21 
experiences of the past. The memory does not act in a casual or 
arbitrary manner, but is subject to laws. The laws of the associa- 
tion of ideas are three in number, and are known as those of con- 
tiguity, similarity, and contrast. On each of these laws the lecturer 
dwelt at length, commenting on their cognitional and emotional 
importance, that is to say, on their importance as giving know- 
ledge, and as giving pleasure or pain. Under the head of 
association by contiguity the force of local associations was 
referred to, and he observed how pleasant memories often hung 
round an event, as fragrance clung to the vessel in which flowers 
had been left. The charm of the name ‘‘home”’ and the 
potency of “country” were skilfully touched upon, and then 
Mr. Maher proceeded to point out how the law of association by 
similarity was of great importance as promoting the perfecting 
of knowledge. The pleasures of science, art, and literature were 
due to that law, and under each of these departments the 
lecturer gave apt illustrations. Under the head of literature, 
Milton was quoted as one whose writings were made more 
powerful by his use of similarities, as when he spoke of the con- 
dition of the fallen angels ‘thick as autumnal leaves.” 
Shakespeare was rich in these similes, and Burns was likewise 
happy in his use of the law. The emotional importance of the 
third law, that of contrast, was dealt with, and illustrations 
were again drawn from Shakespeare, who revelled in the power 
of contrast. In the masters of wit and humour, and in the 
utterances of statesmen we often found effective use made of 
contrasts. Mr. Maher next addressed himself to the considera- 
tion of the nature of retention. There were three views: one 
adopted by Sir William Hamilton, described as the ultra-spiritual 
view, maintained that the problem can be solved only by attrib- 
uting it to the mind. The second theory was known as the 
physical one, and explained the memory by traces on the brain— 
the arguments used in favour of this view were stated, and it 
was made clear that there was some connection between the 
brain and the memory. The third view, which was the one 
adopted by the lecturer was of an intermediate character. He 
maintained that the memory could not be accounted for only by 
the disposition of the brain. It was at least open to doubt how 
the memory could be retained during the complete change which 
physiologists admitted periodically took place in the body. The 
great difficulty, however, was in accounting for recognition. 
The physical theory could not account for the fact that we 
recognize the present as identical with the past. The memory 
implies that there is something permanent, which retains past 
experieuces and identifies the present with them. 
The lecture, the account of which we have taken from the 
Burnley Express, was marked by close reasonings, and by 
abundance and beauty of illustration. 
