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Vital and Comical Energy. 
Cosmos. That this is the case has been shown in a previous 
paper,* where it is argued that this primary truth is involved 
in the assumed validity of reason and experience. Science 
has led us to Idealism ; we are therefore bound to listen to 
the testimony of Science in support of the rival theorem. 
The scientific diviner of past and future can, in the nine- 
teenth century, scarcely be an absolute sceptic. What is 
really meant by the geologist who deciphers the unwritten 
records of a period when Earth was literally “ without form 
and void,” since there was no eye to receive the rays of light 
and transmute them into form and colour ; by the astronomer 
who reveals the secrets of Heaven in ages yet more remote, 
and sees in imagination that molten and swiftly rotating 
terrestrial mass which could never have been an actually 
present phenomenon to the brain of man or beast ? Pheno- 
menal existence is in both cases clearly out of the question ; 
for we cannot suppose that elaborate theories of cosmical 
and organic evolution depend on the hypothetical assumption 
of an Infinite Mind, in which is formed a continuous and 
eternal picture of the material universe. Evidently both 
astronomer and geologist mean to imply that Matter existed 
long before any known mind, and that the reality of its 
existence is in no way affedted by the presence or absence of 
a percipient. The science and art of Medicine are founded 
upon the same postulate. Every physician is certain that 
the conscious or unconscious body upon which he exerts his 
skill is something more than a spedtral figment of his own 
imagination ; for by its means he hopes to evolve Cosmos 
from Chaos in the subjective universe of his patient. He 
knows that muscles, nerves, and skeleton owe that visible 
and tangible conformation which he perceives to the creative 
power of his own organs of sense ; but he does not assume 
the arrogant role of sole and unconditional Creator. When 
he leaves the bedside the phenomena which were formed in 
his brain will disappear ; the unperceived and independent 
reality will still remain. The very operation of his drugs is 
secret, but none the less sure. 
It is therefore needless to insist further upon the real 
existence of Matter, which is taken for granted by all sane 
and practical men. But it may be doubted whether this 
simple postulate affords sufficient foundation for a consistent 
theory of life and mind, unless supplemented by the invoca- 
tion of some super-sensuous and super-ideal entity. Is that 
which we call Mind an independent spiritual substance, or 
* “ Animal Automatism,” by C. N., in the Journal of Science, April, 1883. 
