THE SOUL—WHAT IS 1T? 19 
siders man as a threefold being, made up of body, soul, and spirit. It is no part 
of our present purpose to define the exact sense in which these last two terms are 
used. It may suffice to say that by the ordinary advocates of the triplicity of 
human nature the ‘‘ soul” is supposed to be the purely immaterial element, whilst 
the ‘‘ spirit ’’ forms a connecting link between the two, and, if not purely incor- 
poreal, possesses none of the ordinarily recognized properties of matter. 
An author* whose speculations we are about to examine, exactly reverses these 
two terms, and looks upon spirit as a something absolutely immaterial and trans- 
cendent, whilst the soul, the seat of the will, the passions and emotions, is per- 
ceptible by one, at least, of our senses, and is even capable of being experimen- 
tally isolated and obtained in solution. 
We find ourselves confronted by a number of facts, hitherto without explan- 
ation and without connection. Among these must rank the phenomena of sym- 
pathy and antipathy as between different individuals, human or brute. On first 
meeting with some person of whom we have no previous knowledge, we often 
experience a strong liking or a violent dislike, for neither of which we can render 
any definite reason. Asa rule women and children are more frequently impressed 
in this manner than are adult men. It very often happens, too, that if we sup- 
press and overcome these sudden prepossessions, we find in the end that they 
were justifiable, and that second thoughts were not best. 
Further, the emotions and passions of men assembled together are infectious, 
passing from one to another more rapidly than bodily diseases. From one or 
from a few energetic individuals enthusiasm may be diffused through a senate, a 
regiment, or a ship’s crew. On the other hand, a few terrified or bewildered 
persons may spread a panic among thousands. It is commonly said that emo- 
tions propagate themselves, but we wish to know in what manner and by what 
means this is effected. os a a es x i as a a 
We find, again, sympathies, and especially antipathies, which may be traced 
between entire species of animals, and which some of us seek to explain by the 
indefinite and long-suffering word ‘‘ instinctive.” If a dog has been stroked 
with a gloved hand, and if the glove is then held to the nose of a young kitten, 
still blind, the little creature begins to spit in anger. How is this fact to be ex- 
plained? The kitten has never yet seen a dog, but in the mere odor it recog- 
nizes a hostile element. Heredity? True, but how is the antipathy handed 
down from generation to generation? By what sign does the blind animal detect 
the presence of an enemy? 
There is still a further phenomenon which may be looked on as a heightened 
antipathy—fascination. We all know that very intense fear, instead of prompting 
to flight, may paralyse. * * ** . “ * 2 
Taking a general view of all these phenomena, in so far as they are actually 
. established, it would seem that animals, including man, must throw off from their 
surfaces some emanation capable of acting upon other animals and men with whom 
they come in contact or in near proximity. This supposed emanation may vary 
*Professor Jager. 
