Thoughts on Causality. 



253 



In the case, however, of finite causality, as in the human 

 will, every effect external to the mind itself must be 

 reached through instrumentalities. In most cases, the 

 final determination does not reach immediately the exter- 

 nal result toward which volition is ultimately directed. It 

 reaches, nevertheless, another result which, however it 

 may'escape observation, is the effect which figures in the 

 foregoing account. This effect is a muscular movement 

 adapted to serve as the first term in the series of interme- 

 diate causes. After this, the whole history of causal effi- 

 ciency, as above laid down, must necessarily be repeated 

 for each separate term in the series of intermediate causes. 

 In the mean time, complications arise. The instruments 

 employed become effective on condition that the forces of 

 nature prove regularly o perative ; and thus supreme causa 

 tion may be summoned to conspire with human volition in 

 the accomplishment of the most trivial result. 



Syracuse, 1 Feb., 1875. 



