THE SCOP.i OV MIN^]). 241 



condition of pliysics before Galileo and the laws of motion, 

 or of chemistry before Lavoisier." 



We have purposely paused over this word " psychology" 

 and given these extracts in order that our temerity may not 

 be deemed so excessive in endeavouring to overthrow its 

 jnost cherished dogma, and to enlarge our conception of the 

 word mind. 



After all not only have we a house divided against itself 

 but one in a state of chaos: a science bristling witli contra- 

 dictions, its greatest agreement beijig in the general propo- 

 sition that consciousness and mind are one and the same, 

 the sphere of the latter being entirely defined by the extent 

 of the former, and that to speak of unconscious mental pheno- 

 mena is to stultify the meaning of words, to betray confusion 

 of thought and as a matter of fact to talk nonsense. It is 

 this proposition and no less that Ave seek to overthrow, it is 

 these bonds that we hope to burst, in the firm belief that it is 

 mainly for want of a broader basis, and on account of this 

 rigid adherence to this narrow, and "vve may say effete, shib- 

 boleth that psychology has not made a greater advance 

 and reared a more imposing structure. 



The way will be better prepared for the consideration of 

 the connection of mind with consciousnessif we briefly touch 

 upon two points; first, the connection of mind and brain, and 

 secondly, the various mental qualities connected with their 

 action, and constituting our personality. 



To some it is very difficult to di-aw the line between mind 

 and matter in the human brain. 



The intelligible connection of the tAvo isAvell expressed by 

 Dr. Browne, "The great character of current opinion appears 

 to be that wherever there is nerve there is psychical function, 

 actual or potential, Avhich may rise with the range of con- 

 sciousness.* Not only is there apparently inseparable con- 

 nection during life between the nervous structures and 

 mental phenomena, but the latter are clearly dependent on 

 the former. The ordinary condition of the nervous system 

 is like that of a moderately charged battery, that can be dis- 

 charged by the completion of the circuit ii,nd re-charged by 

 the blood. The will can complete the charged circuit. Mental 

 causescan produce physical eifects and physical causes mental 



* D)'. W. A. F. Browne in Jourmd of Mmial Science, vol. xii, p. 321. 



