276 Epidemics. 



began not far from about the year 1490 B.C., and has pro- 

 ceeded on to 1817 A.D., but we have in our day arrived at an 

 area of circle which, in its extension, bids fair to include the 

 whole earth ; and, as a necessary sequence of such wide- 

 spread civilization, in consequence of its central position by 

 land and by sea, the increasing intercourse of mankind and 

 the commissariats of the world being necessarily interwoven 

 with each other, it is easy to perceive that the old centre, 

 Acre, by the singular site it occupies in the earth, must be- 

 come the great depot of the increasing expansion of commerce 

 and civilization. 



But this has little to do with our subject, save as an 

 incidental coincidence. Our chief points for consideration 

 are the necessary effects of the more general expansion of the 

 human mind throughout all branches of the human family. 



The essential feature that most clearly manifests itself in 

 the early part of the existing anthropological era is the 

 strong bias in all undertakings, and in all attempts towards 

 progress and improvements, to adopt ASSOCIATION 

 and wide-spread combinations as a basis or principle of 

 action. 



Furthermore, added to the associative principle, is the 

 ever-increasing adaptation of the inventive genius of man to 

 impress upon man the necessity there is for his neighbour to 

 be his debtor for the comforts, conveniences, and safety 

 which each may enjoy. 



Among these, steam conveyance by land and sea, electric 

 telegraph, cheap postage, artificial lighting, and above all 

 compulsory education, which is fast entwining itself 

 throughout every government in the civilized world, 

 rank the foremost in aiding the rapid advance of the 

 mutual dependence of all mankind one upon another, and 

 each feeling he is for all he possesses more or less dependent 

 upon the good offices and industry of his surrounding neigh- 



