250 A. T, «€H()I''IEL1), ESQ., .AI.])., EIC, <TN 



no mental ui>'ency. Tlic term eonscionsnest* refers purely to 

 thv moments of mental wakefulness or mental efficieney i'or 

 definite ends," 



In 1888 the Aristotelian Society held a special meeting to 

 decide if "' Mind is synonymous with Consciousness." It was 

 decided in the negative. Professor Shadworth H. Hodgson, 

 President of the Society, said, " It seems to me that both 

 usage and accuracy of definition alike concur in deciding the 

 question in the negative, for if we identify mind witlt 

 consci(msness, what are wq to do with those states commonly 

 called mental which are below the threshold of consciousness, 

 and some kinds of AvhJch never rise above." AVith this 

 Dr. G. Ritchie (Oxford) and many others agreed. 



To proceed with our roll of witnesses. 



" In the developed soul there is a perpetual alternation 

 of consciousness and unconsciousness."* Professor Beneke 

 proceeds, " What has once been produced in the soul 

 continues still to exist even when it has ceased to be 

 excited. That which was conscious merely becomes uncon- 

 scious, or lives in the internal substance of the soul. 'J'his 

 imconscious continuation of what has once existed in the 

 soul is memory." Sir \V. Hamilton practically admits 

 unconscious psychical action in his illustration of a chain 

 of thought of which the first and last li^iks alone are recog- 

 nised ; being like a row of billiard balls, Avhich if struck at 

 one end only the last one moves, the vibration being only 

 transmitted through the rest. He gives as an instance, 

 snddeidy Avhen on Ben Lomond thinking of the Prussian 

 System of Education. These were the first and last links, tjie 

 intermediate ones of which were recalled after, seeing that 

 ])reviously on th'^ mountain he had met a Gennan, and this 

 German was a Prussian. He says, '* Some hohl that these 

 hidden links I'ise into consciousness momentarily, but are 

 forgotteii."t But a few pages previously he says, " Tlie 

 Avhole we are conscious of is constructed out of what we are 

 not conscious olV'| 



"It is necessary to realise," quoting Stout, '• ck-arly tlmt 

 psychical dispositions, out of consciottsness, form an indis- 

 ]t'_'nsal)]e factor in mental processes throughout conscious 

 lil"e."§ These psychological writej'S of advamvd Nicwsnii feel 



* Et<!mentai\)j J'-v/cIiohnjij^ Prof t'.^si )r IkMieke, )>. I'.to. 



t Lecture in McUtpln/slrH, Sir W. ILiiiiiltdii, vol. i, ]>. o.'it. 



; J hid., |). 348. 



S Analt/llfal J'Aydiohiijtj^ ISDC. (i. V. .Stout, p. ■!?, 



