Fasting. 187 



as to religious liberty, they admired that as non-established 

 bodies always do. They have done much unquestionably 

 to raise the intellectual standard around them, and they 

 have always done their duty with precision towards their 

 neighbours ; yet they have not been popular, and indeed, 

 in spite of their goodness, they have not been loved. Their 

 cold and purely intellectual nature has not been attractive ; 

 the intellect and reason are not the highest part of man ; 

 these parts of man have not the highest aims, and have 

 not the highest flights. This has nothing to do with the 

 truth or otherwise of their doctrines ; it only seems to be 

 a fact that their doctrines attracted very quiet men, and 

 wherever their college went it was small and cold, a spark 

 ready to go out. There is no pillar of fire in their line 

 of march, and yet with all this, who has written more 

 beautifully of the Christian life or felt it more deeply than 

 James Martineau } One feels that it is presumption even 

 to sound his praise ; every intellect must be impressed by 

 his reason, and every heart deeply affected by his emotions. 

 That there are many contradictions in man is no new 

 opinion. 



Fasting, 



The world has lately been interested in an experiment in 

 New York by Dr. Tanner, on the time to which life may be 

 prolonged without food. His limit was forty days, with the 

 abundant use of water. There is a paper by Dr. Percival 

 in vol. iii. on the effects of famine, wherein he quotes Mor- 

 gagni De Sedibus et Caiisis Morborum as ' relating the history 

 of a woman who obstinately refused to take any sustenance, 

 except twice, during the space of fifty days, at the end of 

 which period she died. But he adds, that she used water 



