" THOUGHTS ON PHYSICAL EDUCATION." 99 



partments, which include the organs of the animal, the moral, and 

 the intellectual faculties ; and, he observes, to raise the mental cha- 

 racter to the highest perfection, each of those organs which are in- 

 struments of the mind must he large, well -organized, and healthy, 

 and a correct balance must subsist between them. Inasmuch as 

 the mind's organic instruments are perfect, in so much will the 

 mental operations be proper and excellent : with bad or imperfect 

 instruments, the hand of Praxiteles could not have earned for the 

 artist the well-merited meed of immortality. In expatiating 

 further on the brain and its physical education, Dr. C. indulges 

 in some speculations not unaffected with the exclusive perceptions of 

 enthusiasm. "To a solid/' he says, "and infallible foundation for 

 strength and activity of intellect, sound morality, and energy of 

 character, nothing else (besides a large, well-organized, healthy, 

 and right-proportioned brain) is necessary. Skilful 'training, by 

 turning to the proper account these high gifts of nature, and in that 

 way ingrafting improvement on capacity, will finish the work." 

 This is the eloquent Doctor's very limited view of the work which 

 is " to raise the mental character to the highest perfection." Man, 

 'tis true, can et work" on the brain ; but this, at best, is merely the 

 mind's instrument, alike imperfect and perishable : he knows no- 

 thing whatever of the mind's essence ; and of the precise modes 

 whereby it operates through the brain, as its organ, he is altogether 

 ignorant. Far otherwise, however, is it with the All-mighty and 

 All-wise Being who created the mind, and knows perfectly the 

 elements of its constitution, and the extent of its powers: He alone 

 can " work" on the mind as mind ; and that He does " work" on 

 the immortal mind of man by divine and spiritual influences, is a 

 fact whereof the probability is deducible from the manifestations of 

 His essential attributes, and the actuality of which is demonstrable 

 by the experience of devout and intelligent persons. Dr. C. conti- 

 nues his observations, and says " Were the whole human race thus 

 happily tempered, the condition of man would be as perfect as it 

 could be rendered, and the state of society correspondingly prospe- 

 rous : talent and knowledge would prevail and be respected, morality 

 and active virtue would predominate over profligacy and vice, and 

 that every one should be happy in himself and useful to others, would 

 be the ambition and earnest endeavour of all : and, he adds, this would 

 be a millenium brought into existence by means of education, and 

 in conformity to the constitution of human nature ; and let that 

 state of improved brain occur when it may, the perfect organization 

 of man, more especially of his brain, will constitute its basis. Here 



