apt to be too unintelligent； too far from variation and quick
change to rank as true vicarious action； indeed it is not rarely
found to effect the very opposite of what the person who made the
settlement or will desired。 They are meant to apply to that more
intelligent and versatile action engendered by affectionate
remembrance。 Nevertheless； even the compulsory vicarious action
taken in consequence of a will； and indeed the very name 〃will〃
itself； shews that though we cannot take either flesh or money with
us； we can leave our will…power behind us in very efficient
operation。
〃This vicarious life （on which I have insisted； I fear at
unnecessary length； for it is so obvious that none can have failed
to realise it） is lived by every one of us before death as well as
after it； and is little less important to us than that of which we
are to some extent conscious in our own persons。 A man； we will
say； has written a book which delights or displeases thousands of
whom he knows nothing； and who know nothing of him。 The book； we
will suppose； has considerable； or at any rate some influence on
the action of these people。 Let us suppose the writer fast asleep
while others are enjoying his work； and acting in consequence of
it； perhaps at long distances from him。 Which is his truest life
the one he is leading in them； or that equally unconscious life
residing in his own sleeping body？ Can there be a doubt that the
vicarious life is the more efficient？
〃Or when we are waking； how powerfully does not the life we are
living in others pain or delight us； according as others think ill
or well of us？ How truly do we not recognise it as part of our own
existence； and how great an influence does not the fear of a
present hell in men's bad thoughts； and the hope of a present
heaven in their good ones； influence our own conduct？ Have we not
here a true heaven and a true hell； as compared with the efficiency
of which these gross material ones so falsely engrafted on to the
Sunchild's teaching are but as the flint implements of a
prehistoric race？ 'If a man；' said the Sunchild； 'fear not man；
whom he hath seen； neither will he fear God； whom he hath not
seen。'〃
My father again assures me that he never said this。 Returning to
Dr。 Gurgoyle； he continued：… 〃It may be urged that on a man's death
one of the great factors of his life is so annihilated that no kind
of true life can be any further conceded to him。 For to live is to
be influenced； as well as to influence； and when a man is dead how
can he be influenced？ He can haunt； but he cannot any more be
haunted。 He can come to us； but we cannot go to him。 On ceasing；
therefore； to be impressionable； so great a part of that wherein
his life consisted is removed； that no true life can be conceded to
him。
〃I do not pretend that a man is as fully alive after his so…called
death as before it。 He is not。 All I contend for is； that a
considerable amount of efficient life still remains to some of us；
and that a little life remains to all of us； after what we commonly
regard as the complete cessation of life。 In answer； then； to
those who have just urged that the destruction of one of the two
great factors of life destroys life altogether； I reply that the
same must hold good as regards death。
〃If to live is to be influenced and to influence； and if a man
cannot be held as living when he can no longer be influenced；
surely to die is to be no longer able either to influence or be
influenced； and a man cannot be held dead until both these two
factors of death are present。 If failure of the power to be
influenced vitiates life； presence of the power to influence
vitiates death。 And no one will deny that a man can influence for
many a long year after he is vulgarly reputed as dead。
〃It seems； then； that there is no such thing as either absolute
life without any alloy of death； nor absolute death without any
alloy of life； until； that is to say； all posthumous power to
influence has faded away。 And this； perhaps； is what the Sunchild
meant by saying that in the midst of life we are in death； and so
also that in the midst of death we are in life。
〃And there is this； too。 No man can influence fully until he can
no more be influencedthat is to say； till after his so…called
death。 Till then； his 'he' is still unsettled。 We know not what
other influences may not be brought to bear upon him that may
change the character of the influence he will exert on ourselves。
Therefore； he is not fully living till he is no longer living。 He
is an incomplete work； which cannot have full effect till finished。
And as for his vicarious lifewhich we have seen to be very real
this can be； and is； influenced by just appreciation； undue praise
or calumny； and is subject； it may be； to secular vicissitudes of
good and evil fortune。
〃If this is not true； let us have no more talk about the
immortality of great men and women。 The Sunchild was never weary
of talking to us （as we then sometimes thought； a little tediously）
about a great poet of that nation to which it pleased him to feign
that he belonged。 How plainly can we not now see that his words
were spoken for our learningfor the enforcement of that true view
of heaven and hell on which I am feebly trying to insist？ The
poet's name； he said； was Shakespeare。 Whilst he was alive； very
few people understood his greatness； whereas now； after some three
hundred years； he is deemed the greatest poet that the world has
ever known。 'Can this man；' he asked； 'be said to have been truly
born till many a long year after he had been reputed as truly dead？
While he was in the flesh； was he more than a mere embryo growing
towards birth into that life of the world to come in which he now
shines so gloriously？ What a small thing was that flesh and blood
life； of which he was alone conscious； as compared with that
fleshless life which he lives but knows not in the lives of
millions； and which； had it ever been fully revealed even to his
imagination； we may be sure that he could not have reached？'
〃These were the Sunchild's words； as repeated to me by one of his
chosen friends while he was yet amongst us。 Which； then； of this
man's two lives should we deem best worth having； if we could
choose one or other； but not both？ The felt or the unfelt？ Who
would not go cheerfully to block or stake if he knew that by doing
so he could win such life as this poet lives； though he also knew
that on having won it he could know no more about it？ Does not
this prove that in our heart of hearts we deem an unfelt life； in
the heaven of men's loving thoughts； to be better worth having than
any we can reasonably hope for and still feel？
〃And the converse of this is true； many a man has unhesitatingly
laid down his felt life to escape unfelt infamy in the hell of
men's hatred and contempt。 As body is the sacrament； or outward
and visible sign； of mind； so is posterity the sacrament of those
who live after death。 Each is the mechanism through which the
other becomes effective。
〃I grant that many live but a short time when the breath is out of
them。 Few seeds germinate as compared with those that rot or are
eaten； and most of this world's denizens are little more than
still…born as regards the larger life； while none are immortal to
the end of time。 But the end of time is not worth considering； not
a few live as many centuries as either they or we need think about；
and surely the world； so far as we can guess its object； was made
rather to be enjoyed than to last。 'Come and go' pervades all
things of which we have knowledge； and if there was any provision
made； it seems to have been for a short life and a merry one； with
enough chance of extension beyond the grave to be worth trying for；
rather than for the perpetuity even of the best and noblest。
〃Granted； again； that few live after death as long or as fully as
they had hoped to do； while many； when quick； can have had none but
the faintest idea of the immortality that awaited them； it is
nevertheless true that none are so still…born on death as not to
enter into a life of some sort； however short and humble。 A short
life or a long one can no more be bargained for in the unseen world
than in the seen； as； however； care on the part of parents can do
much for the longer life and greater well…being of their offspring
in this world； so the conduct of that offspring in this world does
much both to secure for itself longer tenure of life in the next；
and to determine whether that life shall be one of reward or
punishment。
〃'Reward or punishment；' some reader will perhaps exclaim； 'what
mockery； when the essence of reward and punishment lies in their
being felt by those who have earned them。' I can do nothing with
those who either cry for the moon； or deny that it has two sides；
on the ground that we can see but one。 Here comes in faith； of
which the Sunchild said； that though we can do little with it； we
can do nothing without it。 Faith does not consist； as some have
falsely urged； in believing things on insufficient evidence； this
is not faith； but faithlessness to all that we sho