288 PRESENT-DAY RATIONALISM 



the correct modulations of the voice according to the 

 sense being given ; yet the mind may have wandered 

 away and be thinking of something else ; and the reader 

 at the end may not have the slightest idea of what he 

 has been reading about. I have often done this myself. 



I have repeatedly wound up my watch while going 

 upstairs to bed ; but on reaching my bedroom could not 

 say whether I had done it or not, and had to try the key 

 to find out. 



On the other hand, as an illustration of Attention and 

 Volition, Dr. Carpenter alludes to a person learning to 

 play the piano. At first great attention has to be paid 

 both to the notes and fingers. These are compelled by 

 volition to go down on to the right keys. But a practised 

 musician has been known to play waltz after waltz when 

 actually asleep. All the dancers had to do was to begin 

 another tune when a change was wanted, and the sugges- 

 tion was automatically followed up by the sleeper.^ 



To illustrate these stages, Dr. W. B. Carpenter 

 distinguishes the automatic cough as arising from some 

 irritation in the throat. This may take place in sleep 

 with unconsciousness ; or when we are awake, with con- 

 sciousness. He compares this with the volitional cough ; 

 when an audience intentionally cough to interrupt a prosy 

 speaker. But even this, as it seems to me, need not be 

 volitional ; the inducement to stop the speaker sugi^^ests 

 to the brain to cough, and the cough automatically 

 follows. 



But suppose one of the audience says to another, 

 "Don't cough, it's rude, and he is doing his best" ; then 

 volition wakes up, the man hesitates, and finally deliber- 

 ately suppresses the rising cough. 



' Dr. Carpenter told me of this incident which he had received from a 

 correspondent after reading his book. 



