With the history and death of Thomas Paine, I know nothing, save what has been written by an invisible influence with my hand. Having been connected with the ministry for over twenty two years, I was not inclined to read his productions; and since I have become a writing Medium, I have found no leisure to read any book. In fact, my taste for reading the productions of human wisdom is all absorbed in the divine. The spirit proposes to write another volume, and when it is written, it will be published. The Diagram will serve to explain the circles of wisdom, as enjoyed by minds in heaven. There are minds in the body who occupy the first, second, third, and fourth circle, according to this diagram. But I would inform the reader, that whatever may be the circle to which minds belong, in the rudimental or second sphere, it does not separate one from another by an impassable partition, so that one can not hold intercourse with another, though occupying different circles. As different circles in the body may converse together, so different circles in the spirit world may do the same. The circles do not represent arbitrary lines of division between spirits, but simply degrees of wisdom. That the higher circles mingle with the lower, for the purpose of making them wiser, is apparent from the whole body of this work. I consider, therefore, that circles express the degrees of wisdom and bliss which each spirit is qualified, as it is developed, to enjoy, and not as forming a line of separation among the inhabitants of heaven. The wisdom of heaven differs essentially from the wisdom of earth, in regard to the real merits of the mind, and its qualifications for enjoyment. The style of some parts of this volume is unusual. A circle is sometimes addressed in the singular number, where it would seem to require the plural; but this departure from grammatical accuracy, may be justified on the ground, that the circle were all of one mind, or sentiment. C. HAMMOND. ROCHESTER, March, 1852. [Illustration: DIAGRAM, REPRESENTING THE DIFFERENT CIRCLES AND SPHERES IN THE SPIRIT WORLD.] [EXPLANATION.] 1. Wisdom, wholly selfish, or seeking selfish good. 2. Wisdom, controlled by popular opinion. 3. Wisdom, independent of popularity, but not perfect. 4. Wisdom, which seeks others’ good and not evil. 5. Wisdom, in purity, or a circle of Purity. 6. Wisdom, in perfection to prophecy. 7. Wisdom, to instruct all others of less wisdom. CHAPTER I. SICKNESS, DEATH, AND BURIAL OF THOMAS PAINE.