286 FRAGMENTS OF SCIENCE 



the question: Do states of consciousness enter as links 

 into the chain of antecedents and sequence, which give 

 rise to bodily actions, and to other states of conscious- 

 ness; or are they merely by-products^ which are not essen- 

 tial to the physical processes going on in th« brain? 

 Speaking for myself, it is certain that I have no power 

 of imagining states of consciousness, interposed between 

 the molecules of the brain, and influencing the transfer- 

 ence of motion among the molecules. The thought 

 "eludes all mental presentation"; and hence the logic 

 seems of iron strength which claims for the brain an 

 automatic action, uninfluenced by states of consciousness. 

 But it is, I believe, admitted by those who hold the 

 automaton-theory, that states of consciousness are pro- 

 duced by the marshalling of the molecules of the brain: 

 and this production of consciousness by molecular motion 

 is to me quite as inconceivable on mechanical principles 

 as the production of molecular motion by consciousness. 

 If, therefore, I reject one result, I must reject both. I, 

 however, reject neither, and thus stand in the presence of 

 two Incomprehensibles, instead of one Incomprehensible. 

 While accepting fearlessly the facts of materialism dwelt 

 upon in these pages, I bow my head in the dust before 

 that mystery of mind, which has hitherto defied its own 

 penetrative power, and which may ultimately resolve itself 

 into a demonstrable impossibility of self- penetration. 



But the secret is an open one — the practical monitions 

 are plain enough, which declare that on our dealings with 

 matter depend our weal and woe, physical and moral. 

 The state of mind which rebels against the recognition of 

 the claims of "materialism" is not unknown to me. I can 

 remember a time when I regarded my body as a weed, so 



