1 882.] On Archcesthetism. 461 



or pain, and are varied with circumstances as they arise. This is 

 not the case with non-living bodies, which move regardless of 

 their integrity or that of objects near them. This characteristic 

 at once suggests that some element enters into them which is 



suggested that the attraction of animals for their food and their 

 repulsion from pain are derivatives from the attractions and repul- 

 sions of inorganic bodies, supposed to be the exhibitions of the 

 force called chemism. ifut this supposition does not explain the 

 wide difference between the two classes of acts. The adaptation 

 to the environment seen in organic acts is unknown to the inor- 

 ganic world, while the invariable character of the motions of in- 

 organic force is greatly modified in bf^ngs possessed of life. 

 Whether consciously performed or not, the acts of organic beings 

 resemble those of conscious beings actuated by instincts of hun- 

 ger, reproduction and defense. 



An explanation of these facts seems to be offered by a well 



of many other animals, that while all new movements have to be 

 learned by repeated attempts, with each succeeding movement 

 the act becomes easier, and that finally it can be performed with- 

 out requiring any attention whatever. If continued, the move- 

 ment becomes automatic, so that it may be, or is performed in a 

 state of unconsciousness. In the words of Spencer, nervous cur- 

 rents move most readily along accustomed channels. Thus the 

 " habits" of animals may be looked on as movements acquired 

 in consciousness, and become automatic through frequent repeti- 

 tion. Not only this, but the organization thus produced in the 

 parent is transmitted to the succeeding generation, so that the 

 movements of the latter are automatically and often unconsciously 

 performed. This view may be even extended to the purely vital 

 functions with every probability of its being the true explanation 

 of their origin and development. On a former occasion 1 I wrote : 

 "In accordance with this view, the automatic 'involuntary' 

 movements of the heart, intestines, reproductive systems, etc., 

 wereorganiz d in successive states of consciousness, which con- 

 ferred rhythmic movements whose results varied with the ma- 

 chinery already existing and the material at hand for use. It is 

 not inconceivable that circulation mav have been established by 

 the suffering produced by an overloaded stomach demanding dis- 



1 Consciousness in Evolution. 7V«« Monthly, August, 1875, p. 565- 



