9 



dual ])lienoraena have never received a satisfactory 

 solution by looking at them only in one of tlieir aspects 

 and at the same time ignoring tlie other. Like tlie 

 valiant knights of old, eacli school is prepared to iiglit 

 for the truthfulness of the inspection of the face of the 

 shield next to themselves, ignoring any other asj^ect. 

 The wonderful force I am about to consider, explains 

 this double influence. The myriad tele2:ra])hic offices 

 in the ])ody are in constant communication with tlie 

 great central depositories of nerve force, called the 

 cerel)ro spinal system. There is not a part of the phys- 

 ical system, however apparently automatic or organic, 

 but is in some intimate relation to this cardinal motor 

 power, and which necessarily responds to its influence. 

 However multifarious the functions may be, each ac- 

 cording: to its kind, yet they are all within call of these 

 centers. They are the })riniary conservatories of vital 

 power and energy. Like armies in action, while figliting 

 a stern Ijattle against dissolution, they are within sup- 

 porting distance of one another. The most remote 

 organs from these centers are within reach of their 

 influence. In the same way are those which l^elong to 

 what Mr. Paget calls the " rhythmic nerve centers," /. (?., 

 the organs of respiration, the heart, and the alimentary 

 canal. A certain kind of electricity is essential to the 

 existence of physical life. Its absence means death, 

 and on the other liand it increases in intensity, or di- 

 minislies in force, according to the degree of mental or 

 bodily health. Now, l>y a parity of reasoning, if this 

 power be neither a ])rimary nor secondary (piality of 

 matter, /. 6^., not essential nor accidental, in any medium 

 in \vhich its energy may be manifested, it is not so 

 monstrous to infei", by analogy, tliat mind is a unity of 

 a subtle nature, like majTjnetism, luit of a lili'her order 

 of influence; it is directed and circumscribed in the 



