86 BIOLOGICAL LECTURES. 



the history of the steps in thought from the earliest time till 

 now when treating on this and kindred topics, — a course 

 which implies there has been some kind of progress, and 

 that each generation has contributed in some degree to the 

 solution. It hardly needs to be said that this is no more true 

 in this matter than in any other of the sciences. In astronomy 

 one need not go back of Copernicus. In chemistry one need 

 not go back of Dalton. In electricity one need not go back of 

 Franklin ; in heat, back of Sir Humphrey Davy ; in biology, 

 back of Darwin. Not that there was nothing known before 

 them, but what was known was of little and no importance. 

 If all biologic knowledge before 1840 were subtracted from 

 present knowledge, it would scarcely be missed ; and if in these 

 fundamental things there was nothing of importance, still more 

 true is it in the more difficult and unexplored field of mind and 

 its bodily relations. There is not a single philosopher from 

 Adam, and the year i up to 1850, whose knowledge and 

 opinions on the question are worth a hearing ; and all refer- 

 ences to the expressed or implied statements of any of them, 

 as having any weight at all in the settlement of any of these 

 questions, seem to me to be utterly useless, — as useless as 

 their speculations on the habitability of the planets. None of 

 them had adequate data ; in fact, they kneiv nothing about it. 

 If, also, one remembers that modern knowledge is not ancient 

 or mediaeval knowledge confirmed and expanded, but new 

 knowledge which contradicts and repudiates most of the old, 

 he will see still less reason for appealing to antiquity for the 

 support of any doctrine. Now, seeing that the theologians 

 have admitted that the Bible was given for instruction in 

 religious things, not in science, it is no longer safe to quote 

 scripture as a warrant for any opinion upon a question involv- 

 ing scientific data or method ; hence, even on the question of 

 mind and body no one looks there either for direction or 

 corroboration. 



By body we mean the matter which constitutes the animal 

 mechanism, as that which embodies the various functions of 

 growth, assimilation, movements of one kind and another, and 

 along with these exhibits, in some degree some order of intelli- 



