Fa. If the Body be the Habitation or House of the Soul, I see a great many whose Mind is very illy seated.

Eu. It is so, that is to say, in Houses where it rains in, that are dark, exposed to all Winds, that are smoaky, damp, decay’d, and ruinous, and such as are filthy and infected:  and yet Cato accounts it the principal Happiness of a Man, to dwell handsomly.

Fa. It were tolerable, if there was any passing out of one House into another.

Eu. There’s no going out before the Landlord calls out.  But tho’ we can’t go out, yet we may by our Art and Care make the Habitation of our Mind commodious; as in a House the Windows are changed, the Floor taken up, the Walls are either plaistered or wainscotted, and the Situation may be purified with Fire or Perfume.  But this is a very hard Matter, in an old Body that is near its Ruin.  But it is of great Advantage to the Body of a Child, to take the Care of it that ought to be taken presently after its Birth.

Fa. You would have Mothers and Nurses to be Doctors.

Eu. So indeed I would, as to the Choice and moderate Use of Meat, Drink, Motion, Sleep, Baths, Unctions, Frictions, and Cloathings.  How many are there, think you, who are expos’d to grievous Diseases and Vices, as Epilepsies, Leanness, Weakness, Deafness, broken Backs, crooked Limbs, a weak Brain, disturbed Minds, and for no other Reason than that their Nurses have not taken a due Care of them?

Fa. I wonder you are not rather a Franciscan than a Painter, who preach so finely.

Eu. When you are a Nun of the Order of St. Clare, then I’ll be a Franciscan, and preach to you.

Fa. In Truth, I would fain know what the Soul is, about which we hear so much, and talk of so often, and no Body has seen.

Eu. Nay, every Body sees it that has Eyes.

Fa. I see Souls painted in the Shape of little Infants, but why do they put Wings to them as they do to Angels?

Eu. Why, because, if we can give any Credit to the Fables of Socrates, their Wings were broken by their falling from Heaven.

Fa. How then are they said to fly up to Heaven?

Eu. Because Faith and Charity make their Wings grow again.  He that was weary of this House of his Body, begg’d for these Wings, when he cry’d out, Who will give me the Wings of a Dove, that I may fly away, and be at rest.  Nor has the Soul any other Wings, being incorporeal, nor any Form that can be beheld by the Eyes of the Body.  But those Things that are perceiv’d by the Mind, are more certain.  Do you believe the Being of God?

Fa. Yes, I do.

Eu. But nothing is more invisible than God.

Fa. He is seen in the Works of Creation.

Eu. In like Manner the Soul is seen in Action.  If you would know how it acts in a living Body, consider a dead Body.  When you see a Man Feel, See, Hear, Move, Understand, Remember and Reason, you see the Soul to be in him with more Certainty than you see this Tankard; for one Sense may be deceiv’d, but so many Proofs of the Senses cannot deceive you.