The Mystery of Life and Death

One of the phænonema which had peculiarly attracted my attention was the structure of the human frame,

and, indeed, any animal endued with life. Whence,

I often asked myself, did the principle of life proceed? It was a bold question, and one which has

ever been considered as a mystery; yet with how many things are we upon the brink of becoming

acquainted, if cowardice or carelessness did not restrain our inquiries.

I revolved these circumstances in my mind, and determined thenceforth to apply myself

more particularly to those branches of natural philosophy which relate to physiology.

Unless I had been animated by an almost supernatural enthusiasm, my application to this study would