Rev. James WILLs on accidental Association. 9) 
back the idea of the persons, but that of the persons may not bring back that of 
the place. To revert to the figure of speech already used, the place was a portion 
of one picture, the persons of many. In the same way, frequent returns to the 
same scene would lead to the interference of new and varied elements, so as to 
dissolve or much weaken the first impression ; it would, at the same time, and in 
the same degree, multiply the constituent parts of the apprehension of the place, 
and the avenues of thought by which it might be recalled. And this accumula- 
tion might increase indefinitely, from the first impression of a strange place to 
the familiar idea of home, to which all the thoughts have some tendency, and 
every project some point of termination. 
Next let it be supposed that, after a time, some one resembling one of the 
persons, or some place resembling the place assumed, should chance to be met. 
In either case the same effects would be produced by similarity. But it is to be 
observed, that the process is in no way essentially varied ; for, so far as the simi- 
larity exists and operates, it is nothing more than the virtwal identity of certain 
components. There must be some feature absolutely a portion of both ideas. 
It is scarcely necessary to observe, that the simplicity of these cases cannot 
lessen their evidence ; and further, that it is the inevitable result of our analysis. 
When we reduce any mental process to its elementary shape, it must lead to some 
case of great simplicity. Such cases are not easily found in the real experience 
of life, for reasons which I shall notice presently. But, if any one desires real 
examples, they can easily be found in the recollections of early life. Before we 
go very far in our journey, the ordinary intercourse of life has ceased to present 
any thing new; the components of every scene cross and combine in countless 
directions, and, by a refined process of interference, the waves of circumstance, 
like the secondary waves of light, neutralize and obliterate each other, save in 
certain practical directions. When we travel back to look for the actual recollec- 
tions of our infancy, those, at least, suitable for illustration, will mostly bear the 
appearance of trifling ; so much, indeed, is this the case, that I should feel reluc- 
tant to offer any example of this description, were I not quite sure that they are 
common to most persons, and have the same character in all. 
At avery early stage of infancy I was, for some years, in a place which I 
have never since visited, and living among persons with whom I have had no 
subsequent communication. Of all these persons there does not, or has not for 
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