THE MIND'S MIRROR. 255 



commotion in its molecules ; that from this centre of commotion the 

 liberated energy is propagated by physical paths to other parts of the 

 brain, and that it is finally discharged outwardly through proper 

 physical paths, either in movements or in modifications of secretion 

 or nutrition (e.g. the influencing of heart and bloodvessels as in 

 blushing). The passion that is felt is the subjective side of the 

 cerebral commotion its mo f ion out from the physical basis, as it 

 were (e-motion\ into consciousness and it is only felt as it is felt by 

 virtue of the constitution of the cerebral centres, into which have 

 been wrought the social sympathies of successive ages of men ; in- 

 heriting the accumulated results of the experiences of countless 

 generations, the centres manifest the kind of function which is 

 embodied in their structure. The molecular commotion of the 

 structure is the liberation of the function ; if forefathers have habitu- 

 ally felt, and thought, and done unwisely, the structure will be un- 

 stable and its function irregular." So much for the nature of emotion, 

 for the connection of the emotions with sensation, and for the part 

 which the feelings may play in inducing aberration of mind. In the 

 concluding words of the paragraph just quoted lies the explanation 

 of the production of mind-derangements through an hereditary bias, 

 namely, the perpetuated effects of ill-regulated mental acts. In the 

 same idea, that of continued and transmitted habit, exists the key to 

 the understanding of the origin of emotions. Above all other causes, 

 habit has acted with extreme power and effect in inducing the asso- 

 ciation not merely of groups of actions expressive of emotions, but 

 also in forming and stereotyping trains of thought and ideas in har- 

 mony therewith. On some such plain consideration, the real under- 

 standing of many problems of mind may be said to rest ; and cer- 

 tainly in the subject before us it is one we cannot afford to lose sight 

 of throughout the brief study in which we are engaged. 



Any such study, however limited its range, must devote a few 

 details to the question concerning the seat of the emotions in the 

 chief centre of the nervous system. Of old, the peculiar system of 

 nerves lying along the front of the spine, and called the " sympathetic 

 system," was believed to possess the function of bringing one part of 

 the body into relation with another part. To this system in modern 

 physiology is assigned the chief command of those processes which 

 constitute the " organic life " of higher animals, and which, including 

 such functions as digestion, circulation, &c., proceed under normal 

 circumstances independently of the direct operation of will and mind. 

 Liable to be influenced and modified in many ways by the will and 

 by the nervous acts which compose the waking existence of man, 

 the sympathetic nerves may nevertheless be regarded as the chief and 

 unconscious regulators of those processes on the due performance of 

 which the continuity and safety of life depends. But in the physio- 



