THE LAW OF HABIT. 49 



ultimate destiny of tlie creature, as being involved in that attain- 

 ment. These powers under habit exhibit to us agility and strength 

 combined. Through habit power which has been obtained is ren- 

 dered permanent, just as through memory knowledge is treasured 

 up, leaving open the way for further development ; just as money 

 put out at interest will add each year to the evei'-growing pi-in- 

 cipal that which, being blended thei-ewith, will yield further in- 

 terest. If there be a destiny whose ultimate attainment is in the 

 design of the creature, some such powers of acquisition and expan- 

 sion are obviously necessary. Only through their means are growth 

 and progress possible. If there were no such means provided there 

 could be no life in the universe ; vitality would be reduced to 

 mechanism, for only growth and progress distinguish it therefrom. 

 This necessity of some powers of development as a condition sine 

 qua non of real life itself did not escape the notice of Dr. Reid, and 

 is clearly and beautifully expressed by him as follows: — "As with- 

 out instinct the infant could not live to become a man, so without 

 habit man would remain an infant through life, and would be as 

 helpless, as unhandy, as speechless, and as much a child in under- 

 standing at three-score as at three." 



The adage which tells us that habit blunts feeling is true, as we 

 have ah-eady seen, only of cei-tain of our feelings, its effects upon 

 others being quite the reverse. And a fact which renders our 

 argument for final causes still more conclusive, is that between those 

 sensibilities whose powers are exalted and those which suffer a 

 diminishing effect, no known difference can be pointed out capable 

 of explaining the divei-sity and contradiction seen in the workings 

 of habit, except the diffei*ence of their respective ultimate purposes 

 or ends. Those whose highest growth and enlargement are neces- 

 sary to the creature's perfection, are precisely those which receive 

 at the hands of habit the strongest impetus ; while those whose in- 

 definite increase would hinder such perfection ai-e, through the influ- 

 ence of the same law, stripped of their power to injure. In the 

 degree in which they ai-e beneficial and helpful they are allowed free 

 indulgence ; however, the moment they overstep this boundary, the 

 moment their further enlargement would be an aggravation, that 

 moment the law of habit interferes to turn aside and disarm tlie 

 threatened danger. In this way habit is a law of pi-otection and 

 defence, aiding that development and that only whose completion 

 6 



