THE UNIVERSITY 0: CALIFORNIA. LITERATURE OF THE DOCTRINE OF A FUTURE LIFE: OR, A CATALOGUE OF WORKS RELATING TO THE Nature, Origin, and Destiny of the Soul. THE TITLES CLASSIFIED, AND ARRANGED CHRONOLOGICALLY, WITH NOTES, BY EZRA ABBOT, LIBRARIAN OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY. COMPILED (ORIGINALLY) AS AN APPENDIX TO THE "HISTORY OF THE DOCTRINE OF A FUTURE LIFE," BY WILLIAM R. ALGER. PREFACE. THE present bibliography was commenced more than three years ago. Though the principal part of my time was then occupied, as it has been since, by other engagements, I supposed that the work might be finished in three or four months. The delay has been caused in part by circumstances merely personal, but chiefly by the fact that the researches necessary to render the catalogue even tolerably complete and accurate were far more extensive than I had anticipated. In deciding upon the form of the bibliography, I could not hesitate to prefer a classed catalogue, with the titles in each section arranged chronologically. The literature embraced in it relates to so great a variety of interesting topics, that the advantage of a suitable classification is manifest. The chronological arrangement in each class, by bringing together the publications which belong to particular controversies and to particular periods, must greatly facilitate historical investigation. Such a catalogue is in itself almost a history; it is, at least, an historical chart. Classed catalogues must indeed be very imperfect, and their use is attended with some inconveniences. But their principal defects may be supplied by alphabetical indexes of authors and subjects. In the present catalogue, the titles under most of the important heads are divided into two series, — works devoted to the history of opinions on a particular subject being separated from those which treat of the subject itself. In each series, the chronological place of a title is determined by the date of the first edition of the book, when known, except in the case of authors who flourished before the invention of printing. The scheme of classification is exhibited at the end of the Preface. Further explanations will be found under several of the subdivisions in the body of the work. THE subjects embraced in the bibliography-the Nature, Origin, and Destiny of the Soul-belong partly to philosophy, and partly to religion. They are accordingly discussed, not only in the special treatises relating to them, but in general works on metaphysics, on natural religion, on Christian doctrines, and on various religions and superstitions. The question of materialism, and the distinction between the human and the brute mind, are also treated of by writers on physiology and natural history. To include in the catalogue all these general works was of course impracticable, but many of the more important have been noticed. This is particularly the case in that part of the bibliography which relates to the opinions concerning the soul and its destiny which have prevailed among heathen nations. Here, the titles of a large number of works have been inserted which are of interest as illustrating not only the special subjects of the catalogue, but the history of religion in general, in its various forms. That works on the Hindu philosophy and religion have been given with a good degree of fulness will not excite surprise, since the doctrine of transmigration lies at the centre of both Brahmanism and Buddhism. The books held sacred by the followers of Confucius, on the other hand, contain very little concerning the future life, a subject on which that philosopher discouraged inquiry; but, for the convenience of the student who may wish at least to verify that remarkable fact, it appeared desirable to include them in the catalogue. As to special treatises on the subjects of the bibliography, written in Greek or Latin, or in the principal languages of Europe (except those of the Slavic family), I have intended to admit the titles of all of any importance which have fallen under my notice, or which I have found well described. This remark, however, does not apply to a few classes of works only incidentally connected with the proper subjects of the catalogue, as those on Death, the Descent of Christ to Hades, the Resurrection of Christ, and Modern "Spiritualism,"-under which heads merely a selection of titles is professedly given. Single sermons have been for the most part omitted, unless the production of eminent writers, or belonging to a controversy, or remarkable for some peculiarity; and I have passed by a few other unpromising pamphlets. As to Oriental works, I have for the most part contented myself with noticing the best translations. While some may regret that a single pamphlet has been neglected, others, probably, will complain of excess. What is the use, it may be asked, of collecting the titles of so many old, obsolete books? I answer, the study of fossil remains in theological and metaphysical literature is as interesting and instructive to the philosopher as paleontology is to the naturalist. In pursuing his researches in this field one may, indeed, disinter strange monsters; but these representatives of tribes now extinct doubtless filled their place in the economy of Providence, and were suited to the times in which they appeared, as truly as the geological saurians. We marvel at the follies and superstitions of the past; but when the philosophy and theology of the nineteenth century have become petrified, posterity may regard some of their phenomena with equal wonder. I have therefore aimed to give a full exhibition of the literature of the subject, without partiality towards the old or the new. The catalogue accompanies a "History of the doctrine of a Future Life." IN collecting materials for the bibliography, I have been obliged to take a majority of the titles at second-hand. Deeming it, however, of great importance to give as many as possible from actual inspection, I have explored for this purpose, as thoroughly as circumstances would permit, the Libraries of Harvard College and the Divinity School at Cambridge, the Boston Public Library and the Library of the Boston Athenæum, containing collectively about 290,000 volumes, together with the smaller but valuable Libraries of the Massachusetts Historical Society, the Universalist Historical Society, and the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. A number of days spent at the Astor Library in New York, which now possesses about 120,000 volumes, including far the richest bibliographical collection in this country, afforded me the means of adding considerably to the fulness and accuracy of the work. I am also much indebted to several gentlemen for the free use of their valuable private libraries, particularly to the Rev. CONVERS FRANCIS, D.D., of Cambridge, in whose remarkable collection of curious, rare, and valuable books I found many works relating to the subjects of the catalogue not contained in the public libraries mentioned above. During a recent visit to New York, the courtesy of Mr. WILLIAM GOWANS, antiquarian bookseller and publisher, allowed me to examine his interesting collection of works relating to the Immortality of the Soul, a subject which he has for many years made a specialty. I was thus enabled to give from personal inspection the titles of a considerable number of books before taken at second-hand, and of a few which were new to me. For the convenience of some, at least, who may use this work, I have placed the letter H. after the titles of such books in the catalogue as are found in the Library of Harvard College; and similar abbreviations (explained at the end of the Preface) are used to denote other libraries in which I have met with certain books. The abbreviations BL. and BM. are also occasionally added to the titles of works which I have noticed in the printed Catalogues of the Bodleian Library at Oxford and of the British Museum. In the course of the investigations referred to, I have examined a large number of periodical publications, both for the purpose of obtaining titles, and of enriching the bibliography by references to reviews of books and to important original articles relating to its subjects. Among the publications of this class which have been consulted with advantage, though of some only imperfect sets were at hand, are the Journal des Savants (1665-1750, and 1816-61 only), the Acta Eruditorum (1682-1776), the History of the Works of the Learned (1699–1710, and 1739-41 only), the Novelle Letterarie di Firenze (1740-70), the Monthly Review (1749-1844), the |