TO THE MOST REVEREND RICHARD WHATELY, D. D. LORD ARCHBISHOP OF DUBLIN. I MY LORD, HAVE much satisfaction in at length availing myself of the permission granted me, to dedicate this work to Your Grace. I am glad to bring my protracted labours to a close, and for the present dismiss a subject which has often occupied my thoughts for ten years past, and my pen for more than seven. I am glad also to have this opportunity of expressing my gratitude for the kindness and encouragement to which, under Divine providence, I in great measure owe my ordination to the ministry; and which has continued to attend me since. And I may be permitted here to thank Your Grace also for having so kindly consented to inspect some of the earlier parts of my book, before I had it in contemplation to enter into holy orders. The measure of approbation which it then received induces me to hope that it will, upon the whole, be approved of now that it is completed; although on some material points I am ignorant of Your Grace's sentiments, and have, as I am well aware, gone beyond them upon others. I have chiefly endeavoured to maintain the three important and connected truths,-that the Future Existence of man, in happiness or misery, is not discoverable by human reason, but is known only by revelation;-that it is not the mere natural continuance of the present life, but is wholly effected by the mediation of Christ ;-and that it will be entered upon at, and not before, the resurrection of the dead. I cannot venture to hope that, in very variously discussing a subject so extensive and profound, I have always avoided error; neither do I expect, even where not in error, to escape the censure of those who have a wider and easier creed, and are naturally unwilling that the way of life should be thus narrowed. But I know the strength of my position; and I am at least confident of having, in Your Grace, one impartial, yet, as I hope, favourable, judge; and one who will ever be disposed to welcome any well-directed attempt to vindicate Scriptural truth. That Your Grace may long continue to be successful in such attempts, and to promote them, by precept and example, in your archdiocese and in the Church, is, My Lord, the sincere desire and prayer of Your Grace's most obliged and obedient Servant REGINALD COURTENAY. Thornton Watlass. August 10, 1843. II. The Dependence of the Mind upon the Brain..... 38 III. The Body no Impediment to the Mind.............. 51 IV. The Utility of the Body in Mental Processes........ V. The Argument from the Indivisibility of Mind.... 75 VI. The Argument from Man's physical Superiority VII. Conclusion and Recapitulation..... Note. In the work, Chapters IV. V. VI. VII. are numbered V. VI. |