410 FRAGMENTS OF SCIENCE 



thought and every feeling has its definite mechanical cor- 

 relative — that it is accompanied by a certain breaking up 

 and remarshalling of the atoms of the brain. This latter 

 process is purely physical; and were the faculties we now 

 possess 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, con- 

 versely, 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 ci priori one. But by observing, with the 

 faculties we assume, the state of the brain and the asso- 

 ciated mental affections, 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 prob- 

 lem 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 ques- 

 tions faculties of commensurate extent? Griven the requi- 

 site 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 



