A. T. SCHOFIELD, ESQ., ON THE SPRINGS OP CHARACTER. 27 



own mental vision. It is a natural error, into which many 

 have fallen, to limit the term mind to what is seen of mind. 

 But sight is not our only method of investigation, either 

 in the physical or in the psychical. The fact that our 

 thoughts are largely governed by what we see may be 

 instanced Avhen we call the top of a high coral mountain, say 

 in the South Pacific, an island of a certain size ; we say it is 

 eu many miles long and broad because that is all of it that 

 is visible above the water, but in fact at low tides and on 

 very calm days we can see that it stretches away under- 

 neath the water to a much greater extent, and we kiiow 

 well by other agencies than sight that our island is really 

 tho, top of a vast mountain made up of minute organisms 

 rising from the depths of the ocean. So only a limited part 

 of the mind is ever in full consciousness, more may be seen 

 by careful introspection, but there still remains a vast area 

 beyond consciousness that is recognised by other methods. 



Again a thermometer only recognises the extent of tem- 

 perature within its range or scale, just as only those waves 

 of ether or air are called light or sound that are Avithin the 

 range of our visiun or hearing. But Ave knoAV Avell in all 

 these cases Ave are merely recognising the middle regions 

 of phenomena that really extend both beloAV and aboA^e the 

 range of the thermometer scale, or of our sight or hearing. 

 So Avith our minds, — Avhat Ave generally call the mind is that 

 psychic action that is within the range of our mental sight 

 or consciousness, and Ave only say we are thinking A\'hen 

 we know Ave are thinking. 



Such a mode of speech is safe and conA^enient, but it 

 is limited and not strictly accurate. If Ave dogmatise on 

 it and say that consciousness alone is mind, Ave are led 

 into the serious error of denying that Ave ha\'e auy psychic 

 powers that are beyond the range of our oAvn consciousness. 

 In astronomy some most remarkable advances have been 

 made by inference. Planets have been discovered from the 

 dcAaations caused in the motions and orbits of planets 

 already known, from Avhich their existence Avas correctly 

 inferred. In like manner Ave can, Avitli the utmost certainty, 

 infer and prove the existence of extensiA^e psychic processes 

 beyond the range of our own consciousness. No one Avho 

 does not recognise unconscious mind, or unconscious 

 psychic powers in individuals, can really form a clear idea of 

 what character is, or Avhere it is to be found. 



We are here to-day, howcA^er, to speak, not of character, 



