1885.] The Relations of Mind and Matter. 9047 
an energetic emotion fixes the eye of the mind upon some single 
thought, while all the remaining conditions of the mind fade and 
vanish from sight. In such a case judgment or reason no longer 
governs our actions, for the group of mental conditions which 
constitutes these faculties is dormant. In deep grief the person 
affected yields utterly to his sorrow, and cannot be aroused from 
his depression. In intense fear no powers of reason remain to 
control the movements. In violent anger only the*idea of revenge 
upon the object of that anger may remain. The furious man is, 
in a certain sense, irresponsible. His mind is an arrow moved by 
a single string. It discharges itself upon the obnoxious object, 
for there is no controlling force to restrain it. It is only when 
the paroxysm of emotion has passed away, and consciousness 
again spreads its revealing vision over the broad field of the mind, 
that other mental conditions spring into action, and deep remorse. 
may follow an impulsive deed which was committed while all the 
Springs of reason were dried up by the consuming heat of pas- 
sion. As to the question whether a person is morally responsi- 
ble for acts committed in such a state, it can only be answered, 
that every person is under moral obligation to bring his emotions 
under the control of his reason. The habit of unchecked indul- 
gence in emotion or passion may lead to as serious consequences 
as the formation of any other bad habit. : 
A second normal mode of mental concentration, utterly differ- 
ing from the above, is that known as reverie. In this the con- 
sciousness is not fixed upon one thought. It wanders freely from 
thought to thought, and its partial concentration is a result of in- 
activity instead of emotional energy. The mind is closed against 
impressions from without, and is also closed against the great 
mass of its internal stores, from the simple inactivity of con- 
sciousness. The circulation becomes sluggish. The waste of 
brain tissue is decreased. Only a slight degree of nerve energy 
flows into the mind, and only a few of its countless store of ideas- 
are aroused to activity. And the consciousness is not concen- 
trated upon these. “It flows freely over the links of association. 
The dreaming state is merely an intensification of this state of 
revery. Now the circulation is reduced to its lowest point. Ex- 
terior impressions, except they be very violent or very unusual, 
fail to affect the mind. The inner store of ideas is alike inactive. 
In its extreme state this produces dreamless sleep. But in a less 
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