THE INTERPRETER 1 53 



yet perfect measure ; harmonic with like perform- 

 ances throughout the solar system. If there is good 

 ground for any conclusion, there is such for the belief 

 that the substance of these particles has existed, and 

 will exist, that the energy which stirs them has per- 

 sisted, and will persist, without assignable limit, either 

 in the past or in the future. . . . Those who are 

 thoroughly imbued with this view of what is called 

 u matter " find it a little difficult to understand why 

 that which is termed " mind" should give itself such 

 airs of superiority over the twin sister, to whom, so 

 far as our planet is concerned, it might be hazardous 

 to deny the right of primogeniture. 



Accepting the ordinary view of mind, it is a sub- 

 stance the properties of which are states of conscious- 

 ness, on the one hand, and energy of the same order 

 as that of the material world (or else it would not be 

 able to effect the latter) on the other hand. It is ad- 

 mitted that chance has no more place in the world of 

 mind than it has in that of matter. Sensations, emo- 

 tions, intellections are subject to an order as strict and 

 inviolable as that which obtains among material 

 things. 1 



The question follows, " What can we know of 

 what we call matter or of what we call mind ? * 

 And the answer is, So far as the ultimate nature of 

 either is concerned, nothing. Our knowledge of 

 both is inferential ; it is limited to the impressions 

 conveyed by the senses to the brain : in Huxley's 

 words, " our knowledge is restricted to those feelings 

 of which we assume external phenomena to be the 



cause." 



1 Coll. Essays, vi. p. 285. 



