CONCLUDING REMARKS. 295 



turning itself into a baby — we may conclude that the 

 creature has done the same thing on a very great 

 number of past occasions. 



We found the phenomena exhibited by heredity to 

 be so like those of memory, and to be so utterly in- 

 explicable on any other supposition, that it was easier 

 to suppose them due to memory in spite of the fact that 

 we cannot remember having recollected, than to believe 

 that because we cannot so remember, therefore the 

 phenomena cannot be due to memory. 



We were thus led to consider " personal identity," in 

 order to see whether there was sufficient reason for 

 denying that the experience, which we must have 

 clearly gained somewhere, was gained by us when we 

 were in the persons of our forefathers ; we found, not 

 without surprise, that unless we admitted that it might 

 be so gained, in so far as that we once actually were our 

 remotest ancestor, we must change our ideas concerning 

 personality altogether. 



We therefore assumed that the phenomena of here- 

 dity, whether as regards instinct or structure were 

 mainly due to memory of past experiences, accumu- 

 lated and fused till they had become automatic, or 

 quasi automatic, much in the same way as after a 

 long life — 



..." Old experience do attain 

 To something like prophetic strain." 



After dealing with certain phenomena of memory, 

 but more especially with its abeyance and revival, we 

 inquired what the principal corresponding phenomena 



