PT. i. Astronomy and Geology compared. - 51 



boundaries which the human faculties in their 

 present state are unable to overstep. There are 

 certain primary elements into which all our inquiries 

 resolve themselves, and by which our most, subtle 

 reasonings must be limited. There are some ex- 

 ceedingly just observations on this subject in Mr. 

 Buckle's 'History of Civilisation,' in which he 

 renounces the attempt to explain or to understand 

 the nature of the Soul, and he shows very clearly 

 that we do not possess the data upon which to found 

 any practical result. After two centuries he endorses 

 the truth of the couplet that those who pursue those 

 vain and fruitless studies are destined 



1 on metaphysic ground to prance, 

 To show their paces, not one step advance/ 



Life is another of those great mysteries very much 

 akin to this, but it is curious that we have the most 

 perfect idea of the meaning of the word, although we 

 cannot explain the nature of the essence. When we 

 speak of animal, vegetable, or human life, we know 

 perfectly, well what we mean by it. The same 

 remark applies to others of these simple and 

 primary ideas ; the difference between instinct and 

 reason, for example, is perfectly intelligible to us in 



B 2 



