"The progress of science since Mr. Hunter's time has wonderfully manifested that the beam, when dissected by a prism, is not only separable into seven calorific rays of different refrangibility, producing the iridescent spectrum, but also into calorific rays refracted in the greatest degree or intensity beyond the red colour, and into rays not calorific, refracted in like manner, to the opposite side of the spectrum beyond the violet colour; and that the calorific and uncalorific rays produce effects similar to those occasioned by the two kinds of electricity; and thus afforded additional reasons for believing that subtile, mobile substances do enter into the composition of all those bodies which the sun illumines, or its beams can penetrate. "Late observations induce the belief that even light may be incorporated in a latent state with animal substances and afterwards elicited by a kind of spontaneous separation by vital actions, or by causes that seem to act mechanically on the substance in which it inheres. All the late discoveries in science seem to realize the speculations of ancient philosophers, and show that all the changes and motions which occur in surrounding bodies, as well as those in which we live, are the effect of subtile and invisible principles existing in them, or acting on them. Mr. Ellis, who, with such great industry and intelligence, has collated all the scattered evidences relative to the production of heat in living bodies, and added so much to the collected knowledge, seems to think that all the variations of temperature in them may be accounted for by known chemical processes. "Here, however, I must observe, that Mr. Hunter's opinion of life having the power of regulating temperature was deduced, not only from his own experiments, related in the 'Philosophical Transactions,' but also from observing, that, in certain _affections of the stomach, the heat of the body is subject to great vicissitudes, whilst respiration and circulation remain unaltered_; and also that parts of the body are subject to similar variations, which appear inexplicable upon any other supposition than that of _local nervous excitement_, or torpor, or some similar affections of the vital powers of the part which undergoes such transitions[54]." ALLEGED TENDENCIES OF A BELIEF IN THE INDEPENDENT NATURE OF MIND. "It is equally apparent that the belief of the distinct and independent nature of mind incites us to act rightly from principle; to relieve distress, to repel aggression, and defend those who are incapable of protecting themselves; to practise and extol whatever is virtuous, excellent, and honourable; to shun and condemn whatever is vicious and base, regardless also of our own personal feelings and interests when put in competition with our duty[55]." OF PHRENOLOGY.