324 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



CHAP. XV. 



Physiology of Passion. 



SECT. I, The Seat of Passion. 



CCCLXXII. THE endeavour to trace the 

 connection between mind and matter has been 

 frequently made; but the inquiries to which 

 it has led have added little to the most ancient 

 opinions concerning Passion. Anatomy and phy- 

 siology have certainly made us better acquainted 

 with the structure and functions of organs, and 

 with the mode in which these reciprocally act on 

 each other ; but, instead of removing the diffi- 

 culties which envelope the nature of this subject, 

 they have tended to increase them. A superior 

 knowledge of the nervous system has enabled 

 some to form many fanciful theories concerning 

 the operations of mind, such as the oscillation of 

 the nervous fluid, the peculiar action of ganglia, 

 and the direct communication of different nerves. 



CCCLXXIII. When an investigation is of 

 trifling moment in its results, we may occasion- 

 ally allow the ingenious mind to indulge in its 

 visionary speculations ; but when the interest of 

 humanity is a prominent object, the flights of 

 imagination ought not to take the place of sound 



