frame. A common hair-dresser, wholly ignorant of science, said the other day to a friend of mine, who is prematurely grey-headed, "I presume, sir, you have been a close student." "And why so?" "Because, sir, we always remark that study dries up the hair. I suppose it makes the brain feverish, and that this exhausts the nourishment."

But again, this cerebral excitement overturns the balance of power in the system. Health depends upon each organ or function of the body being in a state of irritation or depression: and then, if the brain, upon which all the others depend, be unduly excited, and expend upon itself more than its just share of nervous energy, not one only, but all the organs and functions are thrown into disorder and confusion; the equilibrium of animal and intellectual life is destroyed, and both give way under cruel an experiment.

SO

And lastly, brainular excitement keeps up a continued irritation, or permanent febrile action in the con stitution. It has been truly said, that 66 midnight study retires to feverish rest;" for the brain cannot be goaded to exertion without requiring a larger quantity of blood: to afford this supply, it calls upon the heart and arteries for augmented action; and this action is, in fact, a state of fever, of a remittent kind, and produces the natural consequences of disease.

Now, in these effects of simple excitement, are to be found the causes which operate in producing morbid manifestations of mind; since they all re-act upon the brain, and, through it, apparently upon the intellectual principle. First, feebleness of the brainular organ arises from a lavish expenditure of its energies: it is not recruited by rest, because its supply of healthy blood is diminished; the balance of power being destroyed, it is liable to become the slave of any other organ of the body in a state of irri

tation; and in consequence of the febrile action which is produced by the general disturbance, not only can it never be at peace, but morbid images, resulting from that action, are excited. Where this state exists, ideas succeed each other without the possibility of controuling them; and the morbid causes which occasion this involuntary, incoherent, and undefined succession, are not to be removed by reasoning, because they result from organic agencies which have escaped the presidence of the will, and have usurped that authority which, in a well-ordered system, should be maintained exclusively by the function of volition. And when once this state of disorder has been introduced, no bounds can be set to the creation of unreal and disconnected images; and a condition of the brain, and of its mental manifestations has been produced, most favourable to the creation of supernatural appearances, and to the belief in dreams, visions, and omens.

Another law of this organ, of great importance in the present discussion, is, that actual consciousness may be suspended by any powerful cause acting upon it, even during its waking and healthy state; and much more when enfeebled by disease, or any other oppressing cause. This is a most important law, because it serves so greatly to support the main position I have advanced, of the production of unreal imagesby the brain, without any consciousness of the action by which they are called into being. Thus, actual and severe pain may be suspended by powerful impression: as, for instance, a fit of tooth-ache by the apprehension of extraction; a severe paroxysm of gout, or acute rheumatism. with their accompanying impossibility of motion, by the vicinity of a dangerous fire: the presence of another individual, the lapse of time, and the recurrence of the usual periodical demands for food on the part of the constitution, will be all unperceived

during the earnest continuance of some abstracting pursuit; even the most powerful appetites and desires will be suspended by mental occupation of an interesting character. This suspension of consciousness, will serve to account for many of the far-famed cures of Prince Hohenlohe, which, it is confessed, were only temporary. And when our consciousness is suspended, the mind is prepared for receiving, as real, many creations of a vivid fancy.

But if this state of simple excitement be exchanged for that which is positively morbid; if the brain be suffering from the oppression of invading disease, (especially if that disease should be of a specific character,) which at first threatened to overwhelm its power and destroy its integrity at once; or from the consequences of that re-action, which results from an effort of the constitution to restore that which has been threatened with destruction; then a variety of morbid states are produced. In the first place, the customary period of repose ceases to be one of quietude and peace; uneasy slumbers, unrefreshing sleep, and frightful dreams, haunt the patient; nightmare, in its thousand forms, broods upon his pillow; lassitude, languor, and weariness, attend his waking moments: headache proclaims the distressed organ: the changed expression of the countenance is characteristic,-that which was lighted up by intelligence, now speaks only of distress; that which eloquently told the varied emotions of the mind, now proclaims only the anxiousness of bodily disorder; and even, oftentimes, defines its extent by the greater or less completeness with which mental manifestation is obliterated: there exists a feebleness, and sometimes a perversion of sensorial, intellectual, moral, and muscular movements, because all these are oppressed by the disturbance of the organ of mind; some of the senses are extraordinarily obtuse, while others

are rendered morbidly irritable and acute; the delightful action of thought becomes an oppression, and consecutive reasoning is impossible: it is most difficult to pursue any thing like connected trains of images or impressions: the influence of the passions is now purely mischievous, because those of a simply exciting character, in any moderate degree, will not be attended to, and those which are powerfully stimulant will only still further overturn the balance of healthy action, while, on the contrary, those of a depressing tendency, and especially fear, will become predominant. But when health returns, the period allotted to sleep again becomes one of refreshment, and the exhausted power and energy of the day are recruited during the night; the attacks of nightmare become less frightful in proportion; dreams assume a less painful character, until they become remarkable for their ridiculous perplexities: the head feels at ease; a lightness and elasticity of expression again beam upon the countenance; the func tions of the senses become nicely adjusted, as the safeguards of the system; the servant of the spiritual principle regains its appetite for intellectual food, and literary pursuit is relished; the delicacy of moral tact is restored, and muscular motion is once more characterized by energy; thought is the merely healthful exercise of the mind, and even close and abstruse reasoning is but the little additional exertion of the vigorous, like mounting a hill which is to give a commanding view of cultivated scenery, and which will repay the difficulty of access, by the varied and interesting associations presented to the view.

When the Christian contemplates these facts, emotions of adoring gratitude should swell his bosom with joy and love to that generous Benefactor by whom his health is daily sustained, and he is preserved in the possession of the full use of his powers; and this

conviction, with the knowledge how easily they might be disturbed, should lead him to a renewed dedication of every talent to Him who justly claims the whole heart: he should be incited to greater diligence; to work while it is day, lest the night of disease and feebleness should obliterate his power of usefulness and acquisition; he should be humbled with a recollection of the cause which first introduced this liability to disorder into the bodily and mental functions; and also with the consideration of the most splendid intellectual possessions, since he has nothing which he did not receive, nothing but which the fever of a day might obliterate for a time, and perhaps for ever; and he should be filled with benevolence and compassion towards those whose mental manifestations are feeble or perverted; while to enlarge mental power in general, but chiefly to give it a just direction, should be his constant desire.

But, once more, the brain is an organ of extensive sympathy. This much-abused term is often employed as a cloke for complete, but unacknowledged, ignorance. It is, how ever, accepted in the present discussion, as meaning that the brain stands so closely related to other organs of the body, that it possesses the capacity of suffering with them whenever they are in a state of irritation; and also, of reflecting upon them its own morbid actions, which they in their turn oftentimes assume, and then become secondary irritants to the brain and further, that it is subjected to peculiar irritation, according to the organ which forms the originating point of disturbance. These positions will be illustrated by attending to the mode of sympathetic action of the several organs with which it is most distinctly associated.

:

In all disease the functions of the brain oftentimes suffer most deeply, and produce, when so suffering, a great and occasionally a most frightful degree of debility in fact, it

CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 327.

seems as if the strength were suspended altogether, and stolen away, the patient knows not how. This is very remarkably the case, when it is itself the peculiar seat of suffering prostration of muscular power is very generally an accompaniment of irritated brain, though not always; for occasionally the patient will make the most incredible efforts under these circumstances. Many of the greatly varied phenomena of brainular irritation will depend upon the portion of brain which is particularly disturbed; for it is well known, that that organ may at all events be divided into the brain of animal relation, and that which is sensorial and intellectual. There are also many finer shades of cerebral disturbance, which escape our notice altogether, and pass off as peculiarity of manner, odd habits, whim, ill-humour, or eccentricity. But from what source is this peculiarity of manner derived? It is often quite independent of, and indeed absolutely opposed to, the intellectual, social, and moral associations of the individual; nay, more, it will give the law to education and characterize the man. It cannot be derived from any peculiarity of the spiritual essence for it is absurd to suppose, that there are souls of different kinds; a mode of being totally opposed to the harmony of the Divine Creator, and destructive of moral accountability. But the difficulty is easily removed, by considering it as the character which is stamped upon the manifestation of spiritual existence, by the material medium through which it is rendered cognizable; and thus it is, that these changes of thought and feeling are often ascribable to variations of health, and particular aptitude for impression in the recipient organ,-variations which escape detection, but which, nevertheless, do actually exist, and even form a portion of the probationary trial of man's earthly existence, and are a result of that primal sin which introduced disease

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into the perfect brain, and consequent disorder of its manifestations. Another law of the brain's sympathy is, that any organic lesion, however distant, is yet felt by it in a very lively manner: this produces disturbance of cerebral function; and then, as well as in the case of its own injuries, in consequence of its extensive relations with the animal economy, it reflects general disorder upon it, quickens the pulse, hurries the breathing, palls the appetite, and destroys the digestion. But more; it does this,not as a simple centre of nervous influence and sympathy, but as the organ of mind; for all these phenomena are sometimes the effect of fear, grief, or other absorbing passion. And if the same effect be produced by bodily and mental causes upon distant organs, is it not fair to conclude that it is occasioned through the same medium, unless another and a better mode of communication can be de

monstrated? The writer will illustrate this position, by a history of one of the slightest and simplest injuries to the brain; though this detail involves a narrative of a small section of his own not uneventful life. About twelve months since he was thrown from his horse, and was taken up in a state of unconsciousness the kind attentions of some poor persons, who fancied him dead, restored him to a certain extent; so that to their inquiries, whether he would walk home, or whether a post-chaise should be sent for, he answered automatically, that "he would walk." But of all this, of the lapse of time, and of walking home upon the arm of an attendant, he had no consciousness or recollection. After his arrival excessive sickness was produced, and an extreme degree of coldness, such as he had never before felt, with an imperfect degree of returning consciousness: and then febrile reaction occurred, which was kept within certain bounds; and, finally, the organ was restored. Now in this case it is not to be supposed that the spiritual

Pre

principle suffered and yet for the time, its action seems to have been suddenly annihilated; precisely, because, from the injury its organ had sustained, it was no longer capable of intellectual manifestation. sently animal volition returned; which is proved by the automatic answers, and by walking home; but as yet there was no consciousness. At length comes the reflected disorder of the brain upon the stomach, the skin, and the general system: fever is produced ultimately till the manifestations of mind go on as usual. If we will but attend to these common circumstances with unprejudiced views, we cannot avoid learning the truth. But instead of this, we are contented to say, "This is a simple history of a person's being stunned by a sudden violent blow." True! And what is this stunning, but rendering the brain in such a physical condition, that it is incapable of the manifestations of mind? And is it too much to ask, that if one state of the brain may render it unfit for mental operation at all, another and a different state may give rise to morbid manifestations, and unreal images?

But to return from this digression, we will now contemplate some of the extensive sympathies of the brain; and first with the heart. (To be continued.)

PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS ON

CONFIRMATION.

(Continued from page 77.)

THE difficulties in the right treatment of Confirmation are exceedingly great. First, there is often difficulty in our own bosoms; next, in the various motives operating in the minds of catechumens, their different states of mind; the conflicting opinions in our parishes, especially among Dissenters; and the differ ences perhaps of sentiment among our own brethren ;—and even if none

of these things embarrass us, there is the pain of possibly dismissing any that may have even a latent germ of true piety, the pain of admitting neutrals, those of whose case we have no decided judgment. Truly it is a season that calls for special prayer for the gift, not indeed miraculously, but with Christian prudence, of discerning spirits, that power and wisdom may be given us to lay bare the heart of the candidate to his own eyes; and that, seeing our path clearly, we may with satisfaction to ourselves, and conviction to those concerned, make our decision.

The proper age for Confirmation has been variously determined. In England, during the reign of Popery, children were usually confirmed at five years of age. The Council of Trent appointed the time between seven and twelve years. Another council at Milan forbad the confirming of any under seven. The consistency of this requisition with the true genius of Popery is evident. It was, like their six other sacraments, an opus operatum upon passive agents. Calvin determined the age of ten, an age usually far too young for intelligent sincerity of profession. Our Church has more wisely left the time indefinitely marked "come to the years of discretion,”—an era which must vary in some degree according to natural capacity, and opportunities of instruction, and preparation for a participation in the rite with permanent influence upon the mind. Few young persons reach this era before the age of thirteen, and not many so early.

I will now bring the subject to a conclusion, by adducing two authorities from opposite schools of divinity, on the importance of Confirmation as it regards our young people, and the permanent influence upon our own ministrations: "It is a most ancient Christian custom," observes the learned Dr. Hammond, "tending very much to edification, which I shall make good by giving

you this view of the manner of it; that every rector of any parish, or curate in charge, should, by a familiar way of catechizing, instruct the youth of both sexes within his cure in the principles of religion, so far that every one of them before the usual time of coming to the Lord's supper should be able to understand practically that vow made in baptism for the credenda, facienda, &c., yea, and fugienda also,-what must be believed, and what done, and what forsaken,-and be able to give an intelligent account of every one of these; which being done, every such child so prepared, ought to be brought to the bishop for Confirmation. Wherein the intent is, that every such child having attained the years of understanding, shall singly and solemnly, before God, the bishop, and the whole congregation, with his own consent, take upon himself the obligation which his godfathers and godmothers in baptism pronounced in his name; and, before all these witnesses, make a firm and renewed promise, that by God's help he will faithfully endeavour to discharge that obligation in every part of it, and persevere in it all the days of his life. Which resolution and promise, so heightened with all those solemnities, will in any reason have a mighty impression on the child, and an influence to his actions ever after. And this being thus performed by him, the bishop shall severally impose his hands on every such child (a ceremony used to this purpose by Christ himself), and bless and pray over him, that, now that the temptations of sin begin more strongly in respect of his age to assault him, he may receive grace and strength against all such temptations and assaults by way of prevention and special assistance, without which, obtained by prayer from God, he will never be able to do it. This is the sense of Confirmation; and were it rightly observed, (and no man admitted to the Lord's table that had not thus taken the