OiV ACQUIRE J) PSYCHICAL HABITS. 313 



every day to prepare it anew not having time to go through the pro- * 

 cess of " studying " it, to which Mrs. Siddons used to give weeks or 

 even months. When questioned respecting the mental process which he 

 employed the first time he performed the part, he said that he entirely 

 lost sight of the audience, and seemed to have nothing before him hut 

 the pages of the hook from which he had learned it ; and that, if any 

 thing had occurred to interrupt this illusion, he should have instantly 

 stopped. {Inquiry into the Intellectual Powers, fifth edition, p. 103.) 



In the case of Barristers, who are called upon to " get up " the 

 " briefs " which are supplied to them, to master the facts, to apply to 

 them the principles of Law, and to present them in the Court in the 

 form which they deem most advantageous to the "cause" they have 

 undertaken to plead, the very highest faculties of mind are called into 

 active exercise ; but, in consequence, it would seem, of the want of 

 previous connection with the " case " (of which they know nothing but 

 what is set down in their "brief"), and of the complete cessation of 

 that connection as soon as the decision has been given, they very com- 

 monly " forget all about it " so soon as they have transferred their 

 Attention to their next brief. A curious instance of this kind was 

 mentioned to the writer a few years ago by an eminent Barrister (since 

 elevated to the Judicial Bench), whose great scientific attainments led 

 to his being frequently employed in Patent-cases. A " heavy " case 

 of this kind was placed in his hands, and he was reminded of having 

 been engaged by the same parties in the same " case " when it had 

 been first brought to trial about a year previously. He had not the 

 slightest remembrance of its having ever been before him ; none of 

 the particulars of it seemed familiar to him; and he was only con- 

 vinced that he really had taken part in the previous trial by finding 

 the record of his engagement in his Fee-book. Even when he came 

 to " get up " the case again, no remembrance of his former attention 

 to it came within his " sphere of consciousness." 



It seems, then, to admit of question whether every thine/ that passes 

 through our Minds thus leaves its impress on their Material instru- 

 ment ; and whether a somewhat too extensive generalization has not 

 been erected on a rather limited basis. For the doctrine of the indeli- 

 bility of Memory rests on the spontaneous revival, under circumstances 

 indicative of some change in the Physical condition of the Brain, of 

 the long-dormant " traces " left by such former impressions as are re- 

 ferable to one or other of the three following categories : 1. States of 

 Consciousness as to places, persons, language, etc., which were habitual 

 with us in early life, and which were, therefore, likely to have directed 

 the groicth of the Brain ; 2. Modes of Thought in which the formation 

 of Associations largely participates, and which are likely to have modi- 

 fied the course of its maintenance by Nutrition after the attainment 

 of maturity ; or 3. Single Experiences of peculiar force and vividness, 

 such as are likely to have left very decided " traces," although the 



