A Biography for the Soul

A BIOGRAPHY FOR THE SOUL ALLAN C. BARNES* Introduction A person is born, lives and dies (hereinafter to be called the Subject ). Another person appears and prepares to record this birth, life, and death (hereinafter to be called the Biographer). Not all the facts of the Subject's life can be determined with certainty ; the Biographer must record factually what he can, choose on occasion, suppress on occasion, interpolate and imagine where necessary . If he is a good Biographer, he will do more than record the simple facts ("He was born on Crete, lived in Athens, and died of his wounds at Lindos"). He will also ask questions and attempt to find the answers . Did this life contribute something? Subtract something? Did it sow seeds in fields that previously had been barren? Or did it tend the crops that others had sown? Did he heal the ills of the many or was he an instrument for spreading the plague? Few lives can be totally without effect, but the nature of that effect, its color, complexion, and depth may be seen differently as the years go on. In short, when they have been dead a circumspect period of time (and the definition of "circumspect" seems to shorten as the years pass), Great Men become Subjects and have biographies written about them. Might not the same be true for the soul? It was born in antiquity, lived many centuries, and has died. While the facts must in some cases be approximated and interpolations must be made, the • The Rockefeller Foundation, 111 West 50th Street, New York, New York 10020. To increase the ease, and (one would hope) the enjoyability of reading, no footnotes are included , and the text is not interrupted with annotation numbers. Obviously, however, many sources have been consulted over the years leading to the writing of this paper, and many of them (as is often the case with a work of this nature) have been cheerfully plagiarized. I am grateful to all who have reflected on this topic, and the lack of a formal bibliography does not imply any lack of recognition of my indebtedness. In fact, of this one could say with Montaigne: "I have gathered a bouquet of flowers from other men's gardens; naught but the string that binds them is my own." Perspectives in Biology and Medicine · Spring 1972 I 395 outlines are clear and distinct. And above all the questions are pressing. Did this life contribute something? Was it for good or for evil? Have springs flowed where before it was arid? Or are the same streams flowing, perhaps even more polluted? What does the balance of the years say of this life? Should not a Biographer come forth to ask these questions? Four Comments I "The sins of the flesh will stifle the soul, unless you repent." He had raised his voice to a sharp tone, although we sat but a few feet part. The frantic note as he spoke was not because a physical distance separated us, but because he recognized a greater intangible distance. I had climbed far to reach the shrine. I was not sad to find he hated me; I was sad because he hated all men. Those who have seen the light, who have had the true revelation, seem often to acquire contempt for those who have not seen, those who cannot understand. The priesthood eternally wears a vague air of superiority toward the flock it leads. The priest has heard the voice and has responded, he has some advantage therefore over the parishioner. But here in this man the subtle air of priestly superiority was concentrated almost to venom. "The soul is meant to achieve immortality, but those who pursue the gratification of the senses so neglect it that it withers. You cannot see God without looking up. You cannot experience the soul while you are concerned with the day-to-day sensations of bodily existence." Perhaps the revelation comes only to those who cannot teach well. Or perhaps there is no lesson to teach. It is always very perplexing. "I'm frank to confess you are right about my day-to-day preoccupation ," I said. "But...