ON SENSATION AND THE UNITY OF 

 STRUCTURE OF SENSIFEROUS ORGANS 



[1879] 



THE maxim that metaphysical inquiries are 

 barren of result, and that the serious occupation of 

 the mind with them is a mere waste of time and 

 labour, finds much favour in the eyes of the 

 many persons who pride themselves on the 

 possession of sound common sense; and we 

 sometimes hear it enunciated by weighty au- 

 thorities, as if its natural consequence, the 

 suppression of such studies, had the force of a 

 moral obligation. 



In this case, however, as in some others, those 

 who lay down the law seem to forget that a wise 

 legislator will consider, not merely whether his 

 proposed enactment is desirable, but whether obe- 

 dience to it is possible. For, if the latter question 

 is answered negatively, the former is surely hardly 

 worth debate. 

 290 



