Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1839-02-21
INSTANTANEOUS
The Doctors Theory of Progressive
Existence.
Guam multp pocudcs humane in cOrporc vivunt!


present would be intolerabe to u thinking mind
and feeling heart But in his speculations he
looked 10 the past also.
Watson, bishop of Llandaif, amused himself
with asking from whom his mind descended
where it existed before he was born? and who
he should have been if he had not been Richard
Watson2 "The bishop was philosopher" says
Dr. Jarrod, "and ought not to have used such
idle questions" My doctor would not have a.
greed with DR.. Jarrold in this opinion. Who
the bishop might have been if he had not been
the discontinued hero ofhis own autobiography,
he could not indeed have pretended TO divine;
but what he was before he was Richard Watson,
where his mind had existed before he was born,
and from whom, or rather from what, it had
been transmitted, were questions which, accord
ing 10 his notions, might admit Of a probable
solution.
1t will not surprise the judcious reader to be
told that the doctor was prolessed physlogno-
mist, though Lavater had not in those days
made it fashionable TO talk Of physognomy as
a science. Baptista Pora led him to consider
the subject; and the coarse wood-cuts ola bung-
ling Italian elucidated the system as eGectuaIy
as has since been done by Mr.. Holoway's gra-
yer. But Mr.. Dove carried it farther than the
Swiss enthusiast after, or the Neapoitan ply
stefan before him. He insisted that the strong
animal likenesses which are often so distinctly
10 be traced in men, and the correspondent pro
pensities wherewith they are frequently accom-
panied, are evidence of our having pre-existed
in an inferior state Of being. And he dsduced
from II theory, or notion, as he modestly call.
ed it, which he would have firmly believed FOL
be part of the patIiarchaI faith, if he had not
known how much it resembled the doctrine of
the druids.
His notion was that the Archeus, or living
principle, acquires that perfect wisdom with
which 1t acts, by passing through long pro-
erosion in the lower world before it becomes
capable being united 10 a rational and immor-
tai soul IN the human body. He even persua-
ded himsefthat he could discover in particular
indications efthe line by which their
orcheus had travelled through the vegetable
and animal kingdoms.
There was little pragmatical excseman,
with hungry face, sharp nose, red eyes, and
hin, coarse, struggling hair Of a yellow cast,
what was formerly called Judas-color.) whom
le pronounced TO have been ferret in his last,
age. depend upon it," he said, ''no rat will
,ome under the roof where he resides!'' And
lie was particularly careful when they met
n the open air always TO take the wind OF him.
One lawyer, man of ability and fair char
lcter, but ready TO avail himself of every adj {
antage which his profession afforded, he ira
ed from bramble into wasp, thence into a
and lastly into fox, the yuIpine
haracier being manifestly retained in his coun.
eEance. There was another, who, from sweep. Il
Hg his masters office and backing his shoes.
aaa risen to be the most noted peltilogger in
hose PARTS. This fellow was his peculiar alb y
D5rrence; his living principle, he affirmed, r
'1uld never have existed in any other form than 6
nat oil nuisance; and accordingly he made "
vat his genealogy thus: London bug, an ear P
slg, pole-cat, and, still worsening as he went
N, knavish attorney. p
He convicted an old major in the West York IT
militia of having been turkey-cock; aad all
VINO knew the major were satisfied of'the like y
ess' whatever they might be Of the theory.
One Of the neighboring justices was a large, o
quare-bullt, heavy person, with huge head, =
wide mouth, little eyes, and slender pro-
ortlon Of intellect. Him he set down for ale
Ppopotamus. II
A brother magistrate Of the majors had beer
goose, beyond all dispute. There was even a
roof of the fact; for it was perfectly well re- !,
that he had been born web-fnrered. q
All those persons who habitually set up till I
light is far spent, and as regularly pass the u
est hours Of the morning in bed, he supposed z
0 have been bats, night-birds, night-prowling
casts, and insects whose portion of active life
ms been assigned to them during the hours of
arkness. One indication ofthis was, that can. h
le-light could not have such attractions for y
hem unless they had been moths. q
The dog was frequently detected in all its va g
ieties from the lap-dog, who had passed into E
he whip-snapper petit-maitre, and the turns /,
pit, who was now the bandy-legged bakers boy +,
to the sources eldest son, who had been a -
urcher--the butcher who had been n bulldog, =
nd so continued still in the same line Of llel ~
Lord As domestic chaplain, harmless, good
atured, sleek, obsequous, and as fond of ease. =.
Indulgence, and at fre-sde, as when he hadl =
ecn paror spaniel; Sir William BIS hunts =
nan, who exercised now the whip which he had .
cit when last upon four legs, and who was still
n ugly hound, though stanch and the doctors II
wn man, Barnaby, whom for Steadiness, fidel- -
ty, and courage, he pronounced TO have been :,
true old English mastifl, and one of the r.
est of his kind. =
Chloris had been a lily. You saw it in the ~ ="
ckly delicacy of her complexion. Moreover, y,
he toled not neither did she spin. -
young lady, in whose family he was per- ~
city familiar, had the singular hab ofsitting ~
ways upon one foot, which as she sat down ~
le conveyed SO dexterously into the seat off a.
Or chair, that no one who was not previously