We also speak of mind, intellect, soul; but to them we can give no form, and of them paint no likeness.  Yet we have ideas of them, and employ words to express them, which become nouns.

This accounts for the reason why the great Parent Intellect has strictly forbidden, in the decalogue, that a likeness of him should be constructed.  His being and attributes are discoverable only thro the medium of his works and word.  No man can see him and live.  It would be the height of folly—­it would be more—­it would be blasphemy—­to attempt to paint the likeness of him whose presence fills immensity—­whose center is every where, and whose circumference is no where.  The name of this Spirit or Being was held in the most profound reverence by the Jews, as we shall have occasion to mention when we come to treat of the verb =to be=.

We talk of angels, and have seen the unhallowed attempt to describe their likeness in the form of pictures, which display the fancy of the artist very finely, but give a miserable idea of those pure spirits who minister at the altar of God, and chant his praises in notes of the most unspeakable delight.

We have also seen death and the pale horse, the firy dragon, the mystery of Babylon, and such like things, represented on canvass; but they betoken more of human talent to depict the marvellous, than a strict regard for truth.  Beelzebub, imps, and all Pandemonium, may be vividly imagined and finely arranged in fiction, and we can name them.  Wizzards, witches, and fairies, may play their sportive tricks in the human brain, and receive names as tho they were real.

We also think and speak of the qualities and affections of the mind as well as matter, as wisdom, knowledge, virtue, vice, love, hatred, anger.  Our conceptions in this case may be less distinct, but we have ideas, and use words to express them.  There is, we confess, a greater liability to mistake and misunderstand when treating of mind and its qualities, than of matter.  The reason is evident, people know less of it.  Its operations are less distinct and more varying.

The child first sees material objects.  It is taught to name them.  It next learns the qualities of things; as the sweetness of sugar, the darkness of night, the beauty of flowers.  From this it ascends by gradation to the higher attainments of knowledge as revealed in the empire of mind, as well as matter.  Great care should be taken that this advancement be easy, natural, and thoro.  It should be constantly impressed with the importance of obtaining clear and definite ideas of things, and never employ words till it has ideas to express; never name a thing of which it has no knowledge.  This is ignorance.