160 Pr oar ess and Civilisation. PT. m. 



y 



for supposing that either the resources of Nature or 

 the invention of Man are exhausted. There are 

 probably many secrets within her bosom quite as 

 valuable and available for Man's use as the Mag- 

 netic needle or the passage, of the Electric fluid 

 along an iron wire. It is quite possible that we 

 may discover or invent a motive power as strong as 

 that of steam, but more portable, cheaper, and 

 more easily adapted to manual use ; vapours afford- 

 ing a more brilliant light than gas or lime light 

 may be found out ; agents as valuable as chloroform 

 in relieving pain or in curing disease may be dis- 

 covered. Mechanical inventions are every day pro- 

 duced, abridging labour and extending the empire 

 of Man over the material world. We see that there 

 is still a vast area on the globe unoccupied, or only 

 partly inhabited by Man, and the rapidly increasing 

 population will there find space to expand. 



The progress of Man has not been altogether 

 confined to the material world, although I heartily 

 concur in Mr. Buckle's view that abstract Meta- 

 physics have been absolutely stationary, and that 

 we know no more about the nature of the Soul, the 

 principle of Life, or any other question of abstruse 

 Metaphysics than the Greeks did in the time of 



