Inspiration of a former unbeliever with regard to The Spirits' Book.

December 1864.

Like one who one day, found in a shipwreck cast, Upon the wreckage of the boat, in despair, swimming, Without strength before fatigue and his hope fading Of reaching his own country and never seeing it again, Remembers then to pray, and faith his soul caresses; When suddenly there emerges a gleam above the wave Marking him access to an unknown land, The weary castaway, redoubling his efforts, Quickly reaches the protecting shore, And grateful to God before all else he prays, Feeling, thus, that faith is reborn in him with ardor, To obey His law he promises to the Savior! This I felt one day, reading your book, I felt courage reborn in my heart.

Long occupied in seeking out the secrets Of bodily life which I counted on my fingers, But grasping nothing of its causes and reason Which seemed always to escape my sight. Your book, opening to me newer horizons, Made other springs arise for my labors. There I saw that I had then taken the wrong route, And doubt no more, only faith in the heart. Indeed, the man who comes from the hands of the Creator Cannot be cast here into lovelessness, For a holy law granted by God Himself, To govern the entire Universe is destined! Progress is its name, and to fulfill it well Let men, among themselves, seek to unite. What scenes of light, what sincere pages In this book that treats of the man of ancient ages, That shows before all the first humans, Gathering well-being without insane labors! To guide him to so beautiful a proscenium of life, Instinct alone, yes! And only later genius. From man shall be born that sacred fire, And the spirit of good, ever much inspired, Breaking the chains of the conquered demon, From then on shall go opening up more paths. There, upon a frail boat, daring sailors Brave the great waves like valiant warriors Casting themselves into the sea… And the once-feared wave Before such a challenge at last retreats, beaten. Beyond, imitating the eagle's audacious flight, Man is seen attempting an assault upon the heavens, proud! Farther off, from a rock, in his incredible audacity, In the immensity of the sky he scrutinizes the indefinable; Of the endless Universe he discovers the law, And of the world soon makes himself the sole king! Nor does his incredible ardor stop there: To retain in a tube the impalpable vapor, Which then advances mounting that dragon of fire; The rudest actions are no more than a game For genius everywhere displaying its due march, Where death reigned he brings forth life. It seemed that here he ends his flight; But an inflexible law demands still more of him, And we shall see this lord of the earth then Tear the thunder from a thick cloud, In a docile instrument alter its fury, And of a pole make a humble servant! Limits, then, there are none for human knowledge. For the cosmos God made of man a sovereign; To him it falls to find by constant efforts The sublime and brilliant goods of body and soul. And let him, discarding the much-trodden route, Disclose at last the unknown light So long hidden from his gaze.

Let us seek to raise the banner of progress; Let us approach now the path and the vast harvest Opened to our effort… Before love and before prayer: What divine norms upon our pavilion! Let us press on, at last, in fraternal union. If one day we must succumb in struggle, We pray, Lord, that at least when we fall Thou mayest inspire our children, thus, With courage in faith to fulfill Thy law, at last.