542 MATURITY OF MAN. 



more animal kind, the latter of a higher and intellectual ; the former lim- 

 ited to the period of infantile helplessness and dependence, and succeed- 

 ed by the latter as maturer years are attained. In savage races, howev- 

 er, instinctive affection seems alone to exist, and the intensity of moral 

 affection is, to a certain extent, a measure of civilization. Throughout 

 Character of t ^ ie ^ rst ^ teen y ears of life, with the gradual development 

 the life of chil- of the body there is also a steady intellectual progress, the 

 dren ' gains of which seem to be greatest at the earlier periods, and 



less and less marked as maturity is approached. When we recall the 

 wonderful advance accomplished in the first years, embracing the acqui- 

 sition of speech, and a knowledge of the nature and qualities of a thou- 

 sand surrounding objects, we might be led to suppose that our mental 

 acquisitions decline with the progress of life ; but this is altogether de- 

 ceptive ; for, though the acquirements of later years be less obvious, they 

 are none the less important and none the less profound. 



Through the successive changes to which allusion has now been made, 

 The maturity each of which is a strict metamorphosis, and each of which, 

 of man. w ^ n its special structures, has its special functions, man at last 

 reaches maturity. In some cases, as we have seen, the stature contin- 

 ues increasing until after the twenty-fifth year, and throughout the whole 

 mature period, even after what has been termed the meridian of life is 

 gained, the weight also becomes greater. This increase of weight, how- 

 ever, has not so much a relation to the muscular as to the respiratory sys- 

 tem, for the former reaches its perfection at a much earlier date, the in- 

 creasing development of the middle period of life being due to a continued 

 tendency to the accumulation of fat. At this period, moreover, the object 

 of life has undergone an entire change ; the vegetative propensity, or that 

 for the exclusive development of the individual, has declined in prom- 

 inence, and the reproductive has been assumed. With this there have 

 been awakened new sentiments and new emotions, affording still another 

 corroborative proof of the connection of mental habitudes and structural 

 condition. The psychical powers are now advancing toward maturity, 

 an advance which they continue to make until about the fiftieth year. 

 Throughout this whole period, and even at this extreme date, we still 

 notice how much intellectual capacity is connected with the perfection of 

 corporeal development. It needs but a little experience for us to de- 

 termine at a glance the intelligent from the obtuse, and to read even the 

 minor shades of character in the aspect of the face. Without being 

 aware of it, we are constantly putting into requisition the principles of 

 phrenology and physiognomy, and drawing conclusions respecting char- 

 acter to a certain degree correct, from the expression of the eyes, the lin- 

 eaments of the countenance, or the configuration of the head. 



The actions of man are closely connected with the physical and moral 



