148 SENSATION, SENSIBILITY, FEELING. 



the properties of the material constituting the tissue, or 

 whether it is dependent for its existence upon certain nerves 

 in continuity with the matter of the brain, which ramify 

 upon or in the immediate neighbourhood of the tissue in 

 question. 



I have endeavoured in vain to ascertain what Professor 

 Bain considers to be necessary to sensation. But neither he, 

 nor any writer I have examined, expresses himself clearly 

 upon this point, or attempts to describe the actual change 

 or condition which he considers essential, or common to, 

 and characteristic of every kind of sensation. The structure 

 of various organs is described in detail. Much information 

 is given concerning the arrangement of the several parts .of 

 which these organs are composed. Their mode of action is 

 discussed, but no clear statement of what it is desired we 

 should understand by the words sensation, sensibility, and 

 feeling, is accorded. It is even doubtful whether the most 

 distinguished writers upon sensation have yet made up their 

 own minds concerning the exact nature of the phenomena 

 upon which they desire to establish a philosophy. They do 

 not define what really constitutes a sensation, nor do they 

 tell us how feeling or sensation is to be distinguished from 

 every other phenomenon. Anatomical descriptions of parts 

 of the brain, of the nerves, muscles, and other tissues, as 

 it seems to me, tend rather to divert the attention of the 

 reader from the consideration of the main question, the 

 nature of sensation, than to assist him in his efforts to 

 comprehend the fact. 



But can any form of mind be properly regarded as a 

 product of the action of muscles, nerves, and of the brain 

 tissue generally ? Although it is easy to point out with pre- 



