Each of these wretched men had a bag which
he filled with lumps of the yellow metal, and when it was full, carried
it on his shoulders, tottering under its weight, till he reached his
home. "Neither do these men know the use of gold," said my guide, "for they
are misers, and their sole delight is to collect gold and to worship it,
without doing good to themselves or others." My curiosity was roused at this strange sight, and I followed these men
with my eyes, as a wide plain stretched itself out, and I being on
elevated ground, could see to a great distance, for I wished to see how
far they could stagger under their enormous weight. No dwellings
appeared near at hand, and yet I was surprised to notice that one after
the other these men suddenly disappeared. Many of them had started about
the same time laden with their sacks of gold, and not one of the many
was visible to me now on that broad open plain. Where could they have
all gone? "I will tell you," said my companion, answering as usual to my
thoughts. "These spirits, fearing lest their houses should be broken
into and pillaged, burrow under the ground, where they can keep their
riches in security. They seldom show themselves in the daytime, but come
out of their holes at night like the owl in search of plunder. In the
world they lived by stealing, cheating, and getting money under false
pretences, and this is their lot after death. Their subterranean
dwellings are paved and lined with gold, yet they are always wretched,
for they know no other delight than to amass gold for its own sake." I grew melancholy as I reflected on the lot of these men. "At least my lot will not be with them," I said to myself. "I hope it
cannot be said of me that I worship gold. If I have made the converting
of other metals into gold the study of my life, it was not for the sake
of the yellow metal, but from the pure love of science like those
philosophers of the first halls." "True," said my friend, in reply to my meditations, "and yet methinks
their lot pleased you but little. The study of science for the sake of
science and without other object, is little better than the grubbing of
gold for the sake of gold. Think you not that a man's life ought to have
a little higher aim?" "Certainly," said I, "that our studies may be useful to others, that our
discoveries may benefit mankind to the end, that we may become more
civilised, more intellectual, more virtuous, more moral." "If then," replied the sage, "you admit this to be the true end of the
life of man, why do you persist in following the one study of converting
baser metals into gold, which, if the secret is once made known, could
not be of the slightest service to mankind at large, whilst you would
only reap the selfish and vain satisfaction of having discovered the
secret, whereas the precious time that has been wasted in this useless
study would have been better employed in experiments that might tend to
discoveries beneficial to the whole human race." The argument of my venerable guide made a deep impression on me, and I
reflected a moment. "Is it possible," thought I, "that all my life has been a mistake. Have
I mistaken mere vain and selfish ambition for that pure love of science
that dignifies and elevates the human mind? No," I answered to myself,
"not exactly; and yet I have been mistaken in studying alchemy; for
surely we ought to consider the end of whatever study we pursue, which
end ought to be in some way or other useful to mankind at large. Now,
supposing, after having wasted the energies of a lifetime in pursuit of
the philosopher's stone, I had at length discovered the secret, it could
only benefit myself, and my aim after all was no higher than that of
those wretched spirits whose lot I shrank from. You are right, O sage. I
will no longer waste my time and health in a fruitless study, but
henceforth devote myself to something that may benefit my fellow
creatures." "You are fast growing wise," said the sage, replying to my thoughts;
"keep to that resolution, and the comfort you will experience from the
consciousness that you have devoted your life to the welfare of your
race will be the true alchemy, for it will be spiritual gold." My heart yearned towards the kind old man at these words, and in an
ecstasy of affection and reverence as well as joy at having discovered
the error of my life, I embraced him, begged him never to leave me, but
be ever with me--to guide me in wisdom; to be, in fact, a father to me,
and I would follow his counsel as a son. The kindly sage smiled benevolently on me, and replied:

"My son, our lots are different; at least, for the present. Recollect
that you are yet in the body, whilst I have for many ages back been all
spirit. We must shortly part; you will return to the body until you are
called from thence, whilst I must hasten to the society of spirits to
which I belong. Till then, however, I will be your guide, and give you
what instruction I may in spiritual things." I thanked him, and expressed my regret at having to part from him so
soon, and hoped we should meet again when our conditions became the
same. I then begged him as my time was short, to show me the lot of
spirits of a higher order, saying:

"You have shown me those who have sought gold from the love of science
and those who have sought it from greed. Also those who, having gold,
knew not how to use it. Now show me the lot of those who, born wealthy,
have made the best use of their wealth." "My son," said the sage, "those spirits are few in number and belong to
a higher sphere. One direct from earth as yourself enters with
difficulty within that holy region. However, follow me." Then there appeared to rise from the ground a sort of mist, which
thickened until it became a small but dense cloud. Upon this my guide
alighted, leading me after him. We both of us trod the cloud beneath our
feet, upon which we made no more impression than if our bodies had been
made of the same ephemeral substance as the vapour we trod. The cloud
then commenced to rise, and slowly wafted us high in air, carrying us
over trees and mountains as we discoursed together by the way. Moving
upwards, yet not straight and suddenly, but describing wide circles in
the air, as if we were ascending a winding staircase, we found
ourselves, after a time, in the midst of a large dense cloud, and our
motion ceased. By degrees the mist seemed to clear away, and I beheld a curious
phenomenon. I stood firmly, as if upon the solid earth, yet when I
looked above me the earth appeared over my head, whilst the sky seemed
under my feet. "What is the reason," I asked, "that in this planet or aerial dwelling
of spirits, the laws of nature are reversed?" "Your vision only is reversed," replied my guide, "because not being as
yet entirely freed from the body, your spirit savours too much of clay
to be in harmony with the spirits of this sphere. Everything in the
spiritual world is a type, and has a hidden meaning.