Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-14

agencies be equally various, Whence the modern idea
that every thing in nature from the making Of blade
Of grass simple violet up to the construction Of
planet must all have been necessarily effected by single
physical agent? Mr. Schetterly would have believe
that God does every thing by electricity When he looks
into the human body and curious hydraulic appa-
ratus-a heartpumpDg with great force the blood into
all parts Of the body he stops in amazement and with
the air Of doubling philosopher exclams: Can it be
that God would adopt such complicated piece Of
chinery this to circulate the blood through our
teriss and veins? Impossible! 1t cannot bel That
heart which beats SO violently and synchronous with
these pulsstions at my wrists, has nothing whatever to
do with the circulation All Psychologists wrong
and oil books the subject worthless trash will
give to the world my electrical theory and then all will
be clear!'
Mr. Scheterly evidently thinks, if rightly under
stand him. that because the sap in trees and plants cir
cuates without heart therefore the blood in our bodies
ought circulate without heart In vegetables and
particularly in the gigantic forest trees Of some coun-
tries, there is muck more magnificent circulation or
liquids going than in the body Of any person or ami
NAL and yet there is neither heart any mechan-
cal engine in them prope the sap the height OF from
pne to three hundred feet But theirs be no effect
without cause so there must also be cause 1.-THE same
as in animals and Of the circulation IN vegetables
Hence he ners that there Is but physical cause Tor
every thing No doubts that there Is o good and
sufficient for the circulation of the sap in trees
but it is not every ones logic that teaches him that be-
cause trees have hearts human bodies ought not
to have them. II many of our modern philosophers
sy in the of things for sole physical cause OF
phenomena, it would the world the reading and
overthrow Of many wild theory.
8. The pretext for these simplifying theories is that
the greatest beauty lies in smpicityan idea far from
being well founded and which has originated IN no
very enlarged views either of nature or of natures tod
The simplicity compexity of thing has but little to
do with its beauty Nothing to us Is beautiful that we
do not understand but many things that appear to our
eyes any thing but beautiful become when we under
stand Them Those philosophers who start with the idea
that every thing in necessarily be very simple
are apt to engage in such theories the one we have
just examined.
O. What the heart could have been made for if it was
not to circulate the blood Mr. Schettery has not told
Dr. Draper and Dr. Dods that the heart simply acts
as regulator of the circulation.
TO- Mr. Schettery desires that " those who attempt to
defend old theories should show their adaptation and con-
sstency with physical laws" This have done in our
preceding article and in this have shown the perfect
inconsistency Of Mr. Scheterys theory with physical
facts and laws. He also wishes to especially assign
reason for the distribution of the sympathetic nerves to
the arteries, but not to the veins" 1t is almpor
tant element in his theory that the sympathetic nerves
distributed to the arteries and not to the VEINS with
out which the whole theory falls at Here he has
assumed the basis of his theory what happens not to
be anatomical fact; for the sympathetic not
distributed excusicey to the arteries they also distr
buted to the veins, which general rule accompany
the arteries and in close proximity with them.
IL. Lastly it is needless for to say that having
shown the impossbiity of Mr. Schetterys theory
in reference to its application to other systems for since
he it be of universal application it would also
fail In its other applications Mr. S. that he
is engaged work in which all physical pheno-
mena will be explained by electricity We would not
wish to discourage him in his undertaking. but trust that
he will look well to his premises and build upon nothing
but facts. ALBERT WELLES ELY,
OCTOBER 4, 1854. 18th street.