■ DISCHAEGE OF NERVOUS EXCITEMENT. 197 



feeling as convertible terms. Similarly witli the digestive 

 organs. Without detailing the various ways in which these 

 may be influenced by our mental states, it suffices to men- 

 tion the marked benefits derived by dys^Deptics, as well as 

 other invalids, from cheerful society, welcome news, change 

 of scene, to show how pleasurable feeling stimulates th 

 viscera in general into greater activity. 



There is still another direction in which any excited 

 portion of the nervous system may discharge itself; and a 

 direction in which it usually does discharge itself when the 

 excitement is not strong. It may pass on the stimulus to 

 some other portion of the nervous system. This is what 

 occurs in quiet thinking and feeling. The successive states 

 which constitute consciousness, result from this. Sensa- 

 tions excite ideas and emotions ; these in their turns arouse 

 other ideas and emotions ; and so, continuously. That is 

 to say, the tension existing in particular nerves, or groups 

 of nerves, when they yield us certain sensations, ideas, or 

 emotions, generates an equivalent tension in some other 

 nerves, or groups of nerves, with which there is a connex- 

 ion : the flow of energy passing on, the one idea or feeling 

 dies in producing the next. 



Thus, then, while we are totally unable to comprehend 

 how the excitement of certain nerves should generate feel- 

 ing — while, in the production of consciousness by physical 

 agents acting on physical structure, we come to an abso- 

 lute mystery never to be solved ; it is yet quite possible 

 for us to know by observation what are the successive 

 forms which this absolute mystery may take. We see that 

 there are three channels along which nerves in a state of 

 tension may discharge themselves ; or rather, I should say, 

 three classes of channels. They may pass on the excite- 

 ment to other nerves that have no direct connexions with 

 the bodily members, and may so cause other feelings and 

 ideas J or they may pass on the excitement to one or more 



