The Quimby Manuscripts · 1 of 23

Publisher's Note

The book as a whole contains an adequate statement of Quimby's original theory as found in his manuscripts, 1846-65. The volume also contains the writings, hitherto inaccessible, which Mrs. Eddy borrowed during her stay in Portland as Quimby's patient. The editor is a son of Mrs. Julius A. Dresser, who was the most active of Quimby's followers at the time Mrs. Eddy was under treatment and who loaned Mrs. Eddy the copybooks which made her acquainted with the Quimby manuscripts.

Context

The publisher is opening with the documentary scoop that justifies the entire 1921 volume. The phrase to notice is "writings, hitherto inaccessible, which Mrs. Eddy borrowed during her stay in Portland as Quimby's patient." That is the whole Quimby-Eddy controversy in one line. Mary Baker Eddy was Quimby's patient in 1862-65, copied portions of his manuscripts during her recovery, later founded Christian Science (1879) and insisted her teaching was a fresh divine revelation owing nothing to Quimby. Horatio Dresser and the Quimby family spent fifty years trying to publish the manuscripts to settle the question. This 1921 edition was their long-awaited proof. Read the rest of the book with that historical pressure in the background — it shapes Dresser's tone throughout.Publisher framing; Quimby-Eddy controversy historical context.