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Article THE VOLITATIONIST. ← Page 2 of 6 →
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The Volitationist.
superstitious and lop-sided training of ignorant nurses and parents gives place to an evenhanded—ambiclextered—culture . ' Many , nay , almost every youth builds aspiring castles in the air , very beautiful and fairy-like , but they are etherial , vapory , eA'aporating . The fall of these magnificent ideal mansions , though noiseless and unseen , is not unfelt . Silent soaring aspirations are totally crushed . Ruin and despair seem inevitable to the builders ; but a little sober thinking , a few more years of life ancl its experiencea further acquaintance Avith the
, world ' s usages soon cure the enthusiast of his chimerical misfortunes , and leave him a wiser and a better man , AA'ithout being a sadder one . How to fly—hoiv to float in space—to cleave the blue ether at -will—how to breathe ancl live in ancl above the clouds—have been and are vexing ancl perplexing problems for the pseudo-scientific .
Some amount of success has attended the labours of several eminent aeronauts . Balloon ascents have become common events , but aerial navigation , the sailing of balloons from place to place , like ships from port to port , is not at present an accomplished fact . The patent rudder and revolving sails are not invented , nor has the patent inventor made his boiv before the public . Some aeronautical students have found that their study has led theinto a lunatic asylum , or Avorse , to a A'iolent—accidental—death . It
appears that the engrossing study of one particular subject -will often lead the thinking brain to act continually on the same idea , and thought running continuously in one groove is apt to produce monomania . Then again , men are often led awaj r by their dreams , which axe but the sleep thoughts of an over-wrought mind , and are as much caused by real impressions as any of our Avide-awake mental calculations , being a reflex action of the mind . This reflex action may lead to strange results , and even to wonderful discoveries . "Then , " the reader may say , "dreams are caused by a reflex action of the mind . "
This assumption is not far from being correct , but some physiologists state that dreams are caused by a sudden rush of arterial blood , to the brain . This also may be true in some eases . To hold with both causes will be right or best . A sleeper suddenly aroused by a loud noise which gives a shock to the system , ancl causes an increased heart ' s action , may have a momentary and violent dream . On the other hand , quiet dreams , wherein tho dreamer argues with seemingly real persons , and the dialogue
so carried on is often remembered , and thought over again when the person is aAvake , appear to be caused by the reflex action of the mind . A dream being , in a measure , the remembrance of the past , and no ' t the forerunner , or foreteller of the future , in fact , not prophetic ! Young children and youths dream freely and vigorously . As dreaming is intimately connected Avith this tale of the Volitationist , this little digression may be excused and
pardoned . Boys are fond of anything that has a tendency to float , or fly . Boats , birds , fireworks and balloons are their chief delight . Kite-flying ( not commercial ones ) is a very simple and yet interesting pastime . But to enable a human being to fly is a much more difficult affair , although more persons than one have practically tried the experiment and signally failed . The reasons are obvious . There are a few natural difficulties to overcome . The absence of Avings , in the first place , and the solidity of bones , in the second . The required mechanical contrivance is a task for the ingenious to invent and to make . For
instance—Wanted a small engine to Avork two Avings , lift itself , and also the animal ( ? Ass ) upon Avhose back it is fixed . The said engine to be set in motion , and also stopped , by the will of the bearer . To some erratic mechanician , inventor , or engineer this may appear to be a simple affair , and quite practicable . Anatomists and physiologists know better ; nature ' s laws are true to herself . To fly as a bird we must be made like a bird . Our bones must be hollow , have air canals ancl cells in them , and these air channels must communicate Avith the lungs , so
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Volitationist.
superstitious and lop-sided training of ignorant nurses and parents gives place to an evenhanded—ambiclextered—culture . ' Many , nay , almost every youth builds aspiring castles in the air , very beautiful and fairy-like , but they are etherial , vapory , eA'aporating . The fall of these magnificent ideal mansions , though noiseless and unseen , is not unfelt . Silent soaring aspirations are totally crushed . Ruin and despair seem inevitable to the builders ; but a little sober thinking , a few more years of life ancl its experiencea further acquaintance Avith the
, world ' s usages soon cure the enthusiast of his chimerical misfortunes , and leave him a wiser and a better man , AA'ithout being a sadder one . How to fly—hoiv to float in space—to cleave the blue ether at -will—how to breathe ancl live in ancl above the clouds—have been and are vexing ancl perplexing problems for the pseudo-scientific .
Some amount of success has attended the labours of several eminent aeronauts . Balloon ascents have become common events , but aerial navigation , the sailing of balloons from place to place , like ships from port to port , is not at present an accomplished fact . The patent rudder and revolving sails are not invented , nor has the patent inventor made his boiv before the public . Some aeronautical students have found that their study has led theinto a lunatic asylum , or Avorse , to a A'iolent—accidental—death . It
appears that the engrossing study of one particular subject -will often lead the thinking brain to act continually on the same idea , and thought running continuously in one groove is apt to produce monomania . Then again , men are often led awaj r by their dreams , which axe but the sleep thoughts of an over-wrought mind , and are as much caused by real impressions as any of our Avide-awake mental calculations , being a reflex action of the mind . This reflex action may lead to strange results , and even to wonderful discoveries . "Then , " the reader may say , "dreams are caused by a reflex action of the mind . "
This assumption is not far from being correct , but some physiologists state that dreams are caused by a sudden rush of arterial blood , to the brain . This also may be true in some eases . To hold with both causes will be right or best . A sleeper suddenly aroused by a loud noise which gives a shock to the system , ancl causes an increased heart ' s action , may have a momentary and violent dream . On the other hand , quiet dreams , wherein tho dreamer argues with seemingly real persons , and the dialogue
so carried on is often remembered , and thought over again when the person is aAvake , appear to be caused by the reflex action of the mind . A dream being , in a measure , the remembrance of the past , and no ' t the forerunner , or foreteller of the future , in fact , not prophetic ! Young children and youths dream freely and vigorously . As dreaming is intimately connected Avith this tale of the Volitationist , this little digression may be excused and
pardoned . Boys are fond of anything that has a tendency to float , or fly . Boats , birds , fireworks and balloons are their chief delight . Kite-flying ( not commercial ones ) is a very simple and yet interesting pastime . But to enable a human being to fly is a much more difficult affair , although more persons than one have practically tried the experiment and signally failed . The reasons are obvious . There are a few natural difficulties to overcome . The absence of Avings , in the first place , and the solidity of bones , in the second . The required mechanical contrivance is a task for the ingenious to invent and to make . For
instance—Wanted a small engine to Avork two Avings , lift itself , and also the animal ( ? Ass ) upon Avhose back it is fixed . The said engine to be set in motion , and also stopped , by the will of the bearer . To some erratic mechanician , inventor , or engineer this may appear to be a simple affair , and quite practicable . Anatomists and physiologists know better ; nature ' s laws are true to herself . To fly as a bird we must be made like a bird . Our bones must be hollow , have air canals ancl cells in them , and these air channels must communicate Avith the lungs , so