96 DOCT&INE OF MATERIALISM. 



be followed by an increase in the bulk of 

 the organ, by which those ideas were re- 

 ceived. It is, however, very evident* that 

 so far from the attributes of the mind pro- 

 ducing, or increasing, the bulk in the body,^-the 

 body, by the exercise of the mind, is rendered 

 more active and energetic ; that, instead of ma- 

 nifesting to the organs of sense, any sensible 

 qualities, the mind is altogether insensible to 

 them : and, instead of being nourished, like 

 the organs of nutrition, the food wkich is con- 

 genial to its nature, is such alone as flows from 

 reason and understanding. It is, therefore, 

 legitimate to conclude, that the soul is not cor- 

 poreal, but immaterial ; that it is simple, and 

 without parts ; and, consequently, indestructi- 

 ble and immortal: for dissolution can only 

 arise from the separation of one part of a 

 thing from another, but which can never take 

 place in a principle which is essentially simple. 



If the attributes of mind depend on organisa- 

 tion, how is it possible that any permanent idea 

 of things can take place? for ideas could never 

 survive the duration of the particles of matter 

 which subsist in the organ, by which those 

 ideas were received. Memory could form no 

 part of such a system. 



Experiments, however, go to prove that the 

 most solid, in common with the softer and 

 more fluid parts of the body, are in a state of 



