THE BLESSINGS OF CIVILIZATION. 597 



sion of a new sense, or the improvement of an old one, is a 

 fresh source of possible happiness ; but how, it may be asked, 

 does this affect the present question ? There are no just 

 grounds for expecting man to be ever endued with a sixth 

 sense ; so far from being able to improve the organization of 

 the eye or the ear, we cannot make one hair black or white, 

 nor add one cubit to our stature. But, on the other hand, 

 the invention of the telescope and microscope is equivalent 

 in its results to an immense improvement of the eye, and 

 opens up to us new worlds, fresh sources of interest and 

 happiness. Again, we cannot alter the physical structure of 

 the ear, but we can train it, we can invent new musical instru- 

 ments, compose new melodies. The music of savages is rude 

 and melancholy in comparison with ours ; and thus, though 

 the ear of man may not have appreciably altered, the pleasure 

 which we may derive from it has been immensely increased. 

 Moreover, the savage is like a child who sees and hears only that 

 which is brought directly before him, but the civilized man 

 questions nature, and by the various processes of chemistry, 

 by electricity, and magnetism, by a thousand ingenious con- 

 trivances, he forces nature to throw light upon herself, dis- 

 covers hidden uses and unsuspected beauties, almost as if he 

 were endowed with some entirely new organ of sense. 



The love of travel is deeply implanted in the human breast; 

 it is an immense pleasure to visit other countries, and see 

 new races of men. Again, the discovery of printing brings 

 all who choose into communion with the greatest minds. 

 The thoughts of a Shakespeare or a Tennyson, the discoveries 

 of a Newton or a Darwin, become thus the common property 

 of mankind. Already the results of this all-important though 

 simple process have been equivalent to an immense improve- 

 ment of our mental faculties ; and day by day, as books 

 become cheaper, schools are established, and education is 

 improved, a greater and greater effect will be produced. 



