[Footnote 8: The word “contemplation”—from _con_=with, and _templum_=temple—means evidently not mere objective observation, but an indwelling in the same temple with the truth which is to be known, an identification of subject and object in the light of divine wisdom, the temple of truth. The attainment of knowledge by such a contemplation is only possible for those whose spiritual perception is open. A blind person may dwell forever in the temple of truth without being able to know it. To those who by an unfoldment of their spirituality have attained this power of contemplation, its sufficiency for the attainment of spiritual knowledge is self-evident and requires no arguments. Those who do not possess this power will find it difficult to understand the meaning of this term, and suppose it to be imagination.] [Footnote 9: Herder.] [Footnote 10: Only very recently in the courts of Vienna during a sensational trial in regard to the state of _non compos mentis_, concerning a nobleman, who left a considerable fortune to his servants, the total ignorance of the experts on “psychology” regarding all matters concerning the soul, and their total incapacity to judge of the character and motives of a person, became so plain and was exposed in such a ludicrous manner, that it became the public opinion, which was also expressed by the judge, that the custom of calling in medical men as experts in such things ought to be abandoned, and that actors, novel-writers, or such as possess more capacity to know the motives of human nature should be selected for that purpose.] [Footnote 11: We may read at any time that the views of the ancients in regard to this or that were “very vague”; while in fact the vagueness is with the critic who does not understand what the views of the ancients were. Words are made for the purpose of expressing ideas, and if the ideas are not perceived the words are only misleading. If we interpret the meaning of a term according to our own fancy, we shall find therein only the misconception put into it by ourselves, but not the original meaning.] [Footnote 12: We call this the _sensual plane_, merely because it includes that which is perceived by the senses of our _physical_ body. If the senses of the _astral_ form are developed, the astral plane will also be our _sensual_ plane. There can be no knowledge without perception, and no perception without a sense for that purpose. A system of philosophy based merely upon speculation, and without any perception of truth, is no philosophy at all; but consists merely of vagaries, illusions and dreams.] [Footnote 13: See Rama Prasad’s “Nature’s Finer Forces.”] [Footnote 14: See “Magic, white and black,” 4th edition, London, 1893 (Kegan, Paul and Co.).]