第71章

Thedebatewhichensuedwasinitsscopeandprogressanepitomeofthecourseoflife。Neitherplacenorcouncilwaslackingindignity。Thedebaterswerethekeenestintheland，thethemetheywereengagedontheloftiestandmostvital。ThehighhallofHorne’shousehadneverbeheldanassemblysorepresentativeandsovariednorhadtheoldraftersofthatestablishmenteverlistenedtoalanguagesoencyclopaedic。Agallantsceneintruthitmade。CrotherswasthereatthefootofthetableinhisstrikingHighlandgarb，hisfaceglowingfromthebrinyairsoftheMullofGalloway。Theretoo，oppositetohimwasLynch，whosecountenanceborealreadythestigmataofearlydepravityandprematurewisdom。NexttheScotchmanwastheplaceassignedtoCostello，theeccentric，whileathissidewasseatedinstolidreposethesquatformofMadden。ThechairoftheresidentindeedstoodvacantbeforethehearthbutoneitherflankofitthefigureofBannoninexplorer’skitoftweedshortsandsaltedcowhidebroguescontrastedsharplywiththeprimroseeleganceandtownbredmannersofMalachiRolandStJohnMulligan。LastlyattheheadoftheboardwastheyoungpoetwhofoundarefugefromhislaboursofpedagogyandmetaphysicalinquisitionintheconvivialatmosphereofSocraticdiscussion，whiletorightandleftofhimwereaccommodatedtheflippantprognosticator，freshfromthehippodrome，andthatvigilantwanderer，soiledbythedustoftravelandcombatandstainedbythemireofanindelibledishonour，butfromwhosesteadfastandconstantheartnolureorperilorthreatordegradationcouldevereffacetheimageofthatvoluptuouslovelinesswhichtheinspiredpencilofLafayettehaslimnedforagesyettocome。

IthadbetterbestatedhereandnowattheoutsetthatthepervertedtranscendentalismtowhichMrS。Dedalus’(Div。Scep。)contentionswouldappeartoprovehimprettybadlyaddictedrunsdirectlycountertoacceptedscientificmethods。Science，itcannotbetoooftenrepeated，dealswithtangiblephenomena。Themanofsciencelikethemaninthestreethastofacehardheadedfactsthatcannotbeblinkedandexplainthemasbesthecan。Theremaybe，itistrue，somequestionswhichsciencecannotanswer-atpresent-suchasthefirstproblemsubmittedbyMrL。Bloom(Pubb。

Canv。)regardingthefuturedeterminationofsex。MustweaccepttheviewofEmpedoclesofTrinacriathattherightovary(thepostmenstrualperiod，assertothers)isresponsibleforthebirthofmalesorarethetoolongneglectedspermatozoaornemaspermsthedifferentiatingfactorsorisit，asmostembryologistsinclinetoopine，suchasCulpepper，Spallanzani，Blumenbach，Lusk，Hertwig，LeopoldandValenti，amixtureofboth？Thiswouldbetantamounttoacooperation(oneofnature’sfavouritedevices)

betweenthenisusformativusofthenemaspermontheonehandandontheotherahappilychosenposition，succubitusfelix，ofthepassiveelement。Theotherproblemraisedbythesameinquirerisscarcelylessvital：infantmortality。Itisinterestingbecause，ashepertinentlyremarks，weareallborninthesamewaybutwealldieindifferentways。

MrM。Mulligan(Hyg。etEug。Doc。)blamesthesanitaryconditionsinwhichourgreylungedcitizenscontractadenoids，pulmonarycomplaintsetc。byinhalingthebacteriawhichlurkindust。Thesefacts，healleges，andtherevoltingspectaclesofferedbyourstreets，hideouspublicityposters，religiousministersofalldenominations，mutilatedsoldiersandsailors，exposedscorbuticcardrivers，thesuspendedcarcasesofdeadanimals，paranoicbachelorsandunfructifiedduennas-these，hesaid，wereaccountableforanyandeveryfallingoffinthecalibreoftherace。Kalipedia，heprophesied，wouldsoonbegenerallyadoptedandallthegracesoflife，genuinelygoodmusic，agreeableliterature，lightphilosophy，instructivepictures，plastercastreproductionsoftheclassicalstatuessuchasVenusandApollo，artisticcolouredphotographsofprizebabies，alltheselittleattentionswouldenableladieswhowereinaparticularconditiontopasstheinterveningmonthsinamostenjoyablemanner。MrJ。Crotthers(Disc。Bacc。)attributessomeofthesedemisestoabnormaltraumainthecaseofwomenworkerssubjectedtoheavylaboursintheworkshopandtomaritaldisciplineinthehomebutbyfarthevastmajoritytoneglect，privateorofficial，culminatingintheexposureofnewborninfants，thepracticeofcriminalabortionorintheatrociouscrimeofinfanticide。Althoughtheformer(wearethinkingofneglect)isundoubtedlyonlytootruethecasehecitesofnursesforgettingtocountthespongesIntheperitonealcavityistooraretobenormative