tegrally, and also as an integrant element of Society and Nature, Hence the term Passional, which includes, at once, all the relations of our senses and of our social affections, of our material instincts and of our spiritual affinities. Passion derives from the Latin Pati and the Greek Пadxe, signifying to suffer, to experience emotion. Confining itself to hygiene, this work does not treat of diseases, nor of medicines, as commonly understood, but of the conditions of health and its harmonies, excepting the chapters on Natural Medicine and Insanity in its various forms, where the methods of cure suggested are purely hygienic. I conclude with some applications to the public health of cities, and to the rescue of damned souls from Hell. In order to en large, as much as possible, the range of affinity, fascination and use of the truths herein contained, I have taken care not to stamp my own limited personality upon the style of this book; but contented with a generic unity of thought, I have grafted upon my native stock many varieties of kindred fruits, thus seeking to spare my reader what I have so often experienced from the works of my most cherished and admired authors, who become tiresome by the mere continuity of thought and expression. Here, then, you have E Pluribus Unum, or an Olla podrida,—fall to, reader, and spare not. PASSIONAL HYGIENE. "IT is very unfortunate," remarks Mr. Emerson "but it is too late to be helped, the discovery we have made that we exist." Man, living in the unbroken life of instinct and perfect connexion with the infinite world soul, gravitates by polar affinities towards all that is good for him, and knows his times and seasons; nor does it cost him any effort to remove and to abstain from such things as are pernicious to him, because the affinities and antipathies, friends and foes of his organic life, are likewise those of his conscious senses, and he is in no danger of introducing a foe into the citadel of life disguised as a friend-a wolf in sheep's clothing. Even now, we discover simple peasants and savages in all parts of the globe, but more especially in the Eden climates, who retain these instincts to a remarkable degree, and who consequently enjoy a uniform and unbroken health. There is a great difference also among individuals in regard to this matter. The instinct of self-preservation is highly developed in some, and very feeble in others. It appears to be more feeble than it really is, from the fact that it takes its cue from sensual impressions, and not at all from intellectual convictions, and so long as with devilish art we disguise poisons as dain 7 ties, by mixing them up with truly wholesome aliments, we cheat our instincts out of the natural discrimination by their sensual faculties, which they would otherwise possess. Still, however, the disguise can hardly be rendered so complete as not to awaken the suspicion of our instinct; it is only lulled and blunted by continuing and repeating the offence against it, notwithstanding the evil and disorder experienced an effect of Subversive Solidarity, in which the individual is magnetised by the mass to his ruin, being forced or attracted away, or diverted from regard to those subtile internal admonitions which constitute for his individual life the specific compass of preservation and destruction, of harmony, and ruin. Hence during the infantile and ignorant period of humanitary existence, anterior to the development of its compound instinct, or co-operation of science with instinct, isolation carried out as far as possible in the separation of family household, and even of the individual members of a family, has been a guarantee of safety, and the rudimental forms of association expose us in this respect to peculiar dangers. Another cause of confusion to us is a degree of intellectual development which sees many sides and relations of an object, whilst less developed minds see only that side which lies next their personal safety or interest. When we rise into this appreciative sympathy with the soul of nature-with the universal life which encloses and consecrates all individual manifestation, we lose our hatred and aversions in a magnificent acceptance, which is very good, in so far as it emancipates us from envy, hatred and malice, and all uncharitableness; but very unfortunate and destructive when it causes us to neglect those laws of specific affinity and repulsion, by whose very virtue we are constituted elements of this integral life. Remorse, disease, and manifold discomforts then soon scourge us back to our kennels, whining like puppies that have been kicked out of nature's parlour for misbehaviour. The wise may amuse a leisure hour with intellectual kaleidoscopes such as abound in the pages of Festus and Emerson, where the devil vindicates himself in the fitful alternations of good and evil Eterne alternation-now follows, now flies, Yet spake yon ancient mountain, That night or day and love or crime. Leads all souls to the good. We may watch how nature feeds the fish and builds the coral islands with the waste of our cities, or how the Social movement advances by the martyrdom of individual lives-how the subversive periods once acknowledged as a general principle, all individual. and particular subversions; errors, crimes, faults, deceptions, ruin, follow as matter of course. The World Soul doubtless is wise enough and will mind its own affairs, and we in our turn must mind ours if we would attain "Success That one thing, forever good, Dear to the Euminides, And to all the heavenly brood. Who bides at home, nor looks abroad Carries the eagles, and masters the sword." |