COSMIC PHILOSOPHY 



shape of excretions through the lungs, liver, 

 skin, and kidneys. And while it is constantly- 

 parting with motion, in the shape of radiated 

 heat, of expended nerve-force, and of molar mo- 

 tion communicated to the surrounding objects 

 which it touches or handles, it is at the same 

 time absorbing large quantities of molecular 

 motion latent in its prepared nutriment. But 

 at no time are the antagonist processes exactly 

 balanced. During early life the excess of con- 

 centration over diffusion of matter results in 

 growth. At a later date the rhythms due to the 

 alternate predominance of concentration and 

 diffusion are exhibited in continual fluctuations 

 in weight. Yet the fact that the healthy body 

 usually increases in weight up to a late period 

 shows that ordinarily concentration is still pre- 

 dominant. And this is still more convincingly 

 proved by the fact that in old age, when the 

 body frequently decreases both in weight and in 

 volume, the weight decreases less than the vol- 

 ume. There is a general increase in density, 

 and concomitant loss of mobility, due to the in- 

 creased ratio of the solid to the fluid constitu- 

 ents of the tissues, and exhibited in the hard- 

 ness and brittleness of the bones, the stiffness 

 of the joints, the sluggishness of the circulation, 

 and the torpidity of the brain. Finally when, 

 in accordance with the general principle of 

 rhythm, the consolidation has gone so far as 

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