412 THE SOCIAL OEGAiaSM. 



parts of the body ; so it is in the nature of a single ruler 

 to be swayed in his acts by exclusive personal or class in- 

 terests. As it is in the nature of an aggregation of ganglia, 

 connected with the primary one, to convey to it a greater 

 variety of influences from more numerous organs, and thus 

 to make its acts conform to more numerous requirements ; 

 BO it is in the nature of a king surrounded by subsidiary 

 controlling powers, to adapt his rule to a greater number 

 of pubhc exigencies. And as it is in the nature of those 

 great and latest-developed ganglia which distinguish the 

 higher animals, to interpret and combine the multiplied 

 and varied impressions conveyed to them from all parts of 

 the system, and to regulate the actions in such way as duly 

 to regard them all ; so it is in the nature of those great 

 and latest-developed legislative bodies which distinguish 

 the most advanced societies, to interpret and combine the 

 wishes and complaints of all classes and localities, and t6 

 regulate pubhc affairs as much as possible in harmony with 

 the general wants. 



The cerebrum co-ordinates the countless heterogeneous 

 considerations which affect the present and future welfare 

 of the individual as a whole ; and the legislature co-ordi- 

 nates the countless heterogeneous considerations which af- 

 fect the immediate and remote welfare of the whole com- 

 munity. "We may describe the office of the brain as that 

 of averaging the interests of life, physical, intellectual, 

 moral, social ; and a good brain is one in which the desires 

 answering to these respective interests are so balanced, 

 that the conduct they jointly dictate, sacrifices none of 

 them. Similarly, we may describe the office of a Parlia- 

 ment as that of averaging the interests of the various 

 classes in a community ; and a good Parliament is one in 

 which the parties answering to these respective interests 

 are so balanced, that their united legislation concedes to 

 each class as much as consists with the claims of the rest 



