such universal prevalence of certain diseases prove the existence of certain general forms of hereditary evil, deeply fixed in the heart of common humanity at the present day? Doubtless this is the truth; and it would be a most interesting subject of investigation, to ascertain what special forms of evil or moral disorder those universal physical disorders are derived from and correspond to. The day, perhaps, will come, when science, which at present concerns itself too exclusively with effects, will be able to rise more into the region of causes, and then such subjects will claim its earnest attention.
To a source, somewhat similar, may doubtless be ascribed these terrible epidemics, which prevail almost constantly in some parts of the world, and which at times come forth and spread themselves over nearly the whole earth, committing fearful ravages: such as the Asiatic cholera, and the plague. It is not unreasonable to suppose, that the occasional prevalence of such maladies is dependent chiefly on certain peculiar moral states of mankind, from the fact that it does not seem to be affected by physical condition,—penetrating all countries, regardless of climate or situation, and entering all households, the palace as well as the hovel; and though extreme filth and uncleanness may aggravate its violence, yet no degree of cleanness or external order and comfort seems able to ward off the destroyer. What peculiar states of moral disorder such pestilences are analogous to, it may not indeed be easy to discover. Yet much might perhaps be learned on this important subject, were the attention of the scientific drawn more forcibly to it,—the position being first taken that the prevalence of such scourges is to be ascribed, in part
