the
wreaths imported from Erudition's bower for the decoration of Plymouth
Rock, and the Plague-spot and Bacilli, and my other exhibits (turn back
to my Chapters I. and II.) from the Autobiography, and finally with
the late Communication concerning me, and see if he thinks anybody's
affirmation, or anybody's sworn testimony, or any other testimony of
any imaginable kind would ever be likely to convince him that Mrs. Eddy
wrote that chapter on Prayer.

I do not wish to impose my opinion on any one who will not permit
it, but such as it is I offer it here for what it is worth. I cannot
believe, and I do not believe, that Mrs. Eddy originated any of the
thoughts and reasonings out of which the book Science and Health is
constructed; and I cannot believe, and do not believe that she ever
wrote any part of that book.

I think that if anything in the world stands proven, and well and
solidly proven, by unimpeachable testimony--the treacherous testimony of
her own pen in her known and undisputed literary productions--it is that
Mrs. Eddy is not capable of thinking upon high planes, nor of reasoning
clearly nor writing intelligently upon low ones.

Inasmuch as--in my belief--the very first editions of the book Science
and Health were far above the reach of Mrs. Eddy's mental and literary
abilities, I think she has from the very beginning been claiming as
her own another person's book, and wearing as her own property laurels
rightfully belonging to that person--the real author of Science and
Health. And I think the reason--and the only reason--that he has not
protested is because his work was not exposed to print until after he
was safely dead.

That with an eye to business, and by grace of her business talent,
she has restored to the world neglected and abandoned features of the
Christian religion which her thousands of followers find gracious and
blessed and contenting, I recognize and confess; but I am convinced that
every single detail of the work except just that one--the delivery of
the Product to the world--was conceived and performed by another.

APPENDIX A

ORIGINAL FIRST PREFACE TO SCIENCE AND HEALTH

There seems a Christian necessity of learning God's power and purpose to
heal both mind and body. This thought grew out of our early seeking
Him in all our ways, and a hopeless as singular invalidism that drugs
increased instead of diminished, and hygiene benefited only for a
season. By degrees we have drif