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8 ESOTERIC ANTHROPOLOGY.
valion, social harmony, and individual and general hap
piness.
From the general censure on medical books, espe
cially those written upon any speciality of disease or
practice, I wish to except most of the works on Hy
dropathy. A few have stamped upon them somewhat
too strongly,
'• Come to me and be cured !" but far the
greater number bear the impress of a wise and noble
philanthropy. Such works it is not my design to super
sede. Read them all, and learn and practice all they
have of truth. Read Gully, Wilson, Francke, Shew,
and the comprehensive and methodical Encyclopedia
of Dr. Trail. For what it purports to be, read my own
"Introduction to the Water-Cure;" and for the best
work of its kind, read Mrs. Gove Nichols' "
Experi
ence in Water-Cure," a book every woman should
attentively study, and resolutely live by.
But when you have read all these, there will be
many things of the most intimate character you will
still desire to know; many questions you might wish
to ask. much knowledge that might be useful in your
efforts to live a true life. To give you this knowledge,
in the clearest and most unobjectionable way, is the
object of this volume.
Its plan and method are the result of long reflection,
and a desire to give just what was necessary to the de
sign, and no more. That design is to give, as far as
possible, either what does not exist in any other work,
what lies buried in a mass of error, or hidden under
scientific disguises, or what must be excluded from
works of a merely popular character, and intended for
general circulation. Consequently, those portions of