Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-05-26
[FoF the Mountain Democrat.
SEAT OF THE HUMAN AFFECTIONS

For untold ages the heart has enjoyed UndiS-
puted pretentOns that the present enlightened age
Of perception and progress Is about to cast IN the
wall. That the heart is the seat OF the human aztec
tons is q dogma to be hoOted at by every school
boy in Christendom and like the subtle philosophy
If the ancents il is destined 10 be entnmbed among
tine relics Of the past and resuscitated at some re-
mote period to be stared at, beside broken col
umns and Egyptian Mummies. Aud when the re-
gion Of fiction shall have passed away. aniquarans
alone will draw upon the creduty Of tile visionary
and skcptical by the disay Of prOioii pes Of
aud learned dispositions on crushed aud broken
hearts.
That truth and e-rrr are antagonsiic in theory
az well as in practice is the simplest proposition IN
ethical science IN demonstration Of which, the for
mer is destined IL triumph over, and finally eradi'
cate the fnes and Supcrstit0ns Of by-gOne ages
many Of which. up TO the present time adhere with
singular tenaclty 10 our prcudces and forbearance
That the heart should Display feeling and sentiment
that it should in that connection vibrate with the
brain and hold intelligent relationship with the
senses thereby, is certainly an assumption too pre-
pOsterOus TO entertain the serious consideration Of
even lunatics and clowns.
The heart in the full performance II its legitimate
functions perfectly cOmpnrts with The requi emcnts
If its vital office, and no more. In its healthy ae-
tion, the same yesterday. to-day, aud tomorrow. II
expresses to our senses nothing OF Ov or HorroW 81
hope or sadness; no other synpAthics Than those
purely physical with which it acts in concert II
neither maKnihes our antclpaiions, nor surpasses
our fears. II ministers not 10 our enJ0yments, nor
does it feel for wrongs inflicted by the cold and
selfish wOrldlinga that surround us;-nnr gives it =
comforting pulsAiion, for the ror gOod SaInariians
that bless the earth. Hence. tits contrary To reason
and sober judgment TO pretend that II il endowed
with the slightest perception of external objects.
through the medium II the senses Life and spOn-
tnneous m"ti"n are its sole attributes, and when We
60 beyond these, we only substitute fiction for the
Stprner convictions of truth and observation.
Not Al with rhe brain. the chief ~ the bureau of
mental discipline nd-nctinn,- md necessarily tie
seat If the human affections having its Coordnates.
assisting each IN their proper sphere to collect and
diuSr NJ the instance 1T impeii"us rule and dicta.
pn. Being susceptible in infancy, it is also active
from childhood to the end II the multiplied and
chrckeied phases 0f human responsibility. II II.
moreover, steadily expanding. in direct ratio With
the advances II Tim, iu the full c"nSnmniai"n II
lhr worlds future events, hs can phinly he III
the discovery aud rapid development Of new prInci
piles. IN the moral, scientific nnd mechanical Ai'rh.
nj tho agP And hence. the brnin, asserting
its just prrr"gIlveS. deprechtcs H." stupid rivalry
IN which the hearts prePniun have been tnCitly
and ohs'inhtcly maintained
Tie heart has been nggrandizcd hy the .nlngist,
snuhistrv Of encomiaNtS through the hcpnaed da,.
dreams If the pnris aud the dubious rccitIiiYeS Of
moral sis and bingrApherS. Both sacred and pro-
fame writers nf ancient aud modern times have d-d.
icat-d many glowing conceptions IN supper, Of tho
claims "f this arch imp"Sier. 1t IL not io lie won
drrcd Mt that 81 vast an accumulation If testimony
have had . prep"nderating influence IN throwing
around the henrt =" sublime a character as ne I>u
,fNs hrmdh GF,rtohH.
will submit the case hv adding. NAV IRE. NrsArs.
Editors. live TO SEE the end II the "rrrprrsSbe
conflict" betwcrn the i,Iri and the Eydii.
GLoEGErowN, Nav, l~ru