Mary Jane, or, spiritualism chemically explained, with spirit drawings / also essays by, and ideas (perhaps erroneous) of "a child at school."

  • [Guppy, Samuel].
Date:
1863
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Mary Jane, or, spiritualism chemically explained, with spirit drawings / also essays by, and ideas (perhaps erroneous) of "a child at school.". Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    A certain plant has a cup with gluten in it, and closes over the insects that get in it. Marine animals have this also. The amount of intelligence thus chemically displayed is in proportion to the wants and require- ments in the inferior animals. The bees store honey against the mnter. The squirrel lays up nuts. The spider spms his web. Where no chemical intelhgence is required none takes place—I mean as regards hoarding—the butterfly does not hoard, nor do the ruminating animals. The intelligence of man is as perfectly chemical as that of the inferior animals, it is only developed more according to circumstances, but whatever extent of development it has hitherto or may hereafter acquire, the whole of it is summed into two categories:— 1. Absorption to self. 2. Chemical or electrical agency which causes it. Pain and pleasure seem, except for self-pre- servation, to form no part of the calculation of the universe. Absorption, producing chemical elec- tricity and aflinity, stands pre-eminent. Animals absorb vegetables, and in their turn are absorbed by other animals. Man, in his most uncivilized state, absorbs vegetables and animals, which he catches as the spider, or as the lion. Man, in his most civilized state does the same thing, only the vegetables and animals are repre- sented ]:)y £ s. d.