634 L I 
ference of ftrufture; and the fame is the cafe where one 
fyftem is remarkably weak. 
“ Such, then, (fays Bichat,) is the leading difference of 
the two lives, in relpefl to the degree of perfection of the 
various fyftems of functions of which each confifts : in 
the animal, predominance or inferiority of one fyftem 
arifes from the greater activity or indolence of that fyf¬ 
tem ; in the organic, the original conformation is the caufe. 
Hence, the phyfical temperament and the moral character 
cannot be changed by education, which has fo vaft an 
effeCt in modifying the animal life. The character, if I 
may ufe the expreffion, is the phyliognomy of the paftions; 
the temperament is that of the internal functions ; as both 
are constantly the fame, and not influenced by habit and 
exercife, they cannot be affeCted by education. That may, 
indeed, bellow fuch perfection on the judgment and re¬ 
flection, as to make them more powerful than the paf- 
flons ; it may fortify the animal life, and make it fuperior 
to the impulfes of the organic. But to attempt altering 
the character, foftening or exalting the paftions, of which 
it is the habitual expreffion, or enlarging or contracting 
their fphere, would be an enterprife analogous to that of 
permanently raifihg or diminilhing the extraordinary force 
of the heart, or accelerating or retarding the motions of 
the arteries in the ftate of health. We ftiould inform any 
perfon who entertained the latter projeCl, that circulation 
and refpiration are not under the influence of the will, 
and cannot, therefore, be modified by the individual, with¬ 
out the occurrence of difeafe. The fame obfervation will 
apply to thole who think they can change the character, 
and confequently the paftions ; flnce the latter are the pro¬ 
duce of the actions of all the internal organs, or at leaft, 
are especially Seated in them.” Bichat , Rccherchcs fur la Vie 
et la Mort. 
We cannot fpeak of life but by contrafting it, alas! 
with death. Let us, for inftance, contemplate a beautiful 
female in the prime of youth and health. That elegant 
voluptuous form, that graceful flexibility of motion, that 
gentle warmth, thofe cheeks crimfoned with the rofes of 
delight, thofe brilliant eyes, darting rays of love, or Spark¬ 
ling with the fire of genius, that countenance, enlivened 
by fallies of wit, or animated by the glow of paflion, feem 
all united to form a molt fafeinating being. A moment is 
Sufficient to deltroy this illulion. Motion and fenfe often 
ceafe without any apparent caufe. The body lofes its 
heat ; the mufcles become flat, and the angular promi¬ 
nences of the bones appear; the luftre of the eye is gone; 
the cheeks and lips are livid. Thefe, however, are but 
preludes of changes (till more horrible. The fleffi becomes 
i'ucceffively blue, green, and black; it attracts humidity; 
and, while one portion evaporates in infectious emana¬ 
tions, another dilTolves into a putrid Sanies, which is alfo 
fpeedily diflipated. In a word, after a few Ihcrt days 
there remains only a Small number of earthy and Saline 
principles. The other elements are difperfed in air, and 
•in water, to enter again into new combinations. 
Let us liften for a moment to the eloquent Boffuet. 
Human life is like a road of which the termination is a. 
frightful precipice. We are warned of it at our firft ftep ; 
but the law is paffed, and we mult continue to advance. 
I would willingly retrace my fteps ; but Onward! on¬ 
ward! an invincible weight, an irrefiffible power, ever 
hurries us, and we are compelled to advance, without 
retting, towards the precipice. A thoufand croffes, a 
tliouland pains, trouble us on the road. Yet could I but 
avoid that frightful precipice! No, no; I am forced to 
proceed, to run ; fuch is the rapidity of one year rolling 
after another. We are confoled, however, becaufe from 
time to time we meet objeCts that divert us, limpid Streams, 
and flowers that pats away. We are anxious to ftop— 
Onward! onward! and yet we behold all that we have 
paffed falling behind us, in fearful defolation, inevitable 
ruin. Still we comfort ourfelves, becaufe we carry off 
Some flowers, gathered as we pafs, which we fee wither 
between our hands from morning to evening, and feme 
F E. 
fruits which we lofe while we fafle them: enchantment X 
illation all! drawn on forever, we approach the frightful 
gulph ; already all around begins to be disfigured” gar¬ 
dens are lefs blooming, flowers lefs brilliant, their colour3 
lefs lively, the meadows lefs finding, the waters lefs clear; 
all is tarnifhed, all is effaced. The thade of death pre- 
fents itfelf. We begin to feel the approach of the fatal 
gulph ; but it is decreed that we mult ftill advance. One 
ftep more; already horror agitates the fenfes, the head 
fwims, the eyes are bewildered. We mult yet advance ; 
moll eagerly do we defire to return : but it is not pofiible j 
all is fallen, all has vanifhed.” 
The prolongation of life is made by lord Bacon one of 
the three branches of medicine ; the other two relating 
to the prefervation of health and the cure of dileafes. The 
theory of prolonging life he numbers among the defiderata. 
The defire of felf-prefervation, and of protradiing the 
fliort fpan ot life, is fo intimately interwoven with our 
conflitution, that it is juftly efteemed one of the firft prin¬ 
ciples of our nature, and, in fpite even of pain and mi- 
fery, Seldom quits us to the laft moments of our exifteuce. 
It feems, therefore, to be no lefs our duty than our in- 
tereft, to examine minutely into the various means' that 
have been conftdered as conducive to health and long 
life; and, if pofiible, to diftinguilh fuch circumltances as 
are effential to that great end, from thofe which are merely 
accidental. 
All the circumltances that are molt effentially neceffary 
to life, may be cotnprifed under the fix following heads: 
i. Air and climate; a. Meat and drink; 3. Motion and 
reft; 4. Sleep and watching; 5. Secretions and excre¬ 
tions; 6. Affedtions of the mind. Thefe, though all 
perfedtly natural to the conflitution, have by writers been 
ftyled the non-naturals, by a ft range perverfion of language; 
and have been all copioully handled under that improper 
term. However, it may not be amifs to offer a few there 
obfervations on each, as they are fo immediately connedted 
with the prefent Subject. 
1. It has long been known that frefli air is more im¬ 
mediately neceffary to life than food ; for a man may live 
two or three days without the latter, but not many mi¬ 
nutes without the former. The vivifying principle con¬ 
tained in the atmofphere, fo effential to "the fupport of 
flame, as well as animal life, concerning which authors 
have propofed fo many conjectures, is nothing elfe but 
that pure oxygenated fluid lately discovered by the inge¬ 
nious and lamented Lavoilier. The common atmofphere 
may well be fuppofed to be more or lefs healthy in pro¬ 
portion as it abounds with this animating principle. As 
this exhales in copious ftreams from the green leaves of 
all kinds of vegetables, even from thofe of the molt poi¬ 
sonous kind, may we not, in fonie meafure, account why 
inltaaces of longevity are fo much more frequent in the 
country than in large cities ; where the air, inltead of par¬ 
taking fo largely of this falutary impregnation, is daily 
contaminated with noxious animal effluvia and azotic gas, 
formerly called phlogifton ? 
With refpedt to climate, various obfervations confpire 
to prove, that thofe regions which lie within the tempe¬ 
rate zones are belt calculated to promote long life. Hence, 
perhaps, may be explained why Italy has produced fo 
many long-livers, and why illands in general are more fa¬ 
lutary than continents; of which Bermudas and fome 
others afford examples. And it is a pleating circumftance 
that our own ifland appears to contain far more inftances 
of longevity than couid be Well imagined. The inge¬ 
nious Mr. Whitehurlt allures us, from certain fafts, that 
Englilhmen are in general longer-lived than North Ame¬ 
ricans; and that a Britilh conftitution will laft longer, 
even in that climate, than a native one. But it mult be 
allowed in general, that the human conflitution is adapted 
to the peculiar Itate .and temperature of each refpeftive 
climate, fo tnat no part of the habitable globe can Scarcely 
be pronounced too hot or too cold for its inhabitants. 
Yet, in order to promote a friendly intercourse between 
the 
