Esoteric V10: July 1896 - Iapsop.com

K .-\IOL\. 373
t•f!pt snd1 a doctrine! and that even miniRten in high ettate
preatlh :tneh doctrines to an enlightened people!
Of late yean what are called "OC'Cnlt novels'' hai'e become
popnlar; doctrines which would otherwise be unpalatable are
in this form made acceptable to the public taste. Mabel
CollintJ ha~~ written a novel entitled "The Confessions of a
Woman," in which she presents this doctrine of the destruction
of ''the lunar or desire body." A perusal of this book cannot
fail to Rhow that the idea.J set forth in •• Through the Gates of
Hold " are here wrought out in humA.n life and chA-racter.
We give but two extracts from the work, which the reader ·
will cum pare with tho11e we have quoted from •• Through the
GateR of Gold." The fint quotation contains a very clear expressicm
nf the method by whiuh the •• desire body" may M
destruyetl. and thns the desires made •• impotent:" " Well, I
have lived, and intensely: [ have lived e~rything out. till I am
a mere c.:orpse."
"Before that change H.aphael'M une-. Each leaf has a different place, but no place is
better than a.nnther. There are vit·tuons women who look
down upon Fan~ttiues because they are not virtuous; there are
Fau,.tines who look down on virtuous women merely becau8fl
they are not beautifully dressed. • • • Does it make any
difference in the end '! Is either really superinr to the other
afteT all'!'' We \tish we could advise oar studt>nts to read
thi11 book. so that they might judge for themsehes; but the
imagination ,,f the writer hils compas11ed so dat·k a picture of
two lives uttes·ly hla.~~ted, burnt out. by the fires of passion that
a pure mind rem>ils in bormr from it. The current of thought
which flowK from its page!l is of the most turbid charaeter; aad
tbere nnna.itl8 with the •·eatler a senMe of pollution which it
would be dtftitmlt to tint! another wurk cmpable of impa1·tiug.
Digitized by Coogle