THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. I 79 



the idea is in no way real or necessary. This fact will imply the 

 introduction of still higher forms of mental growth. 



This higher form of representation arises after the following 

 manner. The mind now being able to obtain a definite perception 

 of present objects, the accompanying subjective states become fixed 

 modifications of the knowing self, and as such liable to recur in con- 

 sciousness without the stimulus of the external object. In the first 

 stage, which is known as phantasy, these ideal images, although 

 arising without external stimuh, are supposed to indicate such a pre- 

 sence. A marked peculiarity of these ideal sensations, however, is 

 their difference of degree, as well as their difference of origin. The 

 process of attention working on these differences enables the mind 

 to distinguish the ideal from the real. The mental activity now 

 being able to distinguish ideal feelings as such, is further enabled 

 through identity of modification to recognize the ideal state as 

 having formerly occurred in consciousness. This aspect of the re- 

 presentative faculty is known as memory. 



But attention now being able to fix itself on ideal sensations as 

 such, acquires the ability to separate the qualities of an object in 

 their natural state, and to combine them in new and arbitrary forms. 

 This stage, which is known as imagination, would at once enable 

 the mind to form the arbitrary associations seen in word signs. 



The higher forms of knowledge must now be considered. The 

 elaboration of knowledge takes place when the process of attention 

 is able to bring any of its individual percepts together and establish 

 a relation between them. Since, however, it is impossible for the 

 mind to fix itself on two objects of immediate knowledge at one and 

 the same time, it becomes evident that symbolic representation is 

 not only possible but necessary before these higher forms, of thought 

 are reached. 



It thus appears to have been on no unphilosophic ground that 

 memory was represented by the ancients as mother of the muses ; 

 since she is not only a necessary condition of power of speech, the 

 sine qua non of all progress, but also the forerunner of that imaginative 

 faculty, by which have been produced the various art forms of use 

 and beauty on which the highest skill and taste have been exer- 

 cised. 



Having now considered the various steps in the development 

 of mind up to that stage where the creation of symbols seems pos- 



