238 THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN REASON. 



may have come down to us." This is most true. But 

 to show what even an uneducated Sussex labourer (a 

 mere cowherd) may be capable of, I will give the results 

 of my questioning one, to elicit latent philosophical 

 convictions of his, bearing on Idealism : 



Myself. Lacey ! You often hear Sir Spencer Wilson's 

 clock strike ? 



Lacey. Bless you, sir, very often. 



M. What do you think that sound is — something in 

 the bell, something in the air, or something in your 

 head ? 



L. Why, something in the bell, sir, of course ; but 

 the air has got something to do with it too, I think. 



M. But when the clapper hits the bell it sets the 

 bell shaking, that sets the air next it shaking, and so on 

 to your ear, where it sets a very thin bit of skin shaking, 

 and so you hear the sound. 



L. Yes, sir. 



M. Is there anything, then, in the bell altogether the 

 same as your feeling of sound ? 



L. Of course not, sir. Can't be. 



M. And yet you say the sound is in the bell ? 



L. Yes, sir. 



M. Suppose every man and animal were dead, and 

 the wind set the bell shaking, with no one to hear it ; 

 would there be any sound } 



L. I can't answer that directly, sir ; that wants 

 thinking about. 



M. What was in the bell when it struck before 

 would be in the bell when it struck now, wouldn't it ? 



L. Of course it would, sir. 



