24^8 Dr. Spurgin's Outlines of a Philosophical 



to demonstrate that matter relatively to itself alone enjoys 

 higher and lower degrees of vitality, or manifests vital ph^eno- 

 mena in greater and less perfection, according to the condition 

 in which it stands, or according to the state into which it may 

 be brought. No one can deny that organization is a condi- 

 tion of matter suited to the manifestation of vital phaenomena ! 

 No one can deny that the higher or the more perfect the or- 

 ganization, the more complete and perfect is the manifestation 

 of the vital phsenomena : — thus for the sake of illustration, the 

 results of the cerebral organization which, doubtless, are mo- 

 tion, feeling, memory, thought, judgement, and the like, are 

 superior to those of muscular structure or organization, to 

 wit, — contraction and relaxation or irritability ! But again, no 

 one can deny that each of these parts or organs is momen- 

 tarily depfindent upon the presence of the blood to enable it 

 to manifest its peculiar vital phaenomena. Let me, therefore, 

 intreat your attention to this point one moment ; let me ask 

 you, in what other relationship do the vessels and organs stand 

 to the blood which circulates through them, than this, (viz.) 

 that bt/ virtue of the blood they live, and by living, act. 



Now, in speaking of a purpose and design, how well do we 

 see them accomplished or fulfilled by the fluidity of the blood ! 

 the very building up and preservation of the body is accom- 

 plished and fulfilled by this fluid, for it possesses in its com- 

 position those elements of which the body itself is compounded, 

 according to what we remarked in our introduction, " that 

 nothing exists in the body which did not first exist in the 

 blood." We have observed, that between life and matter there 

 can be no proportion ; but we have observed likewise, that there 

 is a proportion between the various conditions of matter; — 

 that a proportion may be instituted between one condition of 

 matter and another, even in regard to organization as being 

 more and less perfect and excellent. But are we prepared to 

 show that in regard to tlie blood there are in the same manner 

 divers degrees of perfection, not only in respect to its quality 

 whether good or bad, but also in respect to perfection as being 

 less compound, more active, more fluid, and thence better en- 

 abled still to penetrate into the almost invisible recesses and de- 

 licate textures where the red and more compound, and thence 

 less perfect blood can never reach, without threatening de- 

 struction to the whole viscus, as happens in inflammation ? In 

 short, can we show that there is a fluid, which by virtue of the 

 perfection of its nature is better enabled still to accomplish and 

 to fulfil certain specific purposes and designs, — a fluid which 

 in relation to life is as nothing, but in relation to the blood 

 is as the life thereof; and thence the cause of its vitality and 



fluidity. 



