Chapter VI 



Professor Ewald Hering " On Memory." 



I WILL now lay before the reader a translation of Pro- 

 fessor Hering's own words. I have had it carefully re- 

 vised throughout by a gentleman whose native language is 

 German, but who has resided in England for many years 

 past. The original lecture is entitled " On Memory as a 

 Universal Function of Organised Matter," and was de- 

 livered at the anniversary meeting of the Imperial Academy 

 of Sciences at Vienna, May 30, 1870. ^ It is as follows : — 



" When the student of Nature quits the narrow workshop 

 of his own particular inquiry, and sets out upon an excursion 

 into the vast kingdom of philosophical investigation, he 

 does so, doubtless, in the hope of finding the answer to that 

 great riddle, to the solution of a small part of which he 

 devotes his life. Those, however, whom he leaves behind 

 him still working at their own special branch of inquiry, 

 regard his departure with secret misgivings on his behalf, 

 while the born citizens of the kingdom of speculation 

 among whom he would naturalise himself, receive him 

 with well- authorised distrust. He is likely, therefore, to 

 lose ground with the first, while not gaining it with the 

 second. 



The subject to the consideration of which I would now 

 solicit your attention does certainly appear likely to lure 

 us on towards the flattering land of speculation, but bearing 

 in mind what I have just said, I will beware of quitting 

 the department of natural science to which I have devoted 

 myself hitherto. I shall, however, endeavour to attain 



1 The lecture is published by Karl Gerold's Sohn, Vienna. 

 63 



