REASON AND INSTINCT PLEASURE AND PAIN. 29 



power of our being, which may be said to be the dis- 

 tinguishing power of man over other animals. Their 

 greatest power is the power of their faculties and impres- 

 sions over their consciousness, and the physical perfection 

 of these impressions in producing correct instinctive action 

 and choice. Man's greatest power, reversely, is the power 

 of his Consciousness over his faculties, and his means of 

 operating upon them so as not only to perceive correctly 

 what is, but to prove what is not, but is possible or im- 

 possible. But even when our Consciousness uses our 

 physical faculties in the discussion of hypothetical im- 

 pressions, the initiative and directing power is not in the. 

 faculties, but in the Consciousness. So that the will and 

 the power to create and dispose of those hypotheses is not 

 in, or a part of the physical faculties engaged, but is 

 entirely in the Consciousness and its power of volition and 

 abstract perception ; and as this power is generally 

 exercised with an aim which, though distinct and fixed, 

 is not immediately capable of being reached in every 

 instance, this fact proves our Consciousness to be possessed 

 of the power of forecasting, anticipation and predetermination 

 of purpose, which is a power superior to the physical facul- 

 ties or their action. Over many artificial and hypothe- 

 tical impressions with which our physical faculties are 

 capable of being exercised, our Consciousness uses there- 

 fore special and predetermined anticipation as well as 

 supervising selection and control, and the faculties are 

 merely passive under such direction, so that it does not 

 reside in them, but in influences apart from them. 



Let us now consider the impressions of Pleasure and 

 Pain, which are also sensations perceived by our Con- 

 sciousness and not by our physical nature ; for anaesthesia 

 has clearly proved to us that the physical nature may be 

 violated, even to the hazard of life, without producing the 

 slightest sensation of pain, as shown by surgical operations 



