80ME EELATIONS OP MIND AND BODY. 169 



no evidence that the reflective and constructive efforts of intelli- 

 gence can descend to the lower plane of the sub-conscious. 



The comparative range and importance of the conscious and 

 sub-conscious needs to be considered, in view of the facts noted. 

 " Conscious acts " are transformed into " unconscious, or sub- 

 conscious acts." But when estimating the comparative value of 

 these two sets of actions, there is need for cautiou when we are 

 tempted to speak of sub-conscious powers as '"''jar exceeding " those 

 of the conscious mind. The actions thus classified are mainly- 

 connected with physical or physiological activity, not at all with 

 reflective and constructive intellectual effort. There can be no 

 question as to the conscious intellectual exercises far exceeding in 

 importance all that descends to sub-conscious effort. 



Divergence of opinion is likely to arise chiefly as to the range of 

 sub-conscious activity within the sphere of mind proper. Thus, it 

 would seem needful to turn attention on the statement on p. 157 : — 

 " During sleep, thoughts range themselves anew. The powers of 

 the unconscious mind can do more in this way than the most 

 arduous effort, in arranging facts and ideas in due proportions." 

 I am unable to concur in this, because of the conviction that the 

 mind is not unconscious during these exercises ; but is deliberately 

 using power of discrimination throughout. Experience shows 

 that a large amount of work can be consciously done in sleep ; and 

 that habits could be formed which would greatly aid such effort. 

 A lai'ge amount of observation confirms me in this view, and 

 favours the conclusion that we use " sub-conscious " in one sense 

 when we speak of physical aptitude, and in quite a different sense 

 when we point to mental activity during sleep. The reference to 

 judges delaying their award for a day suggests that there is a 

 large amount of thought as to the special diSiculties of the case, 

 at the utmost remove from " the customary." My experience, 

 when persistently engaged in abstract thinking, supplies a con- 

 siderable series of striking examples to sustain the conclusion that, 

 when the mind is intensely interested in a perplexing theme, much 

 systematic thinking is accomplished during sleep. 



Professor John Cleland, LL.D., F.R.S., Professor in Anatomy 

 in Glasgow University, writes : — 



The subject of Dr. Schofield's communication is partly philo- 

 sophical and partly medical. The philosophical aspects of the 



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