PHILOSOPHY OF CONSCIOUSNESS. 497 
Human nature has been the same in all ages, and it is therefore natural that the same 
questions should continually suggest themselves, and that they should receive the same 
answers, somewhat modified, perchance, by individual idiosyncrasies. The phenomena of 
mind are as patent to observation as those of matter, and prior to the days of Bacon, the 
former were more studied and better understood than the latter. It is true that in neither 
physical nor metaphysical science had much advance been made for many centuries, but 
in the entire absence of any system by which the acquirements of one age could be readily 
communicated to the next, how could any advance be anticipated? A life of investiga- 
tion, however directed, should doubtless bring to light a mass of valuable truth, which 
might be recorded for the benefit of future investigators in the same field, but if the 
record shows no connecting thread of thought, which makes all the details parts of a con- 
sistent whole, it will be of little value. 
136. The study of isolated facts is dry, dull, tedious, and unprofitable, and even if the 
facts are arranged according to a merely arbitrary system, though their acquisition may be 
somewhat facilitated, it will yield but little satisfaction. A lifetime might be devoted to 
learning a dictionary by rote, but the learner would probably be little more skilful in the 
expression of his thoughts after his task was ended, than he was at its commencement. 
And in like manner the student who delves for years in the fertile soil of Greek philo- 
sophy, will probably make no further progress than his predecessors, even if he accomplish 
as much as he would have done had he devoted himself to original and unassisted personal 
investigation. But let him bring to the study a natural system or plan, based upon 
eternal and unchangeable ideas,—a plan by which all prior observations may be classified, 
and every fact may be arranged in its proper place, as an illustration of the Divine 
Thought,—and it will be strange if he does not find much that had been mysterious, 
made suddenly intelligible, and difficulties that had seemed insurmountable, suddenly re- 
moved. The labors of modern metaphysicians have been principally valuable as tending 
to develop such a system. 
137. [The question has often been discussed, whether the Mind ever loses its conscious- 
ness. Though the full consideration of this inquiry would involve an investigation into 
the substantive nature of mind, and its full solution by us is therefore absolutely impossi- 
ble, it is worthy of some attention, even if it yields no other result than a determination 
of the true position and dignity of Consciousness. 
138. In a sound, dreamless sleep, we give no external manifestation of intelligence or 
activity, and on awaking we have no recollection of any train of thought that has occu- 
pied our minds. But even in slumber the most profound, a loud noise, any application 
that causes physical pain, or a sudden change, whether of motion, temperature, position, 
or other external circumstances, gives manifest evidence that the internal watchman never 
