Individual through the Nervous System. 107 



but more largely to the institutions under which the people 

 live. The village life of India, closely resembling the feudal 

 organisation of the Celtic and Teutonic races, notwithstanding 

 the enervating character of the country, has produced sturdy 

 warriors, whose force the English power has felt, and now 

 rejoices to utilise. Similarly it may be observed, as in 

 Poland, Italy, and Switzerland, that people trained and nur- 

 tured under certain social influences or inspired by the 

 educating contact of others, have manifested the truest and 

 most conspicuous martial ardour. Again, look at slavery. 

 Its influence as an institution upon the character of the in- 

 dividual through his impressionability and innervation is so 

 well known that we only mention it in closing. Centuries of 

 such an influence tell upon the mental power, so that unless 

 some other force, such as education or Christianity, is brought 

 to bear upon the subject race, the members of it are perfectly 

 content to continue in a life of subjection and inferiority. We 

 need cite no more powerful example than that of the Hebrews 

 in the land of Egypt. The years of slavery had done their 

 work upon the national character, for when Moses was called 

 of God to lead them forth to freedom he found them but a horde 

 of undisciplined slaves. External forces had wrought their 

 influence upon them, for they had not only been robbed of their 

 liberty, but of all sense of independent manhood. Under Moses 

 they journeyed forth to freedom, but at the first reverse, like 

 miserable caitiffs as they were, they cried to go back again to 

 their flesh pots and their slavery. In course of time, under 

 difficulties and a different social government, they emerged into 

 a powerful nation, against whom no enemies could stand. 

 From these remarks you will, I venture to hope, be able to see 

 how closely the character of the individual is related to his 

 nervous system, and how through that system, so beautifully, 

 wondrously, and mysteriously fashioned, the powers of language 

 and theenvironment of social institutions exert an all-controlling, 

 powerful, and resistless influence. 



Mr. Murphy — I have listened with much interest to the very 



