BAIWS ORGAN OF MIND. 151 



was " the brain, nerves, muscles, and organs of sense." 

 ("Senses and Intellect," 1855, p. 6 1.) According to this 

 view, mind is not the outcome of one simple substance, but 

 is due to the action of the many different tissues which 

 together constitute nerves, muscles, and organs of sense. 

 As no one of these many tissues can act without blood, it is 

 difficult to see upon what principle the circulating fluid is 

 not included among the things which make up the organ of 

 mind. And as the formation of blood depends entirely 

 upon a supply of properly prepared food, it is not easy to 

 see for what reason the organs of digestion, circulation, and 

 respiration are excluded from the category of components 

 of the body instrumental in the production of mind. But 

 I am surprised that Professor Bain should have been in- 

 duced to propound the doctrine in question, seeing that 

 many nerves and some organs of sense may be destroyed 

 and the mind not only escape destruction but remain 

 unimpaired. Nay, a considerable part of the brain matter 

 may be damaged, and yet the mind retain its integrity. 

 But why should muscles, the mere instruments with which 

 the powers of higher organs work, be regarded as part of 

 the organ of mind ? Muscles, it is true, are indirectly 

 influenced by the mind, but it may surely be said with 

 truth that they are far less necessary to mind than is blood, 

 which cannot be correctly considered an organ of mind, or 

 in any proper sense an organ at all. Through the agency 

 of nerve tissue, muscles may be made to execute the man- 

 dates of the will. Their contractions are governed by 

 mind. How then can muscular tissue be a source of 

 mind? Muscular contraction does not form a necessary 

 part of our conception of mind. We know that muscles 



