ON THE ANNIHILATION OF THE MIND. 717 



by our doctrine of the conservation of force, and seems to require 

 the incoming of another element in our calculations. Where does 

 appear the force of mind, the high courage, which can enable a feeble 

 body to maintain a high potential energy out of the same physical 

 materials which contribute to the formation of the sluggishness of 

 others ? It may be answered : What makes the difference between the 

 energy of the blooded hunter and that of the dray-horse ? Where 

 does the difference appear in the final dissolution ? With this latter 

 question we immediately perceive the difference between the degrada- 

 tion of energy which accompanies that which recalls life, and that 

 which is manifested in the combinations of matter. Gunpowder, 

 fired by the concentrated rays of the sun, leaves only ashes and a 

 rapidly-disappearing veil of smoke. It has impressed upon the ether 

 vibrations which are forever undergoing rapid transformations. In 

 regard to its physical nature it goes from inertness to inertness. A 

 current of electricity is maintained by chemical action which takes 

 place in a voltaic cell. As long as this action continues, the current 

 can exercise its functions. When the potential energy of the chemi- 

 cal activity falls, the current dies away. From the earth the gun- 

 powder can be reconstructed with exactly the same characteristics. 

 From the earth beings endowed with life can be created by a process 

 which is far beyond our ken, yet the new creations are never exact 

 reproductions. We are forced to acknowledge that there must be 

 something which is called the principle of life. If there is such a 

 principle, does it die at the physical death of each individual ? If so, 

 we must modify the all-embracing scope of the doctrine of the con- 

 servation of force and its non-annihilation. When a body loses its 

 heat, or its electrical charge, we can readily form the equation of 

 transformation. With matter endowed with life we must join, by an 

 additive or subtractive sign, an unknown function which we may 

 term the life-function. In discussing such an equation of transforma- 

 tion of energy, Ave must refuse to admit such a term depending on 

 the life-function, on the ground that we are dealing with matter and 

 material forces, and that there is no energy distinct from that com- 

 municated by chemical processes. Or we must admit it ; and make 

 some assumption which can just as well be made in reference to its 

 spiritual or non-physical nature as in regard to the peculiar relations 

 which different organic compounds may maintain toward each other. 

 The first step leaves an hiatus in our expression for the transforma- 

 tion of energy, and the second gives a choice of belief. 



It may seem to some that the doctrine of Darwin is capable of 

 being extended to intellectual philosophy ; and, as certain animal 

 types fail to flourish and perpetuate themselves because the condi- 

 tions are not propitious, so we can admit the possibility that the 

 South-Sea cannibal is endowed with a mind or soul crerm which could 

 be developed if the right conditions were at hand. In chemistry we 



