{"id":"01KG8AKB7PWN0T7NEGN7AGKKY1","cid":"bafkreiezlfyjtm6mdbsxzi7vjhvfrl32zfvwpgfoxixsrslwgirjclvdd4","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":3634,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:57.722Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 3","source_file":"01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4","start_line":3531,"text":"skin, partake of the nature of my contents. Begone! I hate ye.\"\r\n\r\n\"I were inhuman, could I take affront at a want of confidence, born of\r\ntoo bitter an experience of betrayers. Yet, permit one who is not\r\nwithout feeling----\"\r\n\r\n\"Begone! Just in that voice talked to me, not six months ago, the German\r\ndoctor at the water cure, from which I now return, six months and sixty\r\npangs nigher my grave.\"\r\n\r\n\"The water-cure? Oh, fatal delusion of the well-meaning Preisnitz!--Sir,\r\ntrust me----\"\r\n\r\n\"Begone!\"\r\n\r\n\"Nay, an invalid should not always have his own way. Ah, sir, reflect\r\nhow untimely this distrust in one like you. How weak you are; and\r\nweakness, is it not the time for confidence? Yes, when through weakness\r\neverything bids despair, then is the time to get strength by\r\nconfidence.\"\r\n\r\nRelenting in his air, the sick man cast upon him a long glance of\r\nbeseeching, as if saying, \"With confidence must come hope; and how can\r\nhope be?\"\r\n\r\nThe herb-doctor took a sealed paper box from his surtout pocket, and\r\nholding it towards him, said solemnly, \"Turn not away. This may be the\r\nlast time of health's asking. Work upon yourself; invoke confidence,\r\nthough from ashes; rouse it; for your life, rouse it, and invoke it, I\r\nsay.\"\r\n\r\nThe other trembled, was silent; and then, a little commanding himself,\r\nasked the ingredients of the medicine.\r\n\r\n\"Herbs.\"\r\n\r\n\"What herbs? And the nature of them? And the reason for giving them?\"\r\n\r\n\"It cannot be made known.\"\r\n\r\n\"Then I will none of you.\"\r\n\r\nSedately observant of the juiceless, joyless form before him, the\r\nherb-doctor was mute a moment, then said:--\"I give up.\"\r\n\r\n\"How?\"\r\n\r\n\"You are sick, and a philosopher.\"\r\n\r\n\"No, no;--not the last.\"\r\n\r\n\"But, to demand the ingredient, with the reason for giving, is the mark\r\nof a philosopher; just as the consequence is the penalty of a fool. A\r\nsick philosopher is incurable?\"\r\n\r\n\"Why?\"\r\n\r\n\"Because he has no confidence.\"\r\n\r\n\"How does that make him incurable?\"\r\n\r\n\"Because either he spurns his powder, or, if he take it, it proves a\r\nblank cartridge, though the same given to a rustic in like extremity,\r\nwould act like a charm. I am no materialist; but the mind so acts upon\r\nthe body, that if the one have no confidence, neither has the other.\"\r\n\r\nAgain, the sick man appeared not unmoved. He seemed to be thinking what\r\nin candid truth could be said to all this. At length, \"You talk of\r\nconfidence. How comes it that when brought low himself, the herb-doctor,\r\nwho was most confident to prescribe in other cases, proves least\r\nconfident to prescribe in his own; having small confidence in himself\r\nfor himself?\"\r\n\r\n\"But he has confidence in the brother he calls in. And that he does so,\r\nis no reproach to him, since he knows that when the body is prostrated,\r\nthe mind is not erect. Yes, in this hour the herb-doctor does distrust\r\nhimself, but not his art.\"\r\n\r\nThe sick man's knowledge did not warrant him to gainsay this. But he\r\nseemed not grieved at it; glad to be confuted in a way tending towards\r\nhis wish.\r\n\r\n\"Then you give me hope?\" his sunken eye turned up.\r\n\r\n\"Hope is proportioned to confidence. How much confidence you give me, so\r\nmuch hope do I give you. For this,\" lifting the box, \"if all depended\r\nupon this, I should rest. It is nature's own.\"\r\n\r\n\"Nature!\"\r\n\r\n\"Why do you start?\"\r\n\r\n\"I know not,\" with a sort of shudder, \"but I have heard of a book\r\nentitled 'Nature in Disease.'\"\r\n\r\n\"A title I cannot approve; it is suspiciously scientific. 'Nature in\r\nDisease?' As if nature, divine nature, were aught but health; as if\r\nthrough nature disease is decreed! But did I not before hint of the\r\ntendency of science, that forbidden tree? Sir, if despondency is yours\r\nfrom recalling that title, dismiss it. Trust me, nature is health; for\r\nhealth is good, and nature cannot work ill. As little can she work\r\nerror. Get nature, and you get well. Now, I repeat, this medicine is\r\nnature's own.\"\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 3"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJKFNSEMZR9R73KH4K4N9","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKB8ESDT9JF01878X6WJ0","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AKB7P6HT7PQWB1N4MQR6Q","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:01.270Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:08.647Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}