up in front, or a slip from insecure footing, the danger is
guarded against by some quick involuntary jump, or adjustment of the
limbs, which occurs before there is time to consider the impending evil
and take deliberate measures to avoid it: the rationale of which is that
these violent impressions produced on the senses, are reflected from the
sensory ganglia to the spinal cord and muscles, without, as in ordinary
cases, first passing through the cerebrum. In like manner on national
emergencies calling for prompt action, the King and Ministry, not having
time to lay the matter before the great deliberative bodies, themselves
issue commands for the requisite movements or precautions: the
primitive, and now almost automatic, directive centres, resume for a
moment their original uncontrolled power. And then, strangest of all,
observe that in either case there is an after-process of approval or
disapproval. The individual on recovering from his automatic start, at
once contemplates the cause of his fright; and, according to the case,
concludes that it was well he moved as he did, or condemns himself for
his groundless alarm. In like manner, the deliberative powers of the
State discuss, as soon as may be, the unauthorized acts of the executive
powers; and, deciding that the reasons were or were not sufficient,
grant or withhold a bill of indemnity.[28]

Thus far in comparing the governmental organization of the body-politic
with that of an individual body, we have considered only the respective
co-ordinating centres. We have yet to consider the channels through
which these co-ordinating centres receive information and convey
commands. In the simplest societies, as in the simplest organisms, there
is no "internuncial apparatus," as Hunter styled the nervous system.
Consequently, impressions can be but slowly propagated from unit to unit
throughout the whole mass. The same progress, however, which, in
animal-organization, shows itself in the establishment of ganglia or
directive centres, shows itself also in the establishment of
nerve-threads, through which the ganglia receive and convey impressions
and so control remote organs. And in societies the like eventually
takes place. After a long period during which the directive centres
communicate with various parts of the society through other means, there
at last comes into existence an "internuncial apparatus," analogous to
that found in individual bodies. The comparison of te