390 FRAGMENTS OF SCIENCE. 



matter. We believe that every thought and every feel- 

 ing has its definite mechanical correlative that it is 

 accompanied by a certain breaking up and remar- 

 shalling of the atoms of the brain. This latter process 

 is purely physical; and were the faculties we now pos- 

 sess sufficiently expanded, without the creation of any 

 new faculty, it would doubtless be within the range 

 of our augmented powers to infer from the molecular 

 state of the brain the character of the thought acting 

 on it, and, conversely, to infer from the thought the 

 exact molecular condition of the brain. We do not 

 say and this, as will be seen, is all-important that 

 the inference here referred to would be an a priori 

 one. But by observing, with the faculties we assume, 

 the state of the brain and the associated mental affec- 

 tions, both might be so tabulated side by side that, if 

 one were . given, a mere reference to the table would 

 declare the other. Our present powers, it is true, 

 shrivel into nothingness when brought to bear on such 

 a problem, but it is because of its complexity and our 

 limits that this is the case. The quality of the problem 

 and of our powers are, we believe, so related, that a 

 mere expansion of the latter would enable them to cope 

 with the former. Why, then, in scientific speculation 

 should we turn our eyes exclusively to the past? May 

 it not be that a time is coming ages no doubt distant, 

 but still advancing when the dwellers upon this fair 

 earth, starting from the gross human brain of to-day 

 as a rudiment, may be able to apply to these mighty 

 questions faculties of commensurate extent? Given 

 the requisite expansibility to the present senses and 

 intelligence of man given also the time necessary for 

 their expansion and this high goal may be attained. 

 Development is all that is required, and not a change 

 of quality. There need be no absolute breach of con- 



