1G4 ALFEEU T. SCHOriELD^ ESQ.^ M.D., M.E.C.S., ETC., ON 



influence) ; and I am macli pleased to find that Dr. Schufiekl does 

 not agree with Weissmann as to the transmission or not of acquired 

 characteristics. For once Mr. Herbert Spencer has had the best 

 of it. 



When Dr. Schofield says that " in what we call voluntary actions 

 all we do is to will a result," he admits that our will-power is 

 very limited ; and even in regard to oiir thoughts this is very 

 evident, as those like Professor Tyndall (who suffered from 

 utter insomnia for twenty-eight days) can tell, when they try 

 in vain to think of nothing and go to sleep. In conclusion, I 

 think that most people will agree with Dr. Schofield that 

 facility and grace belong to the automatic, and that actions which 

 are purely voluntary (if there be any such) are, from infancy 

 onwards, always more or less awkward. It is from trying 

 to convert what should be automatic actions into voluntary ones, 

 that much trouble arises to self-conscious people. But there is 

 reason to believe that if the memory of past failures could be 

 eradicated, such neuroses (well called ^^//otire) could easily be cured. 

 As it is, the memory itself enters into the circuit, and forms part 

 of the habit, scaring the poor sufferer neai'ly as needlessly as the 

 cobra did Darwin. 



Professor Duxs, D.D., F.R.S.E., writes :— 



Dr. Schofield in his interesting paper succeeds in making a 

 difficult subject plain. 



Surgeon-General C. A. Gordon, C.B., M.D., writes: — 

 The paper just read presents a carefully prepared epitome of 

 theories current for the time being in relation to the various 

 points touched upon therein. Taking a few in their order I notice 

 that the subject of localised functions of the brain, whether in 

 respect to intellectual manifestations, or motor actions, although 

 to a certain degree as represented in that interesting communica- 

 tion, is nevertheless modified by conditions the ultimate nature of 

 which has defied detection through the physical means of research 

 heretofore employed, such as are indicated in the paper. In 

 respect to othei-s, conclusions arrived at by investigators differ 

 among themselves to an extent which justifies hesitation in 

 accepting them in their entirety. 



