That the Order of Nature shows us great and wonderful changes, which the living being undergoes-and arising from beginnings inconceivably low, to higher and higher conditions of consciousness and action;--That hence an exaltation of our Powers by the change Death, would be congruous to the progress which we have witnessed in other creatures, and have experienced in ourselves;--That the fact, that before Death we possess Powers of acting, and suffering, and enjoying, affords a _primâ facie_ probability that, after Death, we shall continue to possess them; because it is a constant presumption in Nature, and one upon which we constantly reason and rely, speculatively and practically, that all things will continue as they are, unless a cause appear sufficient for changing them;--But that in Death nothing appears which should suffice to _destroy_ the Powers of Action, Enjoyment, and Suffering in a Living Being;--For that in all we know of Death we know the destruction of parts _instrumental_ to the Uses of a Living Being;--But that of any destruction reaching, or that we have reason to suppose to reach the Living Being, we know nothing;--That the Unity of Consciousness persuades us that the Being in which Consciousness essentially resides is one and indivisible--by any accident, Death inclusive, indiscerptible;--That the progress of diseases, growing till they kill the mortal body, but leaving the Faculties of the Soul in full force to the last gasp of living breath, is a particular argument, establishing this independence of the Living Being--the Spirit--which is the Man himself--upon the accidents which may befall the perishable Frame. NORTH. Having seen, then, a Natural Probability that the principle within us, which is the seat and source of Thought and Feeling, and of such Life as can be imparted to the Body, will subsist undestroyed by the changes of the Body--and having recognised the undoubted Power of the Creator--if it pleases Him--indefinitely to prolong the life which He has given--how would you and I, my dear Friends, proceed--from the ground thus gained--and on which--with Butler--we take our stand--to speak farther of reasons for believing in the Immortality of the Soul? SEWARD. I feel, sir, that I have already taken more than my own part in this conversation. We should have to inquire, sir, whether in His known attributes, and in the known modes of His government, we could ascertain any causes making it probable that He will thus prolong our existence--and we find many such grounds of confidence. NORTH. Go on, my dear Seward. SEWARD. If you please, sir, be yours the closing words--for the Night. NORTH.