The Will. 763 



went before it. But, as before observed, we are never conscious in ad- 

 vance that our will is to be so and so, but after the processes have had 

 their action, and the will is formed, we may (or may not) become con- 

 scious of the result. If the processes are sufficiently slow in their ac- 

 tion, we may become aware of their presence, and influence seriatim and 

 separately. In each pause of this action, these elements of motion 

 may begin to crystallize into a will, which, however, before there is 

 time for it to act, may be set aside or superseded through the further 

 action of the antecedent motives. Our sensation during this sort of 

 performance we express b} T saying we " have half a mind " to do so and 

 so. After it is all over, and definite results are reached, we say < ' our 

 mind is made up," and we have such a "will," "intention," "purpose," 

 &c. If the movement of the antecedent stimulus is rapid and violent, 

 the sensation of the result may be scarcely in advance of the motor ac- 

 tion set up by the will ; or it may be simultaneous with it, the discharge 

 down the efferent nerves taking place at the same instant thai the stim- 

 ulation arouses the sensory function of the cells. Or the energy of the 

 stimulus may be so great as, by its violence, to overstimulate and stun 

 the function of sensation, so that we are not conscious of any will in 

 the matter, and only get a knowledge of our motor act after its accom- 

 plishment, through the external sense organs, just as any other spectator 

 would. 



Where the will appears to be vacillating and changeable, there are 

 several causes, one of which is no doubt a sluggish temperament, the 

 inertia of the ganglion and cortical cells, and their slowness in being 

 moved by and transmitting moderate stimuli. Instead of the stimuli 

 acting in rapid succession, each one getting in its work on the problem 

 before motor action has time to flow from it, each stimulus is liberated 

 upon the work at a perceptible interval after the effect of those before 

 it is completed. The consequence is, that a motor action is started after 

 the effect of each stimulus, and before it can be consumated the new 

 motive intervenes to change the action, or, if it be completed, to undo 

 it. A person with such a brain is said to lack decision of character. 

 Where the cells are, from temperament or habit, pliant and responsive, 

 rf a new motive unlocks the latent stimuli in the brain, they rapidly 

 evolve a balance of forces which includes all the stimuli present, so that 

 the result once reached is not disturbed except by new and fresh stim- 

 uli from the external environment. Such a brain is marked by decision, 

 especially if not a comprehensive one, or in possession of many stimuli 

 bearing on the question in hand. 



The brain which, under moderate stimulation, appears weak and un- 

 decided, may, however, under single and powerful stimulation, exhibit 

 sufficient decision and force. It is evident that if we are assailed by 



