OP LIFE. 35 



ble cause. From all that has been ascertained it may be 

 inferred that the senses are not in action in the foetus, espe- 

 cially the touch. 



Q. One attribute of animal life certainly exists in the 

 foetus, if the senses do not, what is it? 



#. Locomotion does truly exist, but that of the foetus, 

 is not the consequence of external sensation or of animal 

 life. It results from the brain being sympathetically stimu- 

 lated, by the organs of organic life, in their foetal deve- 

 lopement. The locomotion exists, it is involuntary. For 

 example, the foetal heart sends undue measure of blood to 

 the brain ; it is thereby excited, and thus involuntary mus- 

 cular action is induced. Now compare this with voluntary 

 locomotion in independent life, in which sensation, per- 

 ception, and volition concur. 



Q. There is another feature distinguishing animal from 

 organic life, what is it? 



#. The operations of organic life are perfect at birth ; 

 those of animal life become so only in process of education 

 and habitual exercise. The senses of the infant trace, at 

 first, confused general images; so do the perceptions; the 

 intellectual operations are latest in attaining perfection. 



Q. What are the laws governing this education of the 

 functions of animal life? 



*ft. Let it suffice to state one. The improvement or 

 perfection of any one of these is at the expense of others; 

 tha of the memory at the cost of judgment, &c. The per- 

 fection of one sense is at the expense of another. Now it 

 is curious, that the operations, not the education, of or- 

 ganic life are under the influence of a gimilar law: the ex- 

 cessive action of one organ is at the expense of another. 





