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    Fahrenheit ; but sometimes , when the exertion has been continued for five minutes fas the biceps of the arm , in sawing a piece of wood ) , it has been double that amount . This development of heat may be in a great measure attributable to , and even a necessary consequence of , the friction just alluded to . " . The idea of soft moist semi-liquid fibres producing this teat by friction is one that we confess astounded us , coming from such writers . We were less surprised at finding them fall into the old routine of separating mind from the brain , and making it an independent existence , because they bring the authority of " Revealed Truth" into the field—an authority which , in matters of science especially , is most unhappy . Their treatment of this subject , however , is such as We observe in a large class of orthodox writers : their facts and arguments all go one way , their conclusions another . No positive Biologist would desire a more specific statement than this : —

    " From these premises it may be laid down as a just conclusion , that the convolutions of the brain are the centre of intellectual action ^ or , more strictly , that this centre consists in that vast sheet of vesicular matter which , crowns the convoluted surface of the hemispheres . This surface is connected with the centres of volition and sensation ( corpora striafca and optic thalami ) , and is capable at once of being excited by , or of exciting them . JSvery idea of the mind is associated with a corresponding change in some part or parts of this vesicular surf ace ; and , as local changes of nutrition in the expansions of the nerves of pure sense may give rise to subjective sensations of vision or hearing , so derangements of nutrition in the vesicular matter of this surface may occasion analogous phenomena of thought , the rapid development of ideas , which , being ill-regulated or not nt all directed by the will , assume the form of delirious raving . " Elsewhere it is said : —

    " Although the workings of the mind are doubtless independent of the body , experience convinces us that in those combinations of thought which take place in the exercise of the intellect , the nervous force is called into play in many a devious track throughout the intricate structure of the brain . How else can we explain the bodily exhaustion which mental labour induces ? The brain often gives way , like an overwrought machine , under the long-sustained exercise of a vigorous intellectual effort ; and many a master mind of the present or a former age has , from this cause , ended his days ' a driveller and a show . A frequent indication of commencing disease in the brain , is the difficulty which the individual feels in ' collecting his thoughts / the loss of the power of combining his ideas , or impairment

    of memory . How many might have been saved from an early grave or the madhouse , had . they taken in good time the warning of impending danger which such symptoms afford ! The delicate mechanism of the brain cannot bear up long against the incessant wear and tear to which men of great intellectual powers expose it , without frequent and prolonged periods of repose . The precocious exercise of the intellect in childhood is frequently prejudicial to its acquiring vigour in manhood , for the too early employment of the brain impairs its organization , and favours the development of disease . Emotion , when suddenly or strongly excited or unduly prolonged , is most destructive to the proper texture of the brain , and to the operations of the mind "

    The quiet assumption of the opening sentence about the independence of the mind , is made with reference , we presume , to " B-evealed Truth ;" and if the rest of the passage flatly contradicts it , " so much the worse for the facts . Logic is not the forte of these writers , as we may note ^ in the following extraordinary passage : " The nature of the connexion between the mind and nervous matter has ever been , and must continue to be , the deepest mystery in physiology ; and they who study tho laws of Nature , as ordinances of God , will regard it as one of those secrets of his counsels ' which angels desire to look into . ' The individual experience of every thoughtful person , in addition to the inferences dcducible from

    revealed Truth , affords convincing evidence that tho mind can work apart from matter , and we have many proofs to show that the neglect of mental cultivation may lead to an impaired state of cerebral nutrition ; or , on the other hand , that diseased action of the brain may injure or destroy tho powers of the mind . These ure fundamental truths of vast importance to the student of mental pathology as well as of physiology . It may bo readily understood that mental and physical development should go hand in hand together , and mutually assist each other ; but we are not , therefore , authorized to conclude that mental action results from the physical working of the brain . The strings of the harp , set in motion by a skilful performer , will produce harmoniouH music if they have been previously duly nttuned . But if the instrument bo out of order , although the player strike the

    suuno notes , and evince equal skill in the movements of hi * fingers , nothing but the harshest discord will ensue . As , then , sweet melody results from skilful playing on a well-timed instrument of good construction , so a sound mind , and a brain of good development and quality , are tho necessary conditions of healthy and vigorous Mental action . " The individual experience of every thoughtful person affords convincing ovideneo of mind working apart from matter , wo arc ; told . Hut where is ' ¦ he evidence P Who ever witnessed the phenomena of thought when no iiervouH mutter was present P Name your authority ( wo decline " Revealed 1 ruth" ) , give a single instance , give a ninglo argument . All we know of iiiiiKl is in connexion with a living brain . Give us an instance of a brainless mind , and we will thankfully acknowledge it .

    Hut the logic of what follows is peculiar . We are ( old that there is ' valence , apart from ' Revealed Truth , of the independent existence of the mind , " and we have many proofs to show that the neglecl ; of menial <; i » ltival , ion may lead to an impaired state of cerebral nutrition . " This < i > ul i « very noticeable . So , indeed , is tho whole passage : The more clearly ( o expose its fallacy wo call attention to this exact parallel . I liat Strength has an existence independent of mere * matter , will be to

    < "yiuen ( , tho experience of every thoughtful person , though Revealed 1 nitli in silent on the point ; ami we have innumerable proofs that neglect ° i the exercise of thin Strength leads to an impaired state of muscular nutrition ; so that a man who docs not employ his strength will be found •<> liuye small and flaccid muscles ; while , on the oilier hand , a . s a further proof that Strength i » independent of muscular fibre , any disease of the luuKcular iibro will derange or totally destroy the powers of tho muscle . 11 " true that physical Strength and muscular development go hand in

    Bowman is a first rate microscopist ; and this work bears ample testimony to the original observation and experiment of the authors . High praise this , and deserved . If the work do not exhibit great philosophic merit , it exhibits such practical excellencies , that no student should be without it . The chapter on the tissues , though very deficient in philosophic grasp , is valuable for the minuteness of its details ; the chapters on Innervation are also eminently useful , especially that on the reflex action of the nerves . Indeed , the importance and space given to the nervous system in this work entitle it to be considered in the light of a monograph . On the completion of the work we may return to it , and examine its chapters on vegetative life , for which space at present fails us . The illustrations also deserve a word of praise : they are very numerous , many quite new , and all admirably engraved .

    hand , but we are not to conclude that Strength results from the physical action of the muscles ! We have formerly shown that mental phenomena are the peculiar phenomena of nervous tissue , as muscular actions are of muscular tissue , and we refer hesitating readers to that exposition , especially those who may conclude from what has just been said that we are " materialists . " ( No . 124 , p . 762 . ) Having made these objections , let us cordially commend the . excellencies of this work : these are , great clearness and minuteness of exposition , exhaustive erudition of what has been done by previous writers , great care in the examination of dubious evidence , impartiality in stating conflicting views , candour , and , above all , valuable original matter . Mr .

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    NOVELS FOE , NOVEL HEADERS . Constance Tyrrell ; or , the Half Sister . By P . H . Pepys , Esq . 3 vols . Bentley . The Heir of Sherborne ; or , the Attainder . 3 vols . Bentley . In enjoyment of a readable novel " we yield to none , " as the elegant writers say when they " fearlessly assert" their extremely harmless opinions . But the novel must be readable , and " there ' s the rub" ( to use an elegant and unfamiliar quotation ) . So few novels are readable , after one has had a certain experience of circulating libraries . It is pleasant enough at first : the youthful mind has profound faith in the [ Reginalds and Claras ; ignorance of the world lends a willing ear to the conversations which novelists liberally employ ; and an ardent imagination believes in the probability and practicability of all the " adventures . " But the illusion vanishes . Experience comes to teach us that life is supremely unlike the circulating library ; and the very abundance of the circulating library painfully teaches us that it is very like itself , so that after awhile we know exactly what turn the story will take , what the villain will do , what the wronged but haughty beauty will say , what misery the lovers will finally emerge from into festal joy , and what escapes will diversify the " adventures . " Had we never read more than a dozen novels we should eagerly " devour" SherhoTme ; or , the Attainder , an historical novel of the most approved type , but owing to the cause just hinted we found it totally impossible to get through more than the first volume . The author will rebel , no doubt , at this the critic ' s " unfairness . " But after all , is not that unreadability sufficient criticism P We asked nothing better than to accompany hitii gaily to the end of his third volume ; l ) ut it is not our fault . You cannot induce the pastrycook ' s boy to dine off raspberry puffs ; he has had his surfeit long ago , and would prefer a little plain bread and cheese .

    Then , as to Constance Tyrrell , we remember the day when such a novel would have been wept over , when Reginald M ' owbray would have been the secret ideal and Constance the avowed idol of our " imaginings" ( whatever that may be ) ; but , alas , the day ! we cannot command sufficient naivete and credulity now , and this novel , like so many others , we put down unfinished—a qui lafaute / To those whose appetite is stronger , and whose experience of novels is more limited , we may recommend these two books ; they are neither better nor worse than hundreds of others , but to us possess the incurable sin of not being real ; they are like no life but that which moves through three volumes or fivo acts—the library and the stage . All the characters remind us of the " characters " of the celebrated Mr . Marks— " One penny plain , twopence ; coloured , " which characters also wero the glory of our youthful clays !

    Apropos of youth , Mr . Pepys must be a very young man , or he would never have fallen into that novelist ' s error of calling Mason old at forty . Think of a man being necessarily excluded from a girl ' s affections because he is forty—what immense ignorance ! It is , however , the conventional belief of the circulating library , where a man after live-and-twenty , and without black moustache and raven ringlets , has a feeble position . And seo what comes of being forty and proposing to one ' s cousin ! Here is a serious man seriously declaring his love , and " The only reply vouchsafed to him , however , was si loud burst of ringing laughter that made tho very walls resound again . Mason started to his feet , and

    paced up and down the room , his Wood boiling at , tho insult , but bis usual selfcommand still enabling' him to preserve outward composure , that no burst of irritation on bis part might contribute to the downful of his Iiojh'h , which now . seemed so momently impending . He bit his lips almost through , and waited impatiently till Constance should recover from her fit of laughter , and give him some definite reply . This , however , she did not seem to find it easy to do ; one paroxysm succeeded another till her eyes were running over with tears , ' and sheer exhaustion at length brought the fit to a conclusion . The indignant aspect of Mason's countenance , sis bo paced up and down the room , served only to add to her amusement , and she seemed on tho point of indulging- in another outburst , when she checked herself ; and said : I really beg your pardon , James , for receiving your serious proposal with such ill-timed hilarity ; but I assure you , it wan too much for me . I could not resist . Why , my dear , fond , venerable cousin , what could . pos .-ibly have possessed you to think thai you wero endowed with qualities likely to captivate u gay young thing like me , or to boliovo that I was likely to make a suitable wife for you ? Hut I cannot IkjIiovo you wero serioiiH : you wauled to see bow I should bolnivo when you went through tho solemn farce of making me a formal proposal . In thai cane , I hope you arc oa much gratified as I have been at tho successful manner in which

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    September 11 , 1852 . ] THE I / EADE R . 879

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 11, 1852, page 879, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1951/page/19/