Stoney — Natural Science and Ontology. 493 



can effect it, are no doubt due to the frequent repetition of the 

 process by each member of an immense series of progenitors : and 

 in fact there is evidence to show that the co-ordination, substantially 

 as my synergos and I now make it, had been effected in my 

 ancestors at a very remote period. 1 



The transformation of sensations into perceptions is now so 

 complete in modern human minds, that it is very difficult to unravel 

 perceptions and successfully analyse them into the elements of 

 which, nevertheless, they really consist. Thus, in the visual per- 

 ception of the newspaper which lies on the table before me, some of 

 the visual sensations are not much transformed, and are accordingly 

 felt by the mind predominantly as sensations. The general colour 

 of the paper and print are so felt, as is also the mere visual sensa- 

 tion of form and position in the field of view — that which would be 

 different if the newspaper were round instead of square, or if one 

 of its corners were turned towards me instead of one of its sides. 

 On the other hand, the difference of the visual sensations conveyed by 

 the two eyes is not felt as sensation, but as a perception of stereo- 

 scopic effect, that is, it is quite transformed. The same has happened 

 in a considerable degree to the delicate differences of shade, which, 

 co-operating with the binocular vision, are chiefly felt by my mind 

 as space perceptions — the perception that the paper is somewhat 

 crumpled — and are only obscurely felt as colour sensations. 2 And 



1 E. g. Before birds were differentiated from other vertebrates. See the truly 

 wonderful design on the feathers of the Argus pheasant referred to in the next foot-note. 



2 A careful scrutiny of works of art will be found to be very suggestive in this 

 connexion. If a painter wants to represent on his flat canvas such an object as, for 

 example, a brown ball supported on a white pillow, he finds it necessary to bring out 

 the appearance of the rotundity of the sphere and of the depression in the pillow by 

 the skilful application of delicate touches of an astonishing number of different tints. 

 Few of these strike the beholder as colours. The impression he receives through their 

 instrumentality is that he is beholding two objects standing out in relief, each of which is 

 of one uniform colour. In cases of this kind the sensations of colour are so much trans- 

 formed into a judgment about space relations that what remains to be taken notice of 

 as colour is but a small residue. 



A similar variety of colours, laid on as though with the brush of an artist, and with 

 the same resultant effect, will be found on a close examination of that truly marvellous 

 representation of beans sunk into the recesses of a pod which is pourtrayed on the 

 feathers of the Argus pheasant. 



Now, over the natural objects that surround us on all sides in nature there is this 

 same profusion of tints, helping, along with muscular and binocular sensations to 

 enable my synergos to supply me with instinctive judgments (i. e. judgments 



2 P2 



