33 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



CCCLXXXVIII. In the early stages of civili- 

 zation it is not improbable that passion was sup- 

 posed to reside in the chest, as a peculiar sensa- 

 tion of the heart never failed to accompany the 

 stronger emotions of the mind ; and in those ages 

 most distinguished for refinement and taste the 

 same ideas were entertained, not because men 

 had reflected on the origin of their feelings, and 

 were therefore satisfied of the language in use to 

 express them, but simply because they knew al- 

 most as little as those that had preceded them of 

 the functions of animal and organic life. 



CCCLXXXIX. The different epithets in con- 

 stant use to designate a good or bad heart, or the 

 peculiarities of the head, have arisen from the 

 same principle as that which gives a visceral local- 

 ity to the passions. The greater part of violent 

 emotions being placed in the thorax, and indi- 

 viduals being good or bad according to the deve- 

 lopment or direction of such, and, still further, 

 mankind being supposed to err from the impro- 

 per government of such feelings, it became 

 proverbial to say that the heart was virtuous or 

 wicked. 



CCCXC. These general observations soon 

 led to others of a more minute description. The 

 heart being regarded as the seat of passion, it was 

 remarked that the most generous and liberal cha- 

 racters were those whose feelings were readily 

 excited by the variety of external objects, and 

 that such individuals had the open, ruddy, and 



