106 THE HUMAN LUNGS. 



never could come from inanimate things, even though their theatre 

 be ancient night with its gorgeous pageant of stars. 



The active or alternate attraction in the body, like all attraction, 

 amounts also to a law of association — in this case the association of 

 the organs. If each organ takes, and does, what it wants, each 

 organ is conveniently placed to do and to take it. The organs 

 which need the best blood, are so seated at the banquet that they 

 obtain it naturally and necessarily. They are succeeded in punc- 

 tilious rank by the rest, each having its attractions seconded by its 

 place round the table. There is a society in our members. But 

 this is such a subject, that we must be content with a glance at its 

 stupendous proprieties. The order which it involves, could we open 

 it but a little, is of visionary magnificence, and might make us into 

 propagandists of the organization of the body. For the Divine 

 Architect rests not in middling fitness, but now, as at the first, per- 

 fection is his way, and embodied truth is his everlasting child. 



Surely, then, we say, at the risk of repetition, it is no longer 

 difficult to see the fundamental importance of the lungs in the 

 human body. Life consists in the peculiar faculties, passions, in- 

 stincts, senses and actions, which our bodies execute ; or life is spirit- 

 ual motion. This cannot be founded upon physical inertia or dead 

 body, but upon physical activity or living body. And this activity 

 must be constant and pervading, lest life should be stopped by some 

 lump of rest or carcase remaining on its hands. Motion or vibra- 

 tion, therefore, in various degrees, continually sways the organism, 

 and shakes it out of the rank of death-like things. Thus it is always 

 on the tremble and tiptoe ; its motion its main essence, and ready for 

 obedience, as a servant all ear, eye and sense, watching for command. 

 This could not be the case if the body, or any part of it were at rest. 

 The rest would require to be broken, and the body to be roused, 

 before it could obey, and a thousand volitions would fail before one 

 was brought into effect. But by means of the lungs which keep 

 everything on the move, the man is ever ready for living operations. 

 Thus, the quickness of the body's service depends entirely upon its 

 response to the animations of the lungs. Or, life is founded upon 

 motion, and the motion is evoked and maintained out of rest by 

 physical life, animation, or in other words, pulmonary breathing. 



