Remarks on the influence of mental cultivation and mental excitement upon health / With notes by R. Macnish.

  • Amariah Brigham
Date:
1836
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks on the influence of mental cultivation and mental excitement upon health / With notes by R. Macnish. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    22/160 (page 4)
    state of which the intellect is dependent for vigour and power. Of the nature or essence of mind we are ignorant. We believe it is distinct from matter. We do know, however, that it manifests itself solely by the aid of material organs, and that a well-formed and healthy condition of these organs is as essential to correct and powerful mental action, as well-developed and healthy lungs are for the performance of free and perfect re- spiration, or a sound state of the eye and the ear for seeing and hearing. In consecpience of this intimate connexion between the mind and body, we cannot doubt that mental labour calls into action some organ, and that if continued for a great length of time, it will fatigue and may injure this organ, and unfit it for its accustomed duties, just as too much excitement of the heart or stomach will injure these organs, and derange the circulation and digestion. If these observations are true, (and that they are, I think can be abundantly proved), every person will perceive, that in cultivating the mental powers of chil- dren, we should be less anxious to ascertain how rapidly, and to how great an extent, they may be de- veloped, than how much the delicate organ or organs by which the mind acts may be excited without injury to the body or the mind. Very different views, I am aware, respecting the education of children, prevail in this country. In most schools, the importance of a sound body, and a well- developed organization to the production of correct and long-continued mental action has been overlooked;