8 



in general, is so deeply hidden from our view, 

 how shall we attempt to explain the renewal of 

 the solid animal parts, whereby the body is sup^ 

 ported during the constant exchange of its ele- 

 ments ? But still more astonishing are the opera- 

 tions of the brain . How amazing, that our thought, 

 even in its sublimest flight, and when it pene- 

 trates the most hidden recesses of nature, should 

 depend on a previous chemical process, which, if 

 in the least disturbed as to its correctness, would 

 distract this very thought, change it into mad^ 

 ness, or make it cease altogether ; and yet this is 

 an incontrovertible truth. But is it not probable, 

 that human understanding", which is capable of so 



uch cultivation, which has calculated the laws 

 motion for distant worlds, and explored in so 



'any instances the beauty and wonders of siu% 

 ounding nature, and even attained a degree of 

 /. perfection, the summit of which is concentrated in 

 , may one clay explore itself and its nature? 

 I am convinced it will not. 



To give an account of all the attempts which 

 have been made to explain on this head, what 

 we nevertheless are as ignorant of as before, would 

 be to write a long and useless book; for we 

 have seen nothing but mere speculation, with- 



