And yet it is hard to believe that anything in nature could stand revealed as solid matter.The lightning of heaven goes through the walls of houses,like shouts and speech; iron glows white in fire; red-hot rocks are shattered by savage steam; hard gold is softened and melted down by heat; chilly brass, defeated by heat, turns liquid; heat seeps through silver, so does piercing cold;by custom raising the cup, we feel them bothas water is poured in, drop by drop, above.

The steady drip of water causes stone to hollow and yield.

The first-beginnings of things cannot be seen by the eyes.

A thing therefore never returns to nothing.

Nothing can be produced from nothing.

Nothing is ever gotten out of nothing by divine power.

So potent was Religion in persuading to do wrong.

Again and again our foe, religion, has given birth to deeds sinful and unholy.

Superstition is now in her turn cast down and trampled underfoot, whilst we by the victory are exalted high as heaven.

The living force of his soul gained the day: on he passed far beyond the flaming walls of the world and traversed throughout in mind and spirit the immeasurable universe.