The Temple of Nature; or, the Origin of Society: A Poem, with Philosophical NotesDarwin, Erasmus
Philosophy
The Temple of Nature; or, the Origin of Society: A Poem, with Philosophical Notes
Darwin, Erasmus
Cosmology -- Poetry; Life -- Origin -- Poetry
Nevertheless to those weak habits with pale skins and large pupils of
the eyes, whose degree of irritability is less than health requires,
as in scrofulous, hysterical, and some consumptive constitutions, a
climate warmer than our own may be of service, as a greater stimulus
of heat may be wanted to excite their less irritability. And also a
more uniform quantity of heat may be serviceable to consumptive
patients than is met with in this country, as the lungs cannot be
clothed like the external skin, and are therefore subject to greater
extremes of heat and cold in passing in winter from a warm room into
the frosty air.
4. It should nevertheless be observed, that there is one kind of
stimulus, which though it be employed in quantity beyond its usual
state, seems to increase the production of sensorial power beyond the
expenditure of it (unless its excess is great indeed) and thence to
give permanent strength and energy to the system; I mean that of
volition. This appears not only from the temporary strength of angry
or insane people, but because insanity even cures some diseases of
debility, as I have seen in dropsy, and in some fevers; but it is also
observable, that many who have exerted much voluntary effort during
their whole lives, have continued active to great age. This however
may be conceived to arise from these great exertions being performed
principally by the organs of sense, that is by exciting and comparing
ideas; as in those who have invented sciences, or have governed
nations, and which did not therefore exhaust the sensorial power of
those organs which are necessary to life, but perhaps rather prevented
them from being sooner impaired, their sensorial power not having been
so frequently exhausted by great activity, for very violent exercise
of the body, long continued, forwards old age; as is seen in
post-horses that are cruelly treated, and in many of the poor, who
with difficulty support their families by incessant labour.
III. _Theory of the Approach of Age._
The critical reader is perhaps by this time become so far interested
in this subject as to excuse a more prolix elucidation of it.
In early life the repetition of animal actions occasions them to be
performed with greater facility, whether those repetitions are
produced by volition, sensation, or irritation; because they soon
become associated together, if as much sensorial power is produced
between every reiteration of action, as is expended by it.
But if a stimulus be repeated at uniform intervals of time, the
action, whether of our muscles or organs of sense, is performed with
still greater facility and energy; because the sensorial power of
association mentioned above, is combined with the sensorial power of
irritation, and forms part of the diurnal chain of animal motions;
that is, in common language, the acquired habit assists the power of
the stimulus; see Zoonomia, Vol. I. Sect. XXII. 2. and Sect. XII. 3.
3.
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