56 SCIENCE AND METHOD. 



There is anotlier remark to be made resrarding' 

 the conditions of this unconscious work, which is, that 

 it is not possible, or in any case not fruitful, unless 

 it is first preceded and then followed by a period 

 of conscious work. These sudden inspirations are 

 never produced (and this is sufficiently proved already 

 by the examples I have quoted) except after some 

 days of voluntary efforts which appeared absolutely 

 fruitless, in which one thought one had accomplished 

 nothing, and seemed to be on a totally wrong track. 

 These efforts, however, were not as barren as one 

 thought ; they set the unconscious machine in motion, 

 and without them it would not have worked at all, 

 and would not have produced anything. 



The necessity for the second period of conscious 

 work can be even more readily understood. It is 

 necessary to work out the results of the inspiration, 

 to deduce the immediate consequences and put them 

 in order and to set out the demonstrations ; but, above 

 all, it is necessary to verify them. I have spoken 

 of the feeling of absolute certainty which accompanies 

 the inspiration ; in the cases quoted this feeling was 

 not deceptive, and more often than not this will be 

 the case. But we must beware of thinking that this 

 is a rule without exceptions. Often the feeling de- 

 ceives us without being any less distinct on that 

 account, and we only detect it when we attempt to 

 establish the demonstration. I have observed this 

 fact most notably with regard to ideas that have come 

 to me in the morning or at night when I have been 

 in bed in a semi-somnolent condition. 



Such are the facts of the case, and they suggest the 

 following reflections. The result of all that precedes 



