera clase de lectores, a la que el escriba dice dirigirse sobre todo: los gobernados por el amor supremo a la verdad y por los resultados prácticos a que lleva.

«*Our table of contents for the present is designedly brief and very general. What is given we trust will not in any case tend to divert the mind of the reader to particular parts, in such a way as to prevent that progressive and consecutive perusal of the whole volume, which alone can insure a proper understanding of the parts.» — la nota del escriba al pie de la tabla de contenidos: la hace deliberadamente breve para no desviar al lector a partes sueltas y forzar la lectura consecutiva del volumen entero.

«THIRD EDITION. NEW YORK : PUBLISHED BY S. S. LYON, AND WM. FISHBOUGH. FOR SALE, WHOLESALE AND RETAIL, BY J. S. REDFIELD, CLINTON HALL.» — la portada da el pie entero y es el único sitio del troceo donde se imprime: tercera edición, Nueva York, publicada por S. S. Lyon y Wm. Fishbough y puesta a la venta por J. S. Redfield en Clinton Hall.

«Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847, By SILAS S. LYON, AND WILLIAM FISHBOUGH, in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States, in and for the Southern District of New York.» — el registro de derechos de 1847 lo toman a su nombre Silas S. Lyon y William Fishbough, el magnetizador y el escriba, no el autor.

«A supreme love of truth is the central point around which all his moral faculties revolve.» — Fishbough pone el amor supremo a la verdad como punto central alrededor del cual giran las facultades morales del joven.

«Dear Sir : In answer to yours of the 30th December last, asking some information respecting A. J. Davis, I can only say that he was born in this town* of poor but respectable parents.» — el primero de los testimonios pedidos por carta, de John Hinchman, de Hyde Park, fechado el 2 de enero de 1847; el escriba le pone nota al pie enmendando el lugar de nacimiento contra lo que dice el padre.

«Friend Wm. Fishbough : Thine of the 30th of last month is received, requesting of me to give thee what information I am in possession of in relation to the character, habits, &c., of A. J. Davis while a resident of our village. The first I knew of him was when about sixteen years of age, while he was an apprentice to the shoemaking business; and from that time I saw him very frequently until he left the place, which was from two to three years after, I think. As to his character and habits, I always believed them to be good; and his opportunities of instruction, if he had any, were very limited. I believe him to be an uneducated young man, and of very humble parentage. Very respectfully thy friend, E. C. SOUTHWICK.» — el segundo testimonio, de E. C. Southwick, de Poughkeepsie, escrito en el tuteo cuáquero: buen carácter, oportunidades de instrucción muy limitadas, joven sin educación y de humilde cuna; tramo largo releído entero en el crudo.

«In February, 1845, Mr. Davis being (with his magnetizer) in Bridgeport, Connecticut, attending to such patients as required his services, formed an acquaintance with Dr. S. S. Lyon» — el escriba data en febrero de 1845 y en Bridgeport el encuentro con el Dr. S. S. Lyon, el magnetizador de las sesiones del libro; el tramo se corta en el salto de plana.

«Dr. Lyon had previously been an unbeliever in clairvoyance, but the evidence of its truth, as presented in the case of young Davis, proved too powerful for him to resist; and under a deep conviction of its importance, he did not hesitate to render it his open encouragement» — y consigna el cambio de posición de Lyon, que había sido incrédulo en la clarividencia y pasó a darle aliento abierto.

«The time occupied in the delivery of a lecture varied from forty minutes to about four hours» — la medida material de una sesión, que el escriba da en minutos: de cuarenta minutos a unas cuatro horas; el tramo se corta en el salto de plana, donde sigue la cuenta de pliegos.

«But the truthfulness of the author’s motto can not but be apparent to every reflecting mind» — y contra la primera clase de lectores el escriba apela al lema del autor que la portada imprime, aquí llamado por su nombre y repetido entero a continuación.

«WILLIAM FISHBOUGH. Williamsburgh, N. Y., July, 1847.» — la firma y la data con que el escriba cierra su Introduction, que es lo que fija su voz y la separa de la del autor.

«* What is meant by “forms, series, and degrees,” is the unfoldings of the various and successive stages or kingdoms of creation, as the sequel will illustrate.» — otra nota del escriba, que define la expresión forms, series, and degrees como los despliegues de los estadios o reinos sucesivos de la creación.

«* That is, examining the diseased, with a view to the application of remedies.» — nota del escriba que precisa a qué examen se refiere el texto: el de los enfermos con vistas a aplicarles remedios.

«* All the inhabitants of the second Sphere or World of human existence, are considered as united and forming one. The “Mind” referred to, therefore, is the General Mind of the Second Sphere.» — nota del escriba que identifica a qué Mente se refiere el texto: la Mente General de la Segunda Esfera, cuyos habitantes se consideran unidos formando uno.

«* The word “superficial” which frequently occurs hereafter, is applied by the author to that which is incidental, external, opposed to the inward or “real reality,” and which floats, as it were, upon the surface of general causation. The term “unreal” is also frequently employed in the same sense.» — nota del escriba que fija el sentido técnico de un término del autor, opuesto a lo interior o real reality, y que declara de paso que unreal se usa igual.

«† The speaker here remarked that he used the word eternal in its full force.» — nota del escriba que conserva una acotación oral del hablante durante la sesión: usó la palabra eternal en toda su fuerza.

«* The abnormal state in which this was dictated. Proof of this state» — nota del escriba que identifica el referente del pasaje, y que es la primera vez que el aparato nombra el estado dentro del cuerpo del libro; el tramo incluye el arranque del párrafo siguiente para alcanzar el mínimo del verificador.