322 BIRMINGHAM SCHOOL OF 



priately cliosen as the foundation of a lecture on this interesti?\g 

 occasion, and Mr. Cox, in his mode of elucidating it, was par- 

 ticularly felicitous. He detailed the characters which distinguish 

 organic and inorganic matter, and then traced nature, rising by 

 gradual and gentle transition from link to link, until her arrival at 

 that grand, wonderful, and comprehensive system — man. After 

 a minute investigation of the properties of anatomy and phy- 

 siology, which the learned lecturer made most clear and con- 

 vincing, he came to that part of his discourse which related to 

 ** that sentient and intellectual power — the mind" from which we 

 have made the following brief extract : — 



" That this noble endowment proceeds from merely material organi- 

 zation has been contended by some of the most celebrated philosophers 

 and poets, and publicly advocated by some distinguished members of our 

 profession. But the opinions which have been advanced by the modern 

 materialists have no claim to originality. The novelties which have been 

 introduced are chiefly novelties in expression, not in ideas. The leading 

 arguments are the same as were advanced during past ages. If we refer 

 to the works of Democritus and the poet Lucretius, we shall find that 

 the anima and animus were considered parts of the body, and when dis- 

 organized they returned to mingle with their primary elements — 



Primum animtim dico, mentem quam seepe vocamus 

 In quo concilium Yitae regimenque locatum est, 

 Esse hominis partem, nihilo minus ac manus et pes, 

 Atque ocuU partes animantis totius extant. 



(Lucretius de rerum naturi.) 



To enter on this subject on the present occasion would be a digression. 

 I will only observe that I am perfectly convinced that the mind is incor- 

 poreal and immaterial ; which belief is strengthened and confirmed by 

 the wisest and best of men of past ages. How beautiful is this expressed 

 by the divine poet Virgil — 



Principio coelum, ac terras camposque liquentes 

 Liucentemque globum lunae, Titaniaque astra 

 Spiritus lotus alit, totamque infusa per artus, 

 Meus agitat molem, et magDO se corpore miscet. 



This belief is confirmed by that of the most illustrious men of other 

 countries — by the greatest men of our own. Surely we may rely with 

 implicit confidence, if other evidence were wanting, on the opinions of 

 Bacon, of Milton, of Newton, and of Locke — all of whom were perfectly 

 convinced, after the most mature examination, that, exclusive of this ma- 

 terial frame, there is superadded to it an incorruptible and immortal 

 soul. How this combination of matter and spirit takes place can be only 

 known to the omnipotent Creator of all things ; but, to prosecute this 

 inquiry further would be, in the words of one of our most beautiful 

 poets — 



To lose ourselves in Him, light ineffable : 

 Come then, expressive silence, muse his praise ! 



(TbomsonV Hymn.) 



