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but he had cheapened this； declaring it to be an unsubstantial
mockery； that could give no such comfort in the hour of death as
was unquestionably given by belief in heaven and hell。
Dr。 Gurgoyle； however； had an equal horror； on the one hand； of
anything involving resumption of life by the body when it was once
dead； and on the other； of the view that life ended with the change
which we call death。 He did not； indeed； pretend that he could do
much to take away the sting from death； nor would he do this if he
could； for if men did not fear death unduly； they would often court
it unduly。 Death can only be belauded at the cost of belittling
life； but he held that a reasonable assurance of fair fame after
death is a truer consolation to the dying； a truer comfort to
surviving friends； and a more real incentive to good conduct in
this life； than any of the consolations or incentives falsely
fathered upon the Sunchild。
He began by setting aside every saying ascribed； however truly； to
my father； if it made against his views； and by putting his own
glosses on all that he could gloze into an appearance of being in
his favour。 I will pass over his attempt to combat the rapidly
spreading belief in a heaven and hell such as we accept； and will
only summarise his contention that； of our two livesnamely； the
one we live in our own persons； and that other life which we live
in other people both before our reputed death and after itthe
second is as essential a factor of our complete life as the first
is； and sometimes more so。
Life； he urged； lies not in bodily organs； but in the power to use
them； and in the use that is made of themthat is to say； in the
work they do。 As the essence of a factory is not in the building
wherein the work is done； nor yet in the implements used in turning
it out； but in the will…power of the master and in the goods he
makes； so the true life of a man is in his will and work； not in
his body。 〃Those；〃 he argued； 〃who make the life of a man reside
within his body； are like one who should mistake the carpenter's
tool…box for the carpenter。〃
He maintained that this had been my father's teaching； for which my
father heartily trusts that he may be forgiven。
He went on to say that our will…power is not wholly limited to the
working of its own special system of organs； but under certain
conditions can work and be worked upon by other will…powers like
itself： so that if； for example； A's will…power has got such hold
on B's as to be able； through B； to work B's mechanism； what seems
to have been B's action will in reality have been more A's than
B's； and this in the same real sense as though the physical action
had been effected through A's own mechanical systemA； in fact；
will have been living in B。 The universally admitted maxim that he
who does this or that by the hand of an agent does it himself；
shews that the foregoing view is only a roundabout way of stating
what common sense treats as a matter of course。
Hence； though A's individual will…power must be held to cease when
the tools it works with are destroyed or out of gear； yet； so long
as any survivors were so possessed by it while it was still
efficient； or； again； become so impressed by its operation on them
through work that he has left； as to act in obedience to his will…
power rather than their own； A has a certain amount of bona fide
life still remaining。 His vicarious life is not affected by the
dissolution of his body； and in many cases the sum total of a man's
vicarious action and of its outcome exceeds to an almost infinite
extent the sum total of those actions and works that were effected
through the mechanism of his own physical organs。 In these cases
his vicarious life is more truly his life than any that he lived in
his own person。
〃True；〃 continued the Doctor； 〃while living in his own person； a
man knows； or thinks he knows； what he is doing； whereas we have no
reason to suppose such knowledge on the part of one whose body is
already dust； but the consciousness of the doer has less to do with
the livingness of the deed than people generally admit。 We know
nothing of the power that sets our heart beating； nor yet of the
beating itself so long as it is normal。 We know nothing of our
breathing or of our digestion； of the all…important work we
achieved as embryos； nor of our growth from infancy to manhood。 No
one will say that these were not actions of a living agent； but the
more normal； the healthier； and thus the more truly living； the
agent is； the less he will know or have known of his own action。
The part of our bodily life that enters into our consciousness is
very small as compared with that of which we have no consciousness。
What completer proof can we have that livingness consists in deed
rather than in consciousness of deed？
〃The foregoing remarks are not intended to apply so much to
vicarious action in virtue； we will say； of a settlement； or
testamentary disposition that cannot be set aside。 Such action is
apt to be too unintelligent； too far from variation and quick
change to rank as true vicarious action； indeed it is not rarely
found to effect the very opposite of what the person who made the
settlement or will desired。 They are meant to apply to that more
intelligent and versatile action engendered by affectionate
remembrance。 Nevertheless； even the compulsory vicarious action
taken in consequence of a will； and indeed the very name 〃will〃
itself； shews that though we cannot take either flesh or money with
us； we can leave our will…power behind us in very efficient
operation。
〃This vicarious life （on which I have insisted； I fear at
unnecessary length； for it is so obvious that none can have failed
to realise it） is lived by every one of us before death as well as
after it； and is little less important to us than that of which we
are to some extent conscious in our own persons。 A man； we will
say； has written a book which delights or displeases thousands of
whom he knows nothing； and who know nothing of him。 The book； we
will suppose； has considerable； or at any rate some influence on
the action of these people。 Let us suppose the writer fast asleep
while others are enjoying his work； and acting in consequence of
it； perhaps at long distances from him。 Which is his truest life
the one he is leading in them； or that equally unconscious life
residing in his own sleeping body？ Can there be a doubt that the
vicarious life is the more efficient？
〃Or when we are waking； how powerfully does not the life we are
living in others pain or delight us； according as others think ill
or well of us？ How truly do we not recognise it as part of our own
existence； and how great an influence does not the fear of a
present hell in men's bad thoughts； and the hope of a present
heaven in their good ones； influence our own conduct？ Have we not
here a true heaven and a true hell； as compared with the efficiency
of which these gross material ones so falsely engrafted on to the
Sunchild's teaching are but as the flint implements of a
prehistoric race？ 'If a man；' said the Sunchild； 'fear not man；
whom he hath s