ON SENSATION AND THE UNITY OF 

 STRUCTURE OF SENSIFEROUS ORGANS 



[1879.] 



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 au- 

 thorities, 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 

 proposed 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. 



