DISCRIMINATION ANB COMPARISON. 549 



some are almost stable and some already near to decom- 

 position. The smallest stimuli affect tliese latter molecules 

 only ; and as they are but few, the sensational effect from 

 adding a given quantity of stimulus at first is relatively 

 small. Medium stimuli affect the majority o; the mole- 

 cules, but affect fewer and fewer in proportion as they have 

 already diminished their number. The latest additions to 

 the stimuli find all the medium molecules already disinte- 

 grated, and only affect the small relatively indecom23osable 

 remainder, thus giving rise to increments of feeling which 

 are correspondingly small. (Pfliiger's Archiv. 45, 113.) 



It is surely in some such way as this that Weber's law 

 is to be interpreted, if it ever is. The Fechnerian Maas- 

 formel and the conception of it as an ultimate ' psychophysic 

 law ' will remain an ' idol of the den,' if ever there was one. 

 Fechner himself indeed was a German Gelehrter of the ideal 

 type, at once simple and shrewd, a mystic and an experi- 

 mentalist, homely and daring, and as loyal to facts as to his 

 theories. But it would be terrible if even such a dear old 

 man as this could saddle our Science forever with his 

 patient whimsies, and, in a world so full of more nutritious 

 objects of attention, compel all future students to plough 

 through the difficulties, not only of his own works, but of 

 the still drier ones written in his refutation. Those who 

 desire this dreadful literature can find it ; it has a ' disci- 

 plinary value ;' but I will not even enumerate it in a foot- 

 note. TJieonly amusing part of it is that Fechner's critics 

 should always feel bound, after smiting his theories hip 

 and thigh and leaving not a stick of them standing, to 

 wind up by saying that nevertheless to him belongs the 

 imperishable glor^y, of first formulating them and thereby 

 turning psychology into an exact science, 



" And everybody praised tlie duke 

 Who this great fight did win.' 

 ' But what good came of it at last?' 

 Quoth littie Peterlciu. 

 Why, that I cannot tell,' said he, 

 ' But 'twas a famous victory ! ' " 



