My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org

112 MY LIFE" It would be a curious and interesting thing tohave a series of portraits taken of a person eachsuccessive year. These would show the gradualchanges from childhood to old age in a very strikingmanner ; and if a number of such series from differentindividuals were obtained, and a brief outline givenof their lives during each preceding year, we shouldhave materials not merely for the curious to gaze at,but which might elucidate the problem of how far themind reacts upon the countenance. We should seethe effects of pain or pleasure, of idlenessor activity,of dissipation or study, and thus watch the action ofthe various passions of the mind in modifying theform of the body, and particularly the expression ofthe features."Now that photography is so widespread and sogreatly improved, it is rather curious that nothing ofthis kind has been done. Some of our numerousscientific societies might offer to take such photographsof any of their members who would agree tobe taken regularly, and would undertake to have oneor two of their children similarly taken till they cameof age, and also to prepare a very short record eachyear of the main events or occupations of their lives.If this were widely done in every part of the country,a most interesting and instructive collection of thoseseries which were most complete would be obtained.I have given the concluding passage of the lectureas it appears in the rough draft, which was neverrewritten." Can we believe that we are fulfilling the purposemany of the wonders andof our existence while sobeauties of the creation remain unnoticed around us }While so much of the mystery which man has beenable to penetrate, however imperfectly, is still all dark