200 W. L. COURTNEY, M.A., LL.D., 
I. In the first place let me refer to a doctrine which ‘is 
generally considered to support the materialistic thesis. It 
is that of the development of mind, which may perhaps be 
held to be the great “ discovery ” of the modern psychologists. 
It is clear that just as there is a development of the physical 
frame and the nervous activities, from the ascidian up to man, 
so too is there a development of intelligence. In man’s case, 
too, as he grows in body, so does he grow in mental power, 
and as he decays in body so, too, does his mental vigour decay. 
But this is only true when stated generally and if we look a 
little more closely, the facts hardly seem to warrant the 
conclusion which the Materialist urges that the development 
of the mind is the development of the nervous system. At 
certain epochs of life the evolution of the bra seems to 
stand far in advance of the mind; at others, the mind appears 
to have overtaken and passed by the stage reached by its 
physical substratum. During a long period of life the 
growth of mental powers is constant and solid, while the 
growth of the physical basis has nearly ceased. Take the 
ease of a child. When it is born it has a far more complete 
and advanced nervous organism than the most fully equipped 
of other young animals. But judged by its sensations and 
its perceptions, 1t is much more stupid and insensate than the 
puppy or the kitten. The human infant has apparently a 
mental condition something like a dreamless sleep varied by 
unmeaning sensations, and yetit possesses a nervous mechanism 
complex and active enough to do anything. Ina few years 
the mind has suddenly blossomed forth in a marvellous way, 
but there has been but little change in the so-called physical 
basis. No new organs have been formed within the cranium ; 
there is an increase of the brain substance, but it is a 
gradually diminishing increase which by no means corresponds 
with the enormous mental erowth. ‘l'ake again the case of 
maturity, the “middle hfe” of man. During this time the 
nervous matter undergoes scarcely any discernible develop- 
ment. Nothing that the microscope or electro-meter can 
detect distinguishes the brain of the man of twenty-five from 
that of the man of fifty. A few grammes of weight have 
perhaps been added to it durmg the whole period. But is 
there not usually a considerable development of mind during 
this time? Has not the judgment widened and the mental 
powers expanded? Or again, old age presents us, it is true, 
with a steady decline of the physic: al’ vigour, but it is doubtful 
whether the decay of the mental powers in any sense keeps 
pace withit. On the contrary, while the old man is getting 
