AND ANIMAL LIFE. 209 



discoveries, or in refutation of old opinions : thus 

 on the one hand presenting knowledge as an im- 

 moveable point for future advancement, and, on 

 the other, correcting the fallacies of ignorance. But 

 while the present age has been enriched with con- 

 tributions of this kindbyBiCHAT,GALL,MAGEN- 

 DIE, LEGALLOIS, and BELL, it is also distinguish- 

 ed by theories and hypotheses, which are proba- 

 bly almost inseparable from the preceding. The 

 development of one fact in physiology, too ge- 

 nerally gives rise to a multitude of ingenious 

 ideas, which seem to be required to complete the 

 imperfect view which it unfolds ; and it is from 

 this cause that every century is necessitated to 

 retrace its steps to some established truth that has 

 been lost in the refinements or visions of its ad- 

 mirers. " Eh bien ! la physiologic a encore un 

 pied dans la premiere epoque, tandisque deja elle 

 en a place un dans la seconde. C'est aux physio- 

 logistes act u els a lui faire le pas tout en tier." 



CCXXXIII. So natural is it in man to embel- 

 lish what he cultivates, or to colour with his pur- 

 suits every object which he studies, that we have 

 now cerebral phenomena explained on the sup- 

 posed oscillations of the nervous fluid ; the in- 

 flammatory condition of the blood, from the in- 

 terposition of this same agent between its glo- 

 bules;* hypochondriacal and melancholic de- 



* Nequaquam, sed sanguis, cui nullum additamentum ac- 

 cessit, supplementum nullum a nutritionis foco proficiscens, 

 dilatatior, expanditur majorem acquirit capacitatem pro prin- 

 cipio nervoso ipsius gkbulis interposito. LOBSTEIN, p. 119. 



