126 



DR. GREGORY SMITH^ ON PSYCHOLOGY. 



been students, whether of ancient or modern works, on the 

 subject, am I not right in saying, that just in proportion as 

 a philosopher takes the subject actually, he has a lasting hold 

 upon you. The greatest of all philosophers, Aristotle, in the 

 keen analysis of character and motives which lead to action, is 

 unrivalled ; personally, I have derived much also from Locke 

 and the Scotch school of thought. Let us not mix psychology 

 in our minds with ontology or transcendental metaphysic. 

 These soaring aspirations after the unknowable lose touch with 

 what is actual in our lives. 



Let us now pass from the general question to the particular. 

 Do you remember the old saying, " Cadit qusestio " ? We often 

 misunderstand it. It does not mean " This settles the matter " ; 

 it is really the beginning, not the end. Someone projects 

 something, throws it down for discussion. This is the office of 

 a lecturer. He suggests a question for consideration. I am 

 trying to do this to-day. You will supply what is lacking on 

 my part, and correct what is amiss. We must not forget that 

 psychology is progressive. How can it stand still while other 

 sciences are moving on ? It is a vital question. We are face 

 to face with materialism, which is making tremendous strides. 

 What would be said of a general who attempts to defend an 

 indefensible post ? You younger men far than I will see 

 materialism claiming for itself a great deal of what we have 

 regarded as spiritual. We ought to know where we stand, and 

 draw the line between that in man which is material and the 

 Will. We have called mind and matter two separate things. 

 Let us look carefully at this. In the laboratories it may be 

 shown by-and-by that the mind moves like a machine, goes 

 like clockwork. But the will intervenes ; it controls, unless 

 indeed it abdicates its true functions. It exercises supreme 

 authority. I avoid the word " demonstrate." If you get 

 beyond numbers, there can be no demonstrative proof. We 

 must be content with the limitations of our probation and we 

 shall be wise to fall back upon Bishop Butler's wise advice, 

 " Be content with what is probable." 



You remember Wordsworth's fine "Ode on Immortality"? 

 Speaking of our birth into this world he says, 



Trailing clouds of glory do we come." 



But is it so really ? All that we have at starting on the 

 journey of life — a scanty equipment, yet capable of almost 

 endless possibilities — seems to be this ; mentally, the sense, 

 that a thing is or is not ; emotionally, that a thing is either to 



