NewThoughtLibrary.com / DivineLibrary.org

brought forward, are driven back, and become gradually fainter and more obscure. The mind is only capable at any one moment of exerting a certain quantity or degree of force. This quantity must, therefore, be divided among the different activities, so that each has only a part, and the sum of force belonging to all the several activities taken together, is equal to the quantity or degree of force belonging to the vital activity of mind in general. This obscuration can be conceived in every infinite degree, between incipient latescence and irrecoverable latency. The obscure cognition may exist simply out of consciousness, so that it can be recalled by a common act of reminiscence. Again, it may be impossible to recover it by an act of voluntary recollection, but some association may revivify it enough to make it flash after a long oblivion into consciousness. Further, it may be obscured so far that it can only be resuscitated by some morbid affection of the system; or finally, it may be absolutely lost for us in this life, and destined only for our reminiscence in the life to come."

The view, whose salient points with large omissions are here indicated, is analogical, is purely theoretical, is beset with internal difficulties, and is unable to explain the phenomena that call it forth. (1) It is analogical. It assumes that the laws of physical forces pervade mental facts. It does not even stop to inquire how far or with what modifications this diffusion of forces takes place in the brain. It accepts at once the principles of physics, as applicable in the boldest way, to processes of mind. (2) It is purely theoretical, for its alleged facts all lie in the unapproachable region of sub-consciousness, whose existence is not established, much less the details of its phenomena. (3) It is vexed with difficulties of its own, greater than the difficulties it is brought forward to remove. It rests on a physical idea of force, but cannot consistently carry out that idea. If