Edward Livingston Youmans. 



thus the child goes on multiplying its experiences of the 

 properties of objects and of localities, persons, actions, 

 conduct ; he observes, compares, contrasts, infers, and 

 judges, and all this growing and complex mass of acquisi- 

 tion is definitely combined in the growing and perfecting 

 organ of the mind. 



The basis of educability, and hence of mental disci- 

 pline, is, therefore, to be sought in the properties of that 

 nervous substance by which mind is manifested. That 

 basis is the law that cerebral effects are strengthened and 

 made lasting by repetition. When an impression is made 

 upon the brain, a change is produced, and an effect remains 

 in the nerve substance ; if it be repeated, the change is 

 deepened, and the effect becomes more lasting. If we have 

 a perception of an object, or if we perform an action only 

 once, the nervous change is so slight that the idea may 

 perhaps never reappear, and the act never be repeated ; 

 if experienced twice, the tendency to recur is increased ; 

 if many times, this tendency is so deepened, and the links 

 of association become so extended, that the idea will be 

 often obtruded into thought, and the action may take 

 place involuntarily. Intellectual " capacity " is thus at 

 bottom an affair of physical impressibility, or nervous ad- 

 hesiveness. Regard being had to the law that all nutritive 

 operations involve repose, cohesion or completeness of 

 association depends upon repetition. Of course, constitu- 

 tions differ widely in this property, some requiring many 

 more repetitions than others, to secure acquirement.* This 

 view leads to important practical conclusions. 



* To illustrate the two modes of viewing mental phenomena, I will 

 quote a couple of extracts from eminent authorities, reprobating the per- 

 nicious practice of " cramming" for examinations. Dr. Whewell, content 

 with the metaphysical method, observes : " I may add my decided opinion 

 that no system of education which is governed entirely or even mainly by 

 examinations, occupying short times with long intervening intervals, can 



