76. Thus the corporeal nature of Animals in general, and of Man in particular, is in systematic harmony with universal nature; and not only does it harmonise in system, but in progress also; thus the Lymphatic system and Chemical nature are first developed and matured; the Blood-vessel and Vegetable nature of animals next; the Nervous system being last in the exhibition and perfection of its functions § 77. So much concerning the corporeal nature of animals; but Sensation and Volition are principal in animals, and that by which they are distinguished from other physical objects. These we have seen are dependant upon the last and highest of the Animal functions, or Nervous system; and since the original physical Agent and Patient are the basis of all physical science, and have been traced to the apex of Chemical Elastics in the Æthereal or Vital fluids, it is highly probable, according to universal analogy, if not Physically certain, that this highest of the animal functions produces these distinguishing effects by the concurrence of the Vital fluids. § 78. As the Ethereal or Vital fluids vary in kind, and are respectively the effect of an Agent and Patient, identical with the original external physical Agent and Patient (whose variety of effect depends perhaps upon their essential triformity), they may belong variously to the Nerves and Muscles, whence the Active and passive offices of each, and their mutual Action and Reaction with all their effects or Phenomena. § 79. Hence the Physical Agent predominating in the Nerves may, by the predominance of the Re-agent in the muscles, produce VOLUNTARY MOTION; and hence the passivity of the Nerves may, by the concurrence of External Agency, produce all the effects of SENSATION, and finally, by the mutual agency and re-agency of the Nervous system in its highest office, all the phenomena of THOUGHT. The proof of which à posteriori implies an experience at once the most refined, expanded and profound. § 80. The above is in strict accordance with the principles of action, sensation and thought, which, in another point of view, resulted from universal analysis; and we shall have to record in the sequel some farther confirmation of this doctrine. §81. Upon animal science depends the art of healing, or Medicine in its vulgar acceptation, which investigates the diseases of animals and their remedies, with reference to the human animal in ! If so, these active powers, these ultimate principles of matter, are essentially identical with and physically demonstrable to be MIND! 2 Tritogenea, § 21. particular; for diseases consist in the disorders, injury or depravation of the matter, organs or functions of the animal structure, and vary in kind accordingly: hence the analogy of animal nature applies equally to health and disease, and these are either universal, general or particular. § 82. Accordingly diseases may be considered universally as of two classes; 1, the active, in which disorder of the functions is induced by redundance of action in the animal system, arising from the too great accumulation of active power, or deficiency of passive power; and 2, the passive class, in which disease is induced by redundance of passive power or deficiency of the active; and these four cases compound and vary in degree, without limit, comprehending all diseases termed Fever. Fevers are accordingly universal diseases. § 88. In like manner there are diseases of a general kind infecting the Nervous, Sanguineous, or Lymphatic systems, whence nervous, pulmonary and bilious diseases, &c. And finally there are particular or local diseases; such are diseases of particular organs, wounds, tumors, &c.; in all which there is a greater or less affection of the general system. §84. As diseases in general result from redundance or deficiency of active or passive powers in the animal System, so the REMEDIES opposed to them are active and passive according to the two original physical elements. Thus the active and passive substances of Chemistry become the active and re-active remedies of Medicine, and it results hence that nature furnishes a remedy for every disease, and leaves it to the art and experience of man, and the instinct of other animals, to discover it. CONCLUSION. $85. Having thus sketched the outline of Physics, the science of matter and the external, whereby we have been conducted through matter to sense and thought, we have fulfilled our attempt to indicate the Analogy or form which harmonises the Physical Sciences upon universal ground, and, confiding it to the current of ex- perience, prepare to follow it with the more demonstrable analogies of the moral and sensible sciences.* By the way, however, it may be observed, in satisfaction of our pious scruples, that no religious or moral mischief is to be apprehended from a doctrine which conducts the physical or external Agent into the brain, the seat of mind, and assigns it the important offices of thought: on the contrary it preserves from the baneful consequences of that contracted view of Nature, upon which the vul See an "Essay on the Analogy and Harmony of Colors," recently published by Newman, Soho Square. gar materialism of the soul is founded, by identifying the original, external and internal Agent. This is the link in the chain of being which completes the universal circle and connects us with Deity. It demonstrates that All is of One Original, and our individual Essence a particle of the Universal, in whom we live, move, and have our being,' with all its Ethical consequences. In fine, it evinces the Omnipotence of the Creator, who could thus from the same principles produce Matter, Sense and Soul! No analogy of Nature, no perception of Sense, no power of Reason can teach us how Spirit can move Body, if they have not a community of nature or principles; in truth, the mutual affections of Matter and Mind, Body and Spirit, are not even rationally conceivable upon the common notion of their absolute difference and independence; we are bound therefore either to elevate Matter to Mind, and give the Universe an Internal or lutellectual subsistence alone, as the IDEALIST does; or to sink Mind into Matter, and allow only a Physical or External world, like the MATERIALIST; or finally to assign them a common concurring nature; for it is not possible a reasonable being can run to the absurdest extreme of SCEPTICISM, by doubting the fact of their reciprocal action and affection. Since therefore Mind and Matter cannot act reciprocally unless they have a common nature, it follows that the dispute of the Metaphysicians concerning their mutual causality is mere logomachy; but if either of these principles have superiority or precedence, it must be mind or the active principle. So much for the principle of the Universe; and if we look to its end or chief purpose, which is Moral,' we must again give the precedent to Mind; and if, finally, between these extremes, we regard the means or relations by which the Universe is connected as a whole, we must also assign them to MIND, the Active, formative and ruling principle, the beginning, middle, and the end. |