The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2
      have endeavored to slur over a point which they found it impossible to comprehend. The retardation actually experienced is, on the other hand, about that which might be expected from the friction of the ether in the instantaneous passage through the orb. In the one case, the retarding force is momentary and complete within itself—in the other it is endlessly accumulative.     

 P. But in all this—in this identification of mere matter with God—is there nothing of irreverence? [I was forced to repeat this question before the sleep-waker fully comprehended my meaning.]     

 V. Can you say why matter should be less reverenced than mind? But you forget that the matter of which I speak is, in all respects, the very “mind” or “spirit” of the schools, so far as regards its high capacities, and is, moreover, the “matter” of these schools at the same time. God, with all the powers attributed to spirit, is but the perfection of matter.     

 P. You assert, then, that the unparticled matter, in motion, is thought?     

 V. In general, this motion is the universal thought of the universal mind. This thought creates. All created things are but the thoughts of God.     

 P. You say, “in general.”      

 V. Yes. The universal mind is God. For new individualities, matter is necessary.     

 P. But you now speak of “mind” and “matter” as do the metaphysicians.     

 V. Yes—to avoid confusion. When I say “mind,” I mean the unparticled or ultimate matter; by “matter,” I intend all else.     

 P. You were saying that “for new individualities matter is necessary.”      

 V. Yes; for mind, existing unincorporate, is merely God. To create individual, thinking beings, it was necessary to incarnate portions of the divine mind. Thus man is individualized. Divested of corporate investiture, he were God. Now, the particular motion of the incarnated portions of the unparticled matter is the thought of man; as the motion of the whole is that of God.     

 P. You say that divested of the body man will be God?     


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