HIS WOEK ESSENTIALLY TRANSITIONAL. 291 



the first to appreciate the importance of this element in oui 

 states of consciousness ; and it is one of his merits that he 

 shows how constant and large an element it is. Further, 

 the relations of voluntary and involuntary movements are 

 elucidated in a way that was not possible to writers unac 

 quainted with the modern doctrine of reflex action. And 

 beyond this, some of the analytical passages that here and 

 there occur, contain important ideas. 



Valuable, however, as is Mr. Bain's work, we regard 

 it as essentially transitional. It presents in a digested 

 form the results of a period of observation ; adds to these 

 results many well-dehneated facts collected by himself; 

 arranges new and old materials with that more scientific 

 method which the discipline of our times has fostered ; 

 and so prepare the way for better generalizations. But 

 almost of necessity its classifications and conclusions are 

 provisional. In the growth of each science, not only is 

 correct observation needful for the formation of true the- 

 ory; but true theory is needful as a preliminary to cor- 

 rect observation. Of course we do not intend this as- 

 sertion to be taken literally ; but as a strong expression of 

 the fact that the two must advance hand in hand. The 

 first crude theory or rough classification, based on very 

 slight knowledge of the phenomena, is requisite as a means 

 of reducing the phenomena to some kind of order ; and as 

 supplpng a conception with which fresh phenomena may 

 be compared, and their agreement or disagreement noted.. 

 Incongruities being by and by made manifest by wider ex- 

 amination of cases, there comes such modification of the 

 theory as brings it into a nearer correspondence with the 

 evidence. This reacts to the further advance of observa- 

 tion. More extensive and complete observation brings ad- 

 ditional corrections of theory. And so on till the truth is 

 reached. In mental science, the systematic collection of 

 facts having but recently commenced, it is not to be e\ 



