38 THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN REASON. 



made which involve mathematical error, the assertion 

 that mathematics are " alien to the scope " of a work on 

 chemistry will neither save the credit of the chemist 

 nor that of his statements. We will for the present 

 abstain from any further criticism on this matter, after 

 thus briefly calling attention to what appears to us to be 

 a very noteworthy and significant evidence of some 

 fundamental confusion of mind. 



That section of the work which is mainly devoted to 

 an examination of mental states is divided into a 

 chapter (the second chapter) on " Ideas," one on 

 "The Logic of Recepts," and one on "The Logic of 

 Concepts." 



In his second chapter,* Mr. Romanes applies himself 

 to the task of describing various kinds of mental pro- 

 cesses, and presenting them f in a tabular form. All 

 these he calls " ideas," and by the very mode in which 

 he uses this term he at once really lays the foundation 

 of what we deem his subsequent errors — a foundation 

 he amplifies by his unintentionally misleading treatment 

 of the mental processes he so names. 



He begins by quoting and accepting, as before said, 

 certain declarations of Locke respecting the psychical 

 processes of men and animals, thus at once assuming the 

 very position which we, his selected opponents, deem to 

 be the most profoundly mistaken one. For we regard 

 Locke and Descartes as twin sophists, upon whose con- 

 fused and misleading notions, as upon a foundation, 

 subsequent writers have again and again tried in vain 

 to rear a durable and consistent system of philosophy. 

 * p. 20. t p. 39- 



