ON SENSORIAL VISION. 



In this case there was, of course, the excitability of nerve 

 connected with the remains of bodily disorder. On the 

 other occasion to which I allude, I had been witnessing 

 the demolition of a structure familiar to me from child- 

 hood, and with which many interesting associations were 

 connected : a demolition not unattended with danger to 

 the workmen employed, about whom I had felt very un- 

 comfortable. It happened to me at the approach of 

 evening, while, however, there was yet pretty good light, 

 to pass near the place where the day before it had stood; 

 the path I had to follow leading beside it. Great was 

 my amazement to see it as if still standing projected 

 against the dull sky. Being perfectly aware that it was a 

 mere nervous impression, I walked on, keeping my eyes 

 directed to it, and the 'perspective of the form and dis 

 position of the parts appeared to change with the change 

 in the point of view as they would have done if real. I 

 ought to add, that nothing of the kind had ever occurred 

 to mj before, or has occurred since. On this occasion, 

 no doubt, the daily habit of seeing the same object from 

 the same point of view for years would naturally give 

 great efficacy to the associative principle, and the fact 

 can only be regarded as an exemplification of a physio- 

 logical process which I shall presently have occasion to 

 speak of more particularly. 



(7.) But it is not to phenomena of this kind that I am 

 about specially to direct your attention. The human 

 features have nothing abstract in their forms, and they 

 are so intimately connected with our mental impressions 

 that the associative principle may very easily find, in 



