III. Intel lectual principle. 1 CLASS IV. has its separate and peculiar functions, a system of nutritive action or relation, and a system of vital. To which is added, by way of appendix, another system, comprising the functions of generation *. Here, however, the brain is not only the seat but the organized substance of the mental powers: so that, we are expressly told, a man must be as he is made in his brain, and that education, and even logic itself, is of no use to him. "There are," says M. Magendie," justly celebrated persons who have thought differently; but they have hereby fallen into grave errors." A Deity however is allowed to exist, because, adds the writer, it is comfortable to think that he exists, and on this account the physiologist cannot doubt of his being. "L'intelligence de l'homme," says he," se compose de phénomênes tellement différens de tout ce que présente d'ailleurs la nature, qu'on les rapporte à un être particuliere qu'on regarde comme une emanation de la Divinité. Il est trop consolant de croire à cet être, pour que le physiologiste métte en doute son existence; mais la séverité de language ou de logique que comporte maintenant la physiologie exige que l'on traite de l'intelligence humaine comme si elle était la résultat de l'action d'un organe. En s'écartant de cette marche, des hommes justement célèbres sont tombés dans des graves erreurs; en la suivant, on a, d'ailleurs, le grand avantage de conserver la même méthode d'étude, et de rendre trésfaciles des choses qui sont envisagées généralement comme presqu' au-dessus de l'esprit humain."-" Il existe une science dont le but est d'apprendre à raisonner justement c'est la logique, mais le jugement erroné ou l'esprit faux (for judgement, genius, and imagination, and therefore false reasoning, all depend on organization) tiennent à l'organization. Il est impossible de se changer à cet egard; nous restons tels que la nature nous à faits †. Dr. Spurzheim has generally been considered, from the concurrent tenour of his doctrines, as belonging to the class Hypothesis of Spurzheim. * Précis Elementaire de Physiologie. 2 Tom. 8vo. Paris, 1816, 1817. + Précis Elementaire, &c. ut supra, passim. III. Intel of materialists; but this is to mistake his own positive CLASS IV. assertion upon the subject, or to conclude in opposition lectual to it. He speaks, indeed, upon this topic with a singular principle. hesitation and reserve, more so, perhaps, than upon any other point whatever; but as far as he chooses to express himself on so abstruse a subject, he regards the soul as a distinct being from the body, and at least intimates that it may be nearer akin to the Deity. Man is with him also possessed of two lives, an AUTOMATIC and an ANIMAL: the first produced by organization alone, and destitute of consciousness; the second possessed of consciousness dependent on the soul, and merely manifesting itself by organization. "We do not," says he, "attempt to explain how the body and soul are joined together and exercise a mutual influence. We do not examine what the soul can do without the body. Souls, so far as we know, may be united to bodies at the moment of conception or afterwards; they may be different in all individuals, or of the same kind in every one; they may be emanations from God, or something essentially different "*. The mind of this celebrated craniologist seems to be wonderfully sceptical and bewildered upon the subject, and studiously avoids the important question of the capacity of the soul for an independent, and future existence: but with the above declarations he cannot well be arranged in the class of materialists. The hypothesis which has lately been started by Mr. Lawrence is altogether of a different kind, and though undoubtedly much simpler than any of the preceding, does not seem to be built on a more stable foundation. According to his view of the subject, organized differs from inorganized matter merely by the addition of certain PROPERTIES which are called vital, as sensibility and irritability. Masses of matter endowed with these new PROPERTIES become organs and systems of organs, constitute an animal frame, and execute distinct sets of Physiognomical System, &c. p. 253. 8vo. Lond. 1815. + Introduction to Comparative Anatomy and Physiology, &c. 8vo. 1816. Hypothesis simpler, but its basis not of Lawrence more stable. CLASS IV. PURPOSES or FUNCTIONS, for functions and purposes car III. Intel lectual principle. Regards life as a mere property of matter, occasional and accidental: without any real essence: a mere as semblage of purposes, or series of phænomena. Hence the human frame a barrel-organ and life the music it plays, ceasing as the music ceases when the machine will no longer work. This hypothesis not new: ried into execution are here synonymous. "Life is the assemblage of ALL the functions (or purposes) and the general result of their exercise"". Life, therefore, upon this hypothesis, instead of being a two-fold or three-fold reality, running in a combined stream, or in parallel lines, has no reality whatever. It has no ESSE or independent existence. It is a mere assemblage of PURPOSES, and accidental or temporary PROPERTIES: a series of phænomena†, as Mr. Lawrence has himself correctly expressed it ;-a name without a thing. "We know not," says he, "the nature of the link that unites these phænomena, though we are sensible that a connexion must exist; and this conviction is sufficient to induce us to give it a NAME, which the VULGAR regard as the sign of a particular principle; though in fact that name can only indicate the ASSEMBLAGE OF THE PHÆNOMENA which have occasioned its formation "‡. The human frame is, hence, a barrel-organ, possessing a systematic arrangement of parts, played upon by peculiar powers, and executing particular pieces or purposes; and life is the music produced by the general assemblage or result of the harmonious action. So long as either the vital or the mechanical instrument is duly wound up by a regular supply of food or of the wince, so long the music will continue but both are worn out by their own action; and when the machine will no longer work, the life has the same close as the music; and in the language of Cornelius Gallus, as quoted and appropriated by Leo X., -redit in nihilum, quod fuit ante nihil. There is, however, nothing new either in this hypothesis or in the present explanation of it. It was first started in the days of Aristotle by Aristoxenus, a pupil of his, enus a pupil who was admirably skilled in music, and by profession a but started by Aristox of Aristotle, who thus Introduction to Comparative Anatomy and Physiology, &c. p. 120. + Id. p. 122. Id. p. 122. CLASS IV. III. Intellectual physician. It was propounded to the world under the name of the system of HARMONY, either from the author's fondness for music, or from his comparing the human frame principle. to a musical instrument, and his regarding life as the illustrated result of all its parts acting in accordance, and producing named it a general and harmonious effect. it, and the system of harmony. Opposed by all the other sects of material ists in his cureans; How far Mr. Lawrence's revised edition of this hypothesis may prove satisfactory to other classes of materialists I cannot tell but if he should succeed, he will be more fortunate than Aristoxenus who pleased neither the other materialists nor the immaterialists of his day. From the day: latter, indeed, he could expect no countenance: but even the Epicureans, though they held that the mind was cor- especially by the Epiruptible as formed of matter, which they had no reason to believe was then or ever would be otherwise than corruptible under any modification whatever, held, at the same time, that it had a substantive existence, distinct from that of the grosser frame of the body, and possessed of other and far higher properties: being formed of the finest, lightest, smoothest, and most moveable material elements, and hence exquisitely etherialized and volatile : -est animi natura reperta Mobilis egregie, perquam constare necesse est The atomic philosophers, therefore, joined with the Platonists and Stoics in opposing the system of harmony, and that chiefly upon the two following grounds, which will apply with as much force to its present as to its primary form. First, admitting that an assemblage and exercise of ALL the functions of the machine are necessary to maintain the phænomena of life, we are left as much in the dark as ever concerning the nature of the principle by which this harmonious instrument becomes gradually developed and is kept in perpetual play. And next, that the life or well-being of the animal frame does not depend upon an assemblage and exercise of ALL its functions or purposes, since the mind may be diseased * Lucret. De Rer. Nat. 111. 204. who united Platonists and Stoics. with the Their doctrine sent modi fication. III. Intel CLASS IV. while the body remains unaffected; or the body may lose some of its own organs, while the mind, or even the general health of the body itself may continue perfect *. lectual principle. General result and general duty. Another subject closely con nected herewith. By what means the mind main tercourse with the surrounding world. No direct communication : rarely ever In the darkness, therefore, which continues to hang over the mysterious subject before us, I feel incompetent to enter into the question concerning the actual essence of the mind, and am perfectly content to take its general nature, powers and destiny, from the only volume which is capable of giving us any decided information upon the subject; to follow it up as far as that volume may guide us, and to stop where it withdraws its assistance. Closely connected with the present question is another of nearly as much perplexity, and the consideration of which has not been attended with much more success, but which must not be passed by on the present occasion without being glanced at. Whatever be the nature or substance of the mind, the brain is the organ in which it holds its seat; and tains an in- whence it maintains an intercourse with the surrounding world. Now, it must be obvious to every one who has attended to the operation of his senses, that there never is, nor can be any direct communication between the mind, thus stationed in the brain, and the external objects the mind perceives; which are usually, indeed, at some distance even from the sense that gives notice of them. Thus, in looking at a tree it is the eye alone that beholds the tree, while the mind only perceives a notice of its presence by some means or other, from the visual organ. So, in touching this table it is my hand alone that comes in contact with it, and communicates to my mind a knowledge of its hardness and other qualiWhat then ties. What then is the medium by which such communi between the external senses and the external objects. is the me dium of communication? cation is maintained? which enables the mind to have a perception of the form, size, colour, smell, and even distance of objects, correspondent with that of the senses which are seated on the surface of the body? and which Lucret. De Rer. Nat. II. 105-266. Lactant. in Vit. Epicur. Polignac. Anti-Lucret. Lib. v. 923. |