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sense which circumstances have given to it。 I use it as the only term to
express that inner consciousness which aspires。 These brief reasons show
that the analogy is imperfect； and that therefore； although an ideal
animala horse； a dog； a lionmust die； it does not follow that an ideal
man must。 He has a body possessed of exceptional recuperative powers； which；
under proper conditions； continually repairs itself。 He has a mind by which
he can select remedies； and select his course and carefully restore the
waste of tissue。 He has a soul； as yet； it seems to me； lying in abeyance；
by the aid of which he may yet discover things now deemed supernatural。
Considering these things I am obliged by facts and incontrovert…ible
argument to conclude that death is not inevitable to the ideal man。 He is
shaped for a species of physical immortality。 The beauty of form of the
ideal human being indicates immortalitythe contour； the curve； the outline
answer to the idea of life。 In the course of ages united effort long
continued may eliminate those causes of decay which have grown up in ages
past； and after that has been done advance farther and improve the natural
state。 As a river brings down suspended particles of sand； and depositing
them at its mouth forms a delta and a new country； as the air and the rain
and the heat of the sun desiccate the rocks and slowly wear down mountains
into sand； so the united action of the human race； continued through
centuries； may build up the ideal man and woman。
Each individual labouring in his day through geological time in front must
produce an effect。 The instance of Sparta； where so much was done in a few
centuries； is almost proof of it。
The truth is； we die through our ancestors； we are murdered by our
ancestors。 Their dead hands stretch forth from the tomb and drag us down to
their mouldering bones。 We in our turn are now at this moment preparing
death for our unborn posterity。 This day those that die do not die in the
sense of old age； they are slain。 Nothing has been accumulated for our
benefit in ages past。 All the labour and the toil of so many millions
continued through such vistas of time； down to those millions who at this
hour are rushing to and fro in London； has
accumulated nothing for us。 Nothing for our good。 The only things that have
been stored up have been for our evil and destruction； diseases and
weaknesses crossed and cultivated and rendered almost part and parcel of our
very bones。 Now let us begin to roll back the tide of death； and to set our
faces
steadily to a future of life。 It should be the sacred and sworn duty of
every one； once at least during lifetime； to do something in person towards
this end。 It would be a delight and pleasure to me to do something every
day； were it ever so minute。 To reflect that another human being； if at a
distance of ten thousand years from the year 1883； would enjoy one hour's
more life； in the sense of fulness of life； in consequence of anything I had
done in my little span； would be to me a peace of soul。
CHAPTER X
UNITED effort through geological time in front is but the beginning of an
idea。 I am convinced that much more can be done； and that the length of time
may be almost immeasurably shortened。 The general principles that are now in
operation are of the simplest and most elementary character； yet they have
already made considerable difference。 I am not content with these。 There
must be much morethere must be things which are at present unknown by
whose aid advance may be made。 Research proceeds upon the same old lines and
runs in the ancient grooves。 Further； it is restricted by the
ultra…practical views which are alone deemed reasonable。 But there should be
no limit placed on the mind。 The purely ideal is as worthy of pursuit as the
practical； and the mind is not to be pinned to dogmas of science any more
than to dogmas of superstition。 Most injurious
of all is the continuous circling on the same path； and it is
from this that I wish to free my mind。
The pursuit of theorythe organon of pure thoughthas led
incidentally to great discoveries； and for myself I am convinced
it is of the highest value。 The process of experiment has produced much； and
has applied what was previously found。
Empiricism is worthy of careful re…working out； for it is a fact
that most things are more or less empirical； especially in
medicine。 Denial may be given to this statement； nevertheless
it is true； and I have had practical exemplification of it in my
own experience。 Observation is perhaps more powerful an organon
than either experiment or empiricism。 If the eye is always watching； and
the mind on the alert； ultimately chance supplies the solution。
The difficulties I have encountered have generally been solved
by chance in this way。 When I took an interest in
archaeological mattersan interest long since extinctI
considered that a part of an army known to have marched in a
certain direction during the Civil War must have visited a town
in which I was interested。 But I exhausted every mode of
research in vain； there was no evidence of it。 If the knowledge
had ever existed it had dropped again。 Some years afterwards；
when my interest had ceased； and I had put such inquiries for
ever aside （being useless； like the Egyptian papyri）； I was
reading in the British Museum。 Presently I returned my book to
the shelf； and then slowly walked along the curving wall lined with volumes；
looking to see if I could light on anything to amuse me。 I took out a volume
for a glance； it opened of itself at a certain page； and there was the
information I had so long soughta reprint of an old pamphlet describing
the visit of the army to the town in the Civil War。 So chance answered the
question in the course of time。
And I think that； seeing how great a part chance plays in human affairs； it
is essential that study should be made of chance； it seems to me that an
organon from experiment。 Then there is the inner consciousnessthe
psychethat has never yet been brought to bear upon life and its questions。
Besides which there is a super…sensuous reason。 Often I have argued with
myself that such and such a course was the right one to follow； while in the
intervals of thinking about it an undercurrent of unconscious impulse has
desired me to do the reverse or to remain inactive。
Sometimes it has happened that the supersensuous reasoning has been correct；
and the most faultless argument wrong。 I presume this supersensuous
reasoning； preceeding independently in the mind； arises from preceptions too
delicate for analysis。 From these considerations alone I am convinced that；
by the aid of ideas yet to be discovered； the geological time in front may
be immeasurably shortened。 These modes of research are not all。 The
psychethe soul in metells me that there is much more； that these are
merely beginnings of the crudest kind。
I fully recognise the practical difficulty arising from the ingrained；
hereditary； and unconscious selfishness which began before history； and has
been crossed and cultivated for twelve thousand years since。 This renders me
less sanguine of united effort thro