2i6 On the Vital Principle. 



they are incident to chemical changes ; and, as 

 they are contained in a living vafcular fyftem, 

 their motions become fubjedt to the influence of 

 nervous energy. 



But the profecution of this fubjeft will exceed 

 the bounds of the prefent evening's difcufliont 

 And I Ihall referve what I have further to ad- 

 vance upon it to fome future meeting of the 

 Society. 



Observations concerning the Vital Principle j 

 by John Ferriar, M. D. 



READ FEBRUARY J, ^7^7' 



Quibus ipfis noflrum (fc. humanum) ingenium optime 

 poteft cognofci, quod vilia, fenfibus obvia et facilia, ac 

 fimpliciffima defpicit ; ad ignota vero, obfcara et magnifica 

 magno impetu fertur. Ho f f m a n . 



PHILOSOPHERS have generally fuppofed 

 the human body to pofiefs a living power, 

 independent of the mind. This opinion arofe 

 at a very early period, and prevailed, with little 

 interruption, till the origin of the ecleftic philo- 

 fophy; the revival and confirmation of the doc- 

 trine have been attempted, by fome eminent 

 phyfiologifl:s of our own times. The dodlrines 

 of pneumatology have, indeed, little influence 



on 



