This book’s publication marked the birth of Spiritualism in France. A translated copy of this book is available free to read online and download.

Subtitle: Containing The Principles of Spiritist Doctrine or The Immortality of the soul; The Nature of Spirits and Their Relations with Men; The Moral Law; The Present Life, The Future Life and The Destiny of the Human Race.

The Original French copy was published on April 18th, 1857. The following copy is a translated version, published in 1893.

Chapters

This copy of the book does not have a table of contents. Note, sections are split into ‘books’ and then furthermore into chapters.

Book First – Causes

Chapter I: God: Good and Infinity; Proofs of the existence of God; Attributes of the Divinity; Pantheism. Pages 1 to 6.

Chapter II: General Elements of The Universe: Knowledge of the first principles of things; Spirit and matter; Properties of matter; Universal space. Pages 7 to 13.

Chapter III: Creation: Formation of the Worlds; Production of living beings; Peopling of the earth: Adamn; Diversity of human races; Plurality of worlds; The biblical account of the creation. Pages 14 to 24

Chapter IV: The Vital Principle: Organic and inorganic beings; Life and Death; Intelligence and instinct. Pages 25 to 30.

Book Second – The Spirit World, of World of Spirits.

Chapter I: Spirits: Origin of nature of spirits; Primitive and normal world; Form and ubiquity of spirits; The Perispirit; Different orders of spirits; Spirit hierarchy; progression of spirits; Angels and Demons. Pages 31 to 53.

Chapter II: Incarnation of Spirits: Aim of incarnation; The soul; Materialism. Pages 54 to 62.

Chapter III: Return from the Corporeal to the Spirit Life: The soul after death – its individuality and eternal life; Separation of soul and body; Temporarily confused state of the soul after death. Pages 63 to 69.

Chapter IV: Plurality of Existences: Reincarnation; Justice of Reincarnation; Incarnation in different worlds; Progressive transmigration; Fate of children after death; Sex in spirits; Family relationships; Physical and moral likeness; Innate Ideas. Pages 70 to 90.

Chapter V: Plurality of Existences(Same title as last one. Not sure why this is so). Pages 91 to 102.

Chapter VI: Spirit Life: Wandering Spirits; Transitional worlds; Perceptions, sensations, and sufferings of spirits; Choice of earthly trials; Relationships beyond the grave; Sympathies of spirits; Remembrance of corporeal existence; Commemoration of the dead – funerals. Pages 103 to 141.

Chapter VII: Return to Corporeal Life: Preludes to Return; Union of soul and body; Abortion; Moral and intellectual faculties of mankind; Influence of organism; Idiocy and madness; Infancy; Terrestrial sympathies and antipathies; Forgetfulness of the past. Pages 142 to 165.

Chapter VIII: Emancipation of the Soul: Sleep and Dreams; Visits between the spirits of living persons; Transmission of thought; Lethargy; Somnambulism; Trance; Second sight. Pages 166 to 190.

Chapter IX: Intervention of Spirits in the Corporeal World: Perception of our thoughts by spirits; Influence of spirits upon our thoughts and actions; Possession; Convulsionaries; Affection of spirits for certain persons; Guardian angels; Influence of spirits on the events of human life; Action of spirits in the production of the phenomena of nature; Spirits and war; Pacts with spirits; Occult power; talismans, sorcerers; Benedictions and curses. Pages 191 to 224.

Chapter X: Occupation and Missions of Spirits Pages 225 to 233.

Chapter XI: The Three Reigns: Minerals and Plants; Animal and men; Metempsychosis. Pages 234 245.



Book Third – Moral Laws

Chapter I: Divine or natural law: Characteristics of nature law; source and knowledge of natural law; good and evil; divisions of natural law. Pages 246 to 255.

Chapter II: The Law of adoration: Aim of adoration; External acts of adoration; Life of contemplation; Prayer; Polytheism; Sacrifices. Pages 256 to 267.

Chapter III: The Law of Labour: Necessity of Labour; Limit of Labour; Rest. Pages 268 to 271.

Chapter IV: Law of Reproduction: Population of the globe; Succession and improvement of races; Obstacles to reproduction; Marriage and celibacy; Polygamy. Pages 272 to 276.

Chapter V: The Law of Preservation: Instinct of self-preservation; Means of self-preservation; Enjoyment of the fruits of the earth. Necessaries and Superfluities; Voluntary Privations – mortifications. Pages 277 to 284.

Chapter VI: The Law of Destruction: Necessary destruction and unjustifiable destruction; Destructive calamities; War; Murder; Cruelty; Dueling; Capital Punishment. Pages 285 to 296.

Chapter VII: Social Law: Necessity of social life; Life in insolation; Vow of silence; Family ties. Pages 297 to 299.

Chapter VII: The Law of Progress: State of nature; March of progress; Degenerate peoples; civilization; progress of human legislation; influence of spiritism upon progress. Pages 300 to 311.

Chapter IX: The Law of Equality: Natural equality; Inequality of aptitudes; social inequalities; inequality of riches; Trials of riches and of poverty; equality of rights of men and women; equality in death. Pages 312 to 318.

Chapter X: The Law of Liberty: Natural liberty; Slavery; Freedom of thought; Freedom of conscience; Free will; Fatality; Foreknowledge; Theoretic summary of the springs of human action. Pages 319 to 338.

Chapter XI: The Law of Justice, or Love, and of Charity: Natural rights and justice; Right of property; Charity; Maternal and filial affection. Pages 339 to 346.

Chapter XII: Moral Perfection: Virtues and vices; The Passions; Selfishness; Characteristics of the virtuous man; Self Knowledge. Pages 347 to 361.



Fourth Book – Hopes and Consolations

Chapter I: Earthly Joys and Sorrows: Happiness and unhappiness; Lose of those we love; disappointments; antipathetic unions; fear of death; weariness of life – suicide. Pages 362 to 379.

Chapter II: Future Joys and Sorrows: Annihilation – Future Life; Intuition of Future Joys and Sorrows; Intervention of God in rewards and punishments; Nature of future joys and sorrows; Temporal penalties; Expiation and repentance; Duration of future penalties; Paradise, hell, purgatory. Pages 380 to 409.



Conclusion. Pages 410 to 428.

Source Information

“The Spirits Book” entry on Wikipedia – The Free Encyclopedia; licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.“The Spirits Book” on Archive.org; licensed under the Public Domain.

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