FIELD AND STUDY 



we know not, but I like to think of it as having 

 acquired some new power or susceptibihties, or as 

 being more and more ready and available for the 

 psychic sphere. It ought to be easier to people the 

 world with great men now than in any earUer time, 

 though it would be hard to prove that it is. It is 

 certain that the brains of vertebrate animals have 

 increased in size in late biologic time, and that the 

 brains of our forbears steadily increased through 

 the late Tertiary. The historic period is probably 

 too short to measure the increase of mind-power. 



This is discussing the question in terms that have 

 a definite meaning to us. 



That consciousness, which is as much the result 

 of the action and reaction of matter as a flame is, 

 can continue irrespective of matter, is unthinkable. 

 It is certain that light and electricity cannot exist 

 apart from matter. Mind seems, and is, very real to 

 mind, but it is has no reality to our bodily senses. 

 If we had no capacity for love ourselves, could we 

 recognize love, or anger, had we no capacity for an- 

 ger? One cannot get behind himself and see what 

 his consciousness is like. One can lift another, but 

 not himself. 



Things very real to us utterly cease to be. Things 

 which have no reahty in themselves, like shadows, 

 and tracks in the mud and snow, impress us like real 

 things. 



268 



