Page:Love and its hidden history.djvu/36

 and she can instantly turn the current of her own dangerous thought, impulse, or tendency, by resolutely thinking of something else, and firmly fixing the mind upon it!

III. A great many think themselves in love, who are only magneticalty fascinated, or, perhaps, vampyrized; and all marriages consummated under that delusion are just as certain to produce sickness, wretchedness, untold misery, as that units of the same kind equal each other. Test the matter thus, and the counsel will serve for either sex: If the affection be one of soul and principle, it will stand the test. If otherwise, it will not. The test itself is absolute and certain, and is based upon a correct understanding of the working of the highest faculty in conformity with the highest law of mind. Let us suppose a case, and try it by way of illustration. Mary fancies herself in love with Henry, and to find out whether it is true love or mere magnetic passion, she carefully bathes to cool her blood, and then calmly sits at a table, leaning her face upon her hands, and steadily gazing at a spoonful of ink in a saucer upon the table, a speck of dust, or any other object she may chance to see before her. This, to enable her to concentrate her mental faculties. She now seriously, first, prays for internal, spiritual, religious light to solve her doubts, and then directs her whole soul toward Henry, desiring to know him as he really is, thus bringing his mental image before her mind's eye; at the same time desiring to know of her own soul whether his love for her be real. If it be real, the mental image will stand revealed before her soul in an atmosphere perfectly lucid, clear, and cool. But if not true, then her perception will be blurred, vagarious,. stifling, and confused. This is decisive; nor is it black art, folly, spiritualistic, or mediatorial, but is based on three laws of the human mind: 1st, the law and power of the will; 2d, concentration to a given end; and, 3d, the truth-compelling power of the human soul; for God never allows a lie to flow into us if we prayerfully, steadily, holily, and persistently ask for Truth! If the eyes be closed during the process, it is still better than as above directed. Love clarifies! Passion blurs the wonderful mirror-lenses of the human soul!

IV. In the same identical way the person may easily ascertain the whereabouts and condition of absent ones; in a word here is the whole secret of modern so-called "clairvoyance," in a