4.04. Human Physiology. 



doubtedly we must have perfect individuals to form a perfect 

 society, and a perfect society is needed to produce, train, edu- 

 cate, and develop perfect individuals. Bad men make a corrupt 

 society a corrupt society demoralises its members. 



This is true, but humanity revolts at its own corruptions, 

 mourns over its imperfections, and is ever aspiring at a higher 

 and purer state. Many, discouraged at failures, hope for happi- 

 ness in a future state of existence ; but those who believe it 

 possible that the will of God may be done on earth as it is in 

 heaven, will' never cease to labour as well as pray that this pro- 

 phecy of prayer may be accomplished. 



The upward tendency of humanity is shown in the general 

 esteem for honesty, honour, benevolence, and all the noble and 

 heroic virtues. Our ideal life is far above that to which we 

 have attained. We find it in our romances, our poetry, and in 

 the biographies of our best and greatest men the favourite 

 reading of all ages. In our dramas, even when performed in 

 the lowest theatres, and most perhaps in those, honesty, self- 

 sacrifice, fidelity, heroism, meet with generous applause; while 

 meanness, treachery, selfishness, and cruelty, are heartily de- 

 tested. Even in the stories and dramas of highwaymen and 

 pirates they must be made brave, generous, and in some sort 

 heroic, to gain the sympathy of even the lowest public. 



When men are chosen by disinterested voters for offices of 

 trust, mean and bad men are never knowingly elected. The 

 lowest tribe wants its best man for chief. Soldiers and sailors 

 respect and yield ready obedience to good officers. All men 

 respect just laws and wise social regulations, even if passion or 

 interest make them personally offenders. The light of con- 

 science may be dim, but it is seldom wholly obscured; and 

 when one does not know wrong from right, we no longer hold 

 him responsible, or subject to blame or punishment. That 

 human depravity is but partial, and not total, is shown in the 

 fact that all languages have such words as right and wrong, 



