THE INNER FEELING 339 



It seems to me that this savant has pushed too far the conclusions 

 to be drawn from his observations. 



No doubt any degeneration of organs, and especially of the 

 abdominal viscera, frequently corresponds to degeneration of the 

 moral faculties and does actually contribute to it. But this con- 

 dition, in my opinion, cannot be regarded as assisting in the forma- 

 tion of thought ; it merely gives the individual a propensity towards 

 some one kind of thoughts rather than some other. 



Now it is known that the moral feeling may act strongly on the state 

 of the organs and may affect them for a long period in some particular 

 way ; it thus appears to me that constant and real griefs in any 

 individual may set up degeneration of the abdominal viscera ; and that 

 these degenerations, once started, may in their turn perpetuate the 

 inclination to melancholy, even when there is no longer any real 

 cause for it. 



Reproduction, indeed, may transmit a tendency of the organs or a 

 state of the viscera adapted for giving rise to any special temperament, 

 inclination, or characteristic ; but it is essential that circumstances 

 should favour the development of this tendency in the new individual ; 

 for otherwise the individual would acquire another temperament, 

 incUnations, and characteristics. It is only in animals of very low 

 intelligence that reproduction transmits almost without variation the 

 organisation, inclinations, habits and special peculiarities of each 

 race. 



I should travel too far afield if I were to discuss these matters 

 further ; I now therefore return to my subject. 



I may sum up my observations on the inner feeling, by saying that this 

 feeling is the source of movements and actions for beings that possess 

 it ; these occur, either when sensations, which awake needs, arouse 

 emotions in it, or when thought similarly awakes a need or points 

 out a danger, etc., and thus stirs it more or less strongly. These 

 emotions, however aroused, promptly agitate the available nervous 

 fluid : and since every need that is felt, causes the resultant emotion 

 to affect the parts which have to act, movements are invariably 

 carried out by this method, and are always in relation to the 

 individual's needs. 



Lastly, since these inner feelings are very obscure, the individual in 

 whom they are working does not perceive them ; yet they are real ; 

 and if man, who has a highly developed intellect, were to pay theoi 

 some attention, he would soon recognise that all his acts are due to 

 emotions of his inner feeling, some of which are inspired by ideas, 

 thoughts, and judgments, thus making him feel certain needs, and 

 exciting his will to action ; while the others result immediately from 



