Joseph Görres (1776 - 1848) was one of the most influential Catholic political publicists of the first half of the 19th century, who advocated for the idea of a Christian-inspired democracy in a united Germany in his writings. This book is the second volume of his five-volume work on Christian mysticism. In it, Görres attempted to counter the Enlightenment and materialistic currents of his time that were undermining the foundations of the Church, and to reposition humanity within a historical-physiological-natural philosophical-theological context between heaven and hell, or to restore to it its long-established place. This led to controversial debates within the Catholic Church that continue to this day. This is a reprint of the original edition from 1836.