Page:TheYoungMansGuide.djvu/37

 doubt that  we  are  able  to  think,  will,  and  re« member. On this  account  it  would  be  equally unreasonable to  refuse  to  believe  in  the  presence within us  of  a  soul  endowed  with  reason.

2. Thus  the  power  of  thought  is  a  proof  of the  existence  within  us  of  an  independent  and rational soul. But stop! We have  reckoned without our  host,  that  is,  without  the  modern unbelieving scientists! They think  scornfully of our  old-fashioned  ideas,  and  exclaim:  "O you  silly  people!  Thought  is  nothing  more than  an  act  of  the  brain!  In  order  to  do  this there  is  no  need  of  a  soul;  that  is  to  say,  no  need of  a  spiritual  and  independent  being."

But pause  awhile,  you  wiseacres,  and  allow  us to  ask  you  a  question. From a  neighboring house the  sound  of  a  masterly  performance  on the  piano  reaches  our  ears. Do you  mean  to assert  that  the  music  is  nothing  more  than  an act  of  the  piano,  that  the  instrument  plays  of itself? Every child  would  say  of  you,  "these people  are  too  clever  by  half." Therefore, good gentlemen, we  continue  to  believe  that  thought is the  music  of  the  soul;  and  that  where  thoughts exist, there  must  be  a  soul  capable  of  thought, just as,  where  there  is  the  sound  of  music  from  a piano,  there  must  be  also  a  performer.

3. What  now  is  the  case  of  animals,  especially those which  are  most  highly  trained,  as  for  instance the  dog,  the  horse,  or  the  monkey? Have not they  likewise  a  soul? Certainly the  animal possesses sensible  impressions,  feelings,  impulses, a memory,  and  as  far  as  this  goes,  one  may  speak of a  soul. But the  soul  of  the  animal  is  essentially and  immeasurably  removed  from  the  soul of man,  because  it  is  not  possessed  of  reason. Even, to  use  a  common  phrase,  the  most  intelli-