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106 by his maierial body being larger? Thus the body, we see, is no part of the essential man at all. We may try this in another way,—which, though it may appear somewhat ludicrous, is not the less logical. Does it alter a man's essential character at all, to cut off one of his limbs? After the surgeon has performed the operation, is he not precisely the same man he was before—with the same ideas, sentiments, affections, abilities? There may be indeed, a temporary state of excitement upon him, in consequence of pain he may have undergone: but when that subsides, he will be the same man as before. Now suppose the other limb cut off: would he not be still essentially the same man? Then suppose both the arms removed: does that have any effect on the ruling character of the individual? We have only to go one step farther: suppose a cannon-ball were to take off his head. Will even that change his mind or character,—still more, destroy it? Why should it do so? If a knife or a cannon-ball, taking off both legs, has no effect on the character, but he is the same man still; if another ball taking away the arms, leave the man precisely the same as before—a brave and high-minded officer, for instance—by what rule of proportion will the third ball change that mind, or destroy it altogether, when two balls had no effect upon it at all? No! the spirit is indestructible and intangible by any material force. We may thus reason satisfactorily, that the material body is no essential part of the man; that though part after part of it be taken away, precisely the same mind remains, and that mind we feel and see to be the man and the whole man. We esteem and love our friend just as highly and as