| Tablet to August Forel | 10 |
of an unseen Reality that embraceth all beings, and
that existeth and revealeth itself in all stages, the
essence whereof is beyond the grasp of the mind.
Thus the mineral world understandeth neither the
nature nor the perfections of the vegetable world;
the vegetable world understandeth not the nature
of the animal world, neither the animal world the
nature of the reality of man that discovereth and
embraceth all things.
The animal is the captive of nature and cannot transgress the rules and laws thereof. In man, however, there is a discovering power that transcendeth the world of nature and controlleth and interfereth with the laws thereof. For instance, all minerals, plants and animals are captives of nature. The sun itself with all its majesty is so subservient to nature that it hath no will of its own and cannot deviate a hair's-breadth from the laws thereof. In like manner all other beings, whether of the mineral, the vegetable or the animal world, cannot deviate from the laws of nature, nay, all are the slaves thereof. Man, however, though in body the captive of nature is yet free in his mind and soul, and hath the mastery over nature.
Consider: according to the law of nature man
liveth, moveth and hath his being on earth, yet his
soul and mind interfere with the laws thereof, and
