"The mind, in proportion as it is cut off from free communication with nature, with revelation, with God, with itself, loses its life, just as the body droops when debarred from the air and the cheering light from heaven"

In this quote, William Ellery Channing is stressing the significance of the mind's connection with nature, discovery, God, and itself. He recommends that when the mind is separated from these sources of inspiration and knowledge, it begins to wither and lose its vigor. This resembles how the body becomes weak and lethargic when denied of fresh air and sunshine. Channing is highlighting the interconnectedness of the mind and its surroundings, and how the mind requires to be nourished and stimulated in order to prosper. Without this complimentary interaction, the mind becomes stagnant and loses its ability to grow and grow.