THE VITAL AND PHYSICAL FORCES. 
757 
relations between those already known. He has preferred, in fact, rather to build 
upon the foundation afforded by the g-enerally admitted facts of Physiological 
science*, than to go in search of phenomena, his account of which might be questioned 
by those indisposed to admit his leading ideas. If those ideas be correct, they will 
be found, he believes, to afford a precision to Physiological doctrines which they have 
never before possessed ; and to open out a vast number of new lines of inquiry, which 
promise an ample harvest of results, not only valuable in a scientific view, but likely 
to be fertile in applications to various departments of the therapeutic art. At any 
rate, it is very important that Physiological science should be considered under the 
same dynamic aspect, as that under which the Physical sciences are now viewed by 
the most enlightened philosophers ; and he trusts that the present attempt may thus 
aid in its advancement, even if it should answer no higher purpose. 
Supplementary Note . — [Since the foregoing paper was written, the author’s atten- 
tion has been drawn to the fact, that Mr. Newport had been led, in the year 1845 — 
“ by the close relation shown by Dr. Faraday to subsist between light and electri- 
city, and by Matteucci between electricity and nervous power, and by the known de- 
pendence of most of the functions of the body on the latter,” — “ to consider light as 
the primary source of all vital and instinctive power, the degrees and variations of 
which, he suggested, may, perhaps, be referred to modifications of this influence on 
the special organization of each animal body.” (See “Athenaeum ” for Dec. 6 , 1845 .) 
These views were embodied in a paper “ On the Natural History of Meloe," presented 
to the Linnsean Society, and printed in the 20th volume of its Transactions. But as 
the passages in which they had been enunciated were omitted by the desire of the 
Council of that Society, no other public record of them exists than that just cited. — 
Nov. 20, 1850 .] 
* [To his mode of stating some of these facts, the author is aware that exceptions may be taken ; but he 
trusts that it may be perceived that his argument is a cumulative one, and that his conclusions rest upon a large 
number of independent probabilities. Consequently, even if some of his data should be found questionable, it does 
not follow that the validity of his general doctrine is disproved. — Nov. "20, 1850.] 
