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filled the summer with noise； are silenced by a fall of the
temperature of one night。 Without uncovering what does not concern
us； or counting how many species of parasites hang on a bombyx； or
groping after intestinal parasites； or infusory biters； or the
obscurities of alternate generation； the forms of the shark； the
_labrus_； the jaw of the sea…wolf paved with crushing teeth； the
weapons of the grampus； and other warriors hidden in the sea； are
hints of ferocity in the interiors of nature。 Let us not deny it up
and down。 Providence has a wild； rough； incalculable road to its
end； and it is of no use to try to whitewash its huge； mixed
instrumentalities； or to dress up that terrific benefactor in a clean
shirt and white neckcloth of a student in divinity。
Will you say； the disasters which threaten mankind are
exceptional； and one need not lay his account for cataclysms every
day？ Aye； but what happens once； may happen again； and so long as
these strokes are not to be parried by us； they must be feared。
But these shocks and ruins are less destructive to us； than the
stealthy power of other laws which act on us daily。 An expense of
ends to means is fate； organization tyrannizing over character。
The menagerie； or forms and powers of the spine； is a book of fate：
the bill of the bird； the skull of the snake； determines tyrannically
its limits。 So is the scale of races； of temperaments； so is sex； so
is climate； so is the reaction of talents imprisoning the vital power
in certain directions。 Every spirit makes its house； but afterwards
the house confines the spirit。
The gross lines are legible to the dull： the cabman is
phrenologist so far： he looks in your face to see if his shilling is
sure。 A dome of brow denotes one thing； a pot…belly another； a
squint； a pug…nose； mats of hair； the pigment of the epidermis；
betray character。 People seem sheathed in their tough organization。
Ask Spurzheim； ask the doctors； ask Quetelet； if temperaments decide
nothing？ or if there be any…thing they do not decide？ Read the
description in medical books of the four temperaments； and you will
think you are reading your own thoughts which you had not yet told。
Find the part which black eyes； and which blue eyes； play severally
in the company。 How shall a man escape from his ancestors； or draw
off from his veins the black drop which he drew from his father's or
his mother's life？ It often appears in a family； as if all the
qualities of the progenitors were potted in several jars； some
ruling quality in each son or daughter of the house； and sometimes
the unmixed temperament； the rank unmitigated elixir； the family
vice； is drawn off in a separate individual； and the others are
proportionally relieved。 We sometimes see a change of expression in
our companion； and say； his father； or his mother； comes to the
windows of his eyes； and sometimes a remote relative。 In different
hours； a man represents each of several of his ancestors； as if there
were seven or eight of us rolled up in each man's skin； seven or
eight ancestors at least； and they constitute the variety of notes
for that new piece of music which his life is。 At the corner of the
street； you read the possibility of each passenger； in the facial
angle； in the complexion； in the depth of his eye。 His parentage
determines it。 Men are what their mothers made them。 You may as
well ask a loom which weaves huckaback； why it does not make
cashmere； as expect poetry from this engineer； or a chemical
discovery from that jobber。 Ask the digger in the ditch to explain
Newton's laws： the fine organs of his brain have been pinched by
overwork and squalid poverty from father to son； for a hundred years。
When each comes forth from his mother's womb； the gate of gifts
closes behind him。 Let him value his hands and feet； he has but one
pair。 So he has but one future； and that is already predetermined in
his lobes； and described in that little fatty face； pig…eye； and
squat form。 All the privilege and all the legislation of the world
cannot meddle or help to make a poet or a prince of him。
Jesus said； 〃When he looketh on her； he hath committed
adultery。〃 But he is an adulterer before he has yet looked on the
woman； by the superfluity of animal； and the defect of thought； in
his constitution。 Who meets him； or who meets her； in the street；
sees that they are ripe to be each other's victim。
In certain men； digestion and sex absorb the vital force； and
the stronger these are； the individual is so much weaker。 The more
of these drones perish； the better for the hive。 If； later； they
give birth to some superior individual； with force enough to add to
this animal a new aim； and a complete apparatus to work it out； all
the ancestors are gladly forgotten。 Most men and most women are
merely one couple more。 Now and then； one has a new cell or
camarilla opened in his brain； an architectural； a musical； or a
philological knack； some stray taste or talent for flowers； or
chemistry； or pigments； or story…telling； a good hand for drawing； a
good foot for dancing； an athletic frame for wide journeying； &c。
which skill nowise alters rank in the scale of nature； but serves to
pass the time； the life of sensation going on as before。 At last；
these hints and tendencies are fixed in one； or in a succession。
Each absorbs so much food and force； as to become itself a new
centre。 The new talent draws off so rapidly the vital force； that
not enough remains for the animal functions； hardly enough for
health； so that； in the second generation； if the like genius appear；
the health is visibly deteriorated； and the generative force
impaired。
People are born with the moral or with the material bias；
uterine brothers with this diverging destination： and I suppose； with
high magnifiers； Mr。 Frauenhofer or Dr。 Carpenter might come to
distinguish in the embryo at the fourth day； this is a Whig； and that
a Free…soiler。
It was a poetic attempt to lift this mountain of Fate； to
reconcile this despotism of race with liberty； which led the Hindoos
to say； 〃Fate is nothing but the deeds committed in a prior state of
existence。〃 I find the coincidence of the extremes of eastern and
western speculation in the daring statement of Schelling； 〃there is
in every man a certain feeling； that he has been what he is from all
eternity； and by no means became such in time。〃 To say it less
sublimely； in the history of the individual is always an account
of his condition； and he knows himself to be a party to his present
estate。
A good deal of our politics is physiological。 Now and then； a
man of wealth in the heyday of youth adopts the tenet of broadest
freedom。 In England； there is always some man of wealth and large
connection planting himself； during all his years of health； on the
side of progress； who； as so