ANIMAL AUTOMATISM. 245 



harmonious with the most literal adherence to the text 

 of Scripture concerning " the beast that perisheth ; " but 

 it is not inconsistent with the amiable conviction as- 

 cribed by Pope to his " untutored savage," that when 

 he passes to the happy hunting-grounds in the sky, " his 

 faithful dog shall bear him company." If the brutes <. 

 have consciousness and no souls, then it is clear that, in 

 them, consciousness is a direct function of material 

 changes; while, if they -oossess immaterial subjects of 

 consciousness, or souls, then, as consciousness is brought 

 into existence only as the consequence of molecular mo- 

 tion of the brain, it follows that it is an indirect product 

 of material changes. The soul stands related to the 



body as the bell of a clock to the works, and conscious- 



, 



ness answers to the sound which the bell gives out when 



it is struck. 



/^ 



Thus far I have strictly confined myself to the prob- 

 lem with which I proposed to deal at starting the au- 

 tomatism of brutes. The question is, I believe, a per- 

 fectly open one, and I feel happy in running no risk of 

 either Papal or Presbyterian condemnation for the views 

 which I have ventured to put forward. And there are 

 so veiy few interesting questions which one is, at pres- 

 ent, allowed to think out scientifically to go as far as 

 reason leads, and stop where evidence comes to an end 

 without speedily being deafened by the tattoo of " the 

 drum ecclesiastic" that I have luxuriated in my rare 

 freedom, and would now willingly bring this disquisition 

 to an end if I could hope that other people would go 



