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way that their nervous energy discharged itself 

 along definite paths, and in so doing reinstated 

 previous sensations, thus affording a basis of 

 reminiscence, it would follow that the animal 

 which became capable of combining and arranging 

 its reminiscences so as to connect certain sensa- 

 tions with the presence of food within its reach, 

 would have a great advantage over animals which 

 could only seize upon any conveniently shaped 

 substance near them, endeavour to absorb it, and 

 thus try whether it could, or could not, be assimi- 

 lated. This advantageous power of arrangement, 

 or syntaxis, having been once developed, would be 

 perpetuated and increased in the usual course of 

 natural selection, but might conceivably take many 

 different forms. That form of syntaxis, however, 

 would have the best chance of survival which was 

 the simplest and most direct ; both because it 

 could be used by organisms which were incapable 

 of any other, and also because it could be most 

 rapidly translated into action ; promptitude in seiz- 

 ing food being important where the competition for 

 it is keen. Another early application of the power 

 of syntaxis must have been to the escape from 

 enemies. Now this may be effected either by 

 combat, by flight, or by concealment ; but which- 

 ever course be adopted, quickness of decision is 

 most important, so that in this respect also the 

 animal would have the better chance of survival 



