does by ascribing it to "a self-dynamic spirit
which is resident in matter," and which he denominates "the spirit of
vitality." The spirit exists in vegetables, and is extracted by means of
the organs of the animals which feed upon them, and then, "by a delicate
work of distillation, it is converted into _spirit_!"--"Nature proclaims
one of her great working principles to be, that _spirit is evolved out
of matter, and outlives the body in which it is educated_."--"Matter is
full of spirit. This spirit is brought out of matter by vegetation. By
means of vegetation, it is conveyed into animal frames, in which its
purest essence centres in the brain.... This is no idle theory," he
adds, "no vain hypothesis, for making matter think. It is a clear
proposition, showing how matter is employed by the Supreme Intelligence
for evolving, training, and educating spirit."--"We conclude that
Progression is the great law of the universe, the purpose for which its
present arrangement was ordained; and that the object of this
progression is _the evolvement of mind out of matter._"

This is a new and very singular phase of Materialism. It is widely
different from the doctrine which was taught by the infidel writers of
the last century. They had recourse to the theory of Materialism chiefly
with the view of excluding a world of spirits, and of undermining the
doctrine of a future state: here it is applied to prove the constant
development and indestructible existence of minds generated from matter,
but destined to survive the dissolution of the body; nay, every particle
of matter in the universe is supposed to be advancing, in one
magnificent progression, towards the spiritual state. The danger now is,
not that Religion may be undermined by Materialism, but that it may be
supplanted by a fond and foolish superstition, in which the facts of
Mesmerism and the fictions of Clairvoyance are blended into one ghostly
system, fitted to exert a powerful but pernicious influence on
over-credulous minds.[152]

On a review of the various forms which the theory of Materialism has
assumed, it must be evident that we should be doing great injustice to
their respective advocates, did we place them all on the same level in
relation to Theology, or pronounce upon them one indiscriminate censure.
In the hands of D'Holbach and Comte, it was associated with the avowal
of Atheism, and the denial of a future state: in the hands of Priestley,
it was associated