246 SENSATION AND THE SENSIFEKOUS ORGANS. [LECT. 



X. 



ON SENSATION AND THE UNITY OF 

 STEUCTUEE OF SENSIFEEOUS OEGANS. 



THE maxim that metaphysical inquiries are barren of 

 result, and that the serious occupation of the mind 

 with them is a mere waste of time and labour, finds 

 much favour in the eyes of the many persons who 

 pride themselves on the possession of sound common 

 sense ; and we sometimes hear it enunciated by 

 weighty authorities, as if its natural consequence, 

 the suppression of such studies, had the force of a 

 moral obligation. 



In this case, however, as in some others, those 

 who lay down the law seem to forget that a wise 

 legislator will consider, not merely whether his pro- 

 posed enactment is desirable, but whether obedience 

 to it is possible. For, if the latter question is 

 answered negatively, the former is surely hardly 

 worth debate. 



Here, in fact, lies the pith of the reply to those 

 who would make metaphysics contraband of intellect. 

 Whether it is desirable to place a prohibitory duty 

 upon philosophical speculations or not, it is utterly 

 impossible to prevent the importation of them into 



