INFLUENCE ON THE HUMAN SYSTEM. 119 



believed, the god whom he worshipped ; but, as 

 a natural consequence, he also burnt it to please 

 himself — the next best object of his adoration. 

 The ancient Scythians used to cast bundles of 

 herbs into the fire, and then inhaled the fragrant 

 smoke ; the Thracians did the same with the 

 aromatic seeds of certain plants : and, according 

 to Herodotus, the Babylonians employed the 

 same means to produce and enjoy a transient 

 intoxication. But the analogue of the quid or 

 plug we seek in vain amidst the primitives of 

 earth in their early development. 



And yet why should not the nerve gustatory 

 subserve to that great engine of animality, sensa- 

 tion, as well as the nerve olfactory ? Indeed, is 

 there another animal who has contrived so many 

 wonderful means of agitating, exciting, delight- 

 ing every sense whereby his brain is continually 

 shaken ? Is man content with seeing the natural 

 beauty of nature alone ? How came he then to in- 

 vent such incomprehensible combinations, begin- 

 ning perhaps with " Punch and Judy," and ending 

 — no — only further developing his ideas at the 

 gorgeous spectacle of the Princess's ? ... Is he 

 content with merely hearing the song of birds, the 



