{"id":"01KG8AN0E983JT6P7PVX2ANSJS","cid":"bafkreiekk3kbzkreuhrxu2rh2h3ryn5bi2znjf7rno43acje5hrlqqdovm","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":13256,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:52.924Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 4","source_file":"01KG89J1JSYKSGCE149MH9HF6A","start_line":13201,"text":"elbows, and nimble all our tenuities.\" Oh, the dismal echoings of the\r\nraspings of flesh-brushes, perverted to the filing and polishing of the\r\nmerest ribs! Oh, the shuddersome splashings of pails of ice-water over\r\nfeverish heads, not unfamiliar with aches! Oh, the rheumatical\r\ncracklings of rusted joints, in that defied air of December! for every\r\nthick-frosted sash was down, and every lean nudity courted the zephyr!\r\n\r\nAmong all the innate, hyena-like repellants to the reception of any set\r\nform of a spiritually-minded and pure archetypical faith, there is\r\nnothing so potent in its skeptical tendencies, as that inevitable\r\nperverse ridiculousness, which so often bestreaks some of the\r\nessentially finest and noblest aspirations of those men, who disgusted\r\nwith the common conventional quackeries, strive, in their clogged\r\nterrestrial humanities, after some imperfectly discerned, but heavenly\r\nideals: ideals, not only imperfectly discerned in themselves, but the\r\npath to them so little traceable, that no two minds will entirely agree\r\nupon it.\r\n\r\nHardly a new-light Apostle, but who, in superaddition to his\r\nrevolutionary scheme for the minds and philosophies of men, entertains\r\nsome insane, heterodoxical notions about the economy of his body. His\r\nsoul, introduced by the gentlemanly gods, into the supernal\r\nsociety,--practically rejects that most sensible maxim of men of the\r\nworld, who chancing to gain the friendship of any great character, never\r\nmake that the ground of boring him with the supplemental acquaintance of\r\ntheir next friend, who perhaps, is some miserable ninny. Love me, love\r\nmy dog, is only an adage for the old country-women who affectionately\r\nkiss their cows. The gods love the soul of a man; often, they will\r\nfrankly accost it; but they abominate his body; and will forever cut it\r\ndead, both here and hereafter. So, if thou wouldst go to the gods,\r\nleave thy dog of a body behind thee. And most impotently thou strivest\r\nwith thy purifying cold baths, and thy diligent scrubbings with\r\nflesh-brushes, to prepare it as a meet offering for their altar. Nor\r\nshall all thy Pythagorean and Shellian dietings on apple-parings, dried\r\nprunes, and crumbs of oat-meal cracker, ever fit thy body for heaven.\r\nFeed all things with food convenient for them,--that is, if the food be\r\nprocurable. The food of thy soul is light and space; feed it then on\r\nlight and space. But the food of thy body is champagne and oysters; feed\r\nit then on champagne and oysters; and so shall it merit a joyful\r\nresurrection, if there is any to be. Say, wouldst thou rise with a\r\nlantern jaw and a spavined knee? Rise with brawn on thee, and a most\r\nroyal corporation before thee; so shalt thou in that day claim\r\nrespectful attention. Know this: that while many a consumptive dietarian\r\nhas but produced the merest literary flatulencies to the world;\r\nconvivial authors have alike given utterance to the sublimest wisdom,\r\nand created the least gross and most ethereal forms. And for men of\r\ndemonstrative muscle and action, consider that right royal epitaph which\r\nCyrus the Great caused to be engraved on his tomb--\"I could drink a\r\ngreat deal of wine, and it did me a great deal of good.\" Ah, foolish! to\r\nthink that by starving thy body, thou shalt fatten thy soul! Is yonder\r\nox fatted because yonder lean fox starves in the winter wood? And prate\r\nnot of despising thy body, while still thou flourisheth thy flesh-brush!\r\nThe finest houses are most cared for within; the outer walls are freely\r\nleft to the dust and the soot. Put venison in thee, and so wit shall\r\ncome out of thee. It is one thing in the mill, but another in the sack.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 4"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AKWWKRQPNYD7AN4VM2EQZ","peer_type":"section","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1JSYKSGCE149MH9HF6A","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AN0E1KXGCTJA4C4C36BCB","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AN0EGTGCFPYY5YM8B6A53","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:55.753Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:49:31.822Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}