ioued chair. In a word, all our undertakings, from their 

 inception to their completion, are put through by the aid 

 of what may be called our multiplied physical organs. And 

 so it has come about that the nocetic energy within our 

 breast has an intrinsic relation to the volume of our life, 

 individual, social, national and international. 



Our dependence on this living science for our little com- 

 forts and conveniences, as well as for our great undertak- 

 ings, has become a habit. Like breathing, this nocetic fac- 

 ulty is indispensable to our life, both on its lowex and higher 

 sides, and the progress of civilization is in proportion to its 

 health}^ activity. Man, as an individual, or as a race, de- 

 pends on it from infancy. When a child on its mother'^ 

 knee at the table, after a number of fumbling attempts, 

 (Succeeds in picking up a spoon, and is able at pleasure to 

 repeat the act, he has begun his education in practical 

 scFence. He has diseovcred a comiection between his will 

 and the closmg of his fingers, and is aware that he can 

 repeat it. Given a healthy hand, and a spoon within his 

 reaxjh, the re&ult is certain. Carlyle, in hia Sartor Eesartus, 

 has a chapter on "Genesis." In it he tells of his hero as a 

 babe, and describing the child's progress he saj's: "Mean- 

 while the incipient Diogenes, like others, all ignorant of 

 hig why, his how, or whereabouts, was opening his eyes to 

 the hght; sprawling out his ten fingei's and toes; listening, 

 tasting, feeling; in a word, by all his five senses, and still 

 more by his sixth sense of hunger, and a. whole infinitude 

 of inward spiritual, half-awakened senses, ' endeavoring to 

 acquire for himself seme knowledge of this strange universe 

 where he had arrived, be his task therein what it might. 

 Infinite was his progress; thus m some fifteen months, he 

 could perform the miracle of — -speech ! To breed a fresh 

 soul. Is it not like brooding a. fresh celestial egg ; where- 

 in flis yet all is formless, powerless ; yet by degrees organic 

 fibres shoot through the watery albumen ; and out of vague 

 sensation grow'S- thought, grows fantasy and force, and we 

 have philosophies, dynasties, nay poetries and religions." 



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