SECTION 12.-HYPOTHESES. 95 



cot, were almost invariably produced. It drew Darwin's attention and led 

 to numerous experiments on reversion due to crossing." (Ibid., p. 50.) 

 "Mr. W. Marshall knew that in the mountains of Cumberland many insects 

 adhered to the leaves of Pinguicula; he told Darwin, and Darwin told 

 the world. Mr. Holland's statement thnt water insects are often found 

 imprisoned in the bladders of Utricularia, is interesting, chiefly because 

 it led Darwin to investigate the genus." (Ibid., p. 51.) "When Lawson, 

 the Vice-Governor [of the Galapagos Islands] had declared to him that 

 the tortoises from the different islands differed from one another, Darwin 

 did not see the significance of the fact." (Ibid., p. 90.) 



If we look narrowly into the matter we learn that all state- 

 ments are assumptions. Even in answering such questions as 

 Who did it? Why was it done? The answer "Foch", or 

 "Because he wished 4o outwit the Germans", are assumptions. 

 Such assumptions may be infinitely near the truth, as in the 

 assertions about the law of gravitation, or about what is taking 

 place "under our eyes", or they may be infinitely removed 

 from it, as in gratuitous conjectures. Assumptions may, there- 

 fore, be regarded as fundamentally co-extensive with active 

 thought. 



37. We shall now study the origin of hypotheses. On a 

 visit to a literary friend I observe that he picks up a capacious 

 envelope, and I ask myself what he proposes to do therewith. 

 I reply, after reflecting a moment : He probably desires to stow 

 away a manuscript. How did I arrive at this hypothesis? I 

 endeavour to form an explanation, and I remember that on my 

 last visit I saw him place a manuscript in such an envelope. 

 This, then, provoked the reply. I cleared up one situation by 

 collating it with a kindred one. 



The psychological aspect of the conclusion I reached is far 

 from self-explanatory. To begin with, sundry mental habits 

 need to be allowed for. There is the habit of interesting our- 

 selves in what occurs around us, and the habit of desiring to 

 understand and interpret occurrences. There is the habit of 

 seeking to recall analogous circumstances, and of connecting 

 the- new with the old in a more or less bold and methodical 

 manner. Granted, then, that we seek to determine the purpose 

 which the envelope is to serve, the answer must eventually 

 come, if it does come, through partial or total identification, 

 however indirectly, of the present action with a past action. 

 I might have recalled some one else utilising envelopes, or a 

 similar receptacle, for such an object or a related one, or even 

 have reasoned that he would utilise it thus, because I could 

 not think of any other object it could serve. In the latter case 

 I might have glanced round the room, and found that only the 

 manuscript appeared to fit the envelope; but if I had never 

 reasoned from the past to the present, and from the present 

 to the future, and if I had never appreciated the uses to which 

 different objects may be put, no conclusion would have been 

 sought or reached. Again, if I had remembered my literary 

 friend performing this action repeatedly, and many other authors 



