The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-04-26

Sir Benjamin Brohio hns retorred IN his
yhOiogicdi hqniry to a very remarkable
quality in the BRAN. II quality ID c;or Car
pcnter terms unconscious curebratiOn. IL
often happens that after accumuating
number of facts in an inquiry. tho mind
bccnuos so confused in contemplating thuiu
that IL is Incapable Of proceeding with its
labors of arrangements aud Celebrations /;
dismayCd at tho chaotic heap, 1t t.backs ms il
were upon itself aud VIC feel certain that it
is OF no uso cudgcliIg our dull brains any
longer.
After littlo while. however, without
having Onco consciously rccurrcd 10 tho
sui jeci. VT fiud to our surprise that the
confusion which involved tho question has
entirely subsidized, aud every tact has fallen
into its right place. Is il possible that the
brain eau, without our knowledge. select
oltminate, aggregate, aud segrcgato facts as
subtllcy as the digestive organs act upon
food introduced into tho stomach
Sir Henry Holland is inclined TO dissent
frotn such a conclusion, aud leans rather to
tho exploration of tho phenomenon which
Sir b. Brodie has himself suggested, namely
that tho seeming ordering process may DO
accounted for by snpposing that all tho un.
necessary facts tado from tho memory,
whilst those which arc essential tor the
Ultimate arrangement and classification of
tho sui jrct under consideration are left
clear Of tho weeds that before cncumbrrud
them. But this explanation involves a con.
fessiou of an climinotive proc, IS going on
uncOnscously In the brain which appears
to US to bo Ii Ito less wonderful thnu hid.
don cogitation. Why should tho unessen.
tinl facts : We SEQ no reason WHY wo
should refuse to recognize masked opera.
tinns of tho mind Surely wo soc every day
examples of cerebral acts being performed
of which tho individual afterwards is totally
obliv'ous. Lot us instance, for example, tho
mental impressions engraved with II soaring
iron. AS IL wcrc. upon tho brain in moments
of delIrium. Under chluroform, again the
mind is often in state of groat exaltation
and goes through mcutal labor of kind
calculated. ono would imagine, to leave
traces behind il on tho memory; mover
theless water does not moro readily give
up impressions mndo upon il than does the
tablet Of the brain undor this ihfuonce
Even in dreams, of which wo tako no notice..
but which arc patent to bSstaudLrs BY our
spocch aud actions, thrro DO plonty Of "un.
conscious ccrebration" Indeed, Sir Hunry
Holland, in referring to vague feeling thar
all of us at times have experienced whom
engaged in auy particular act. that "wc
have gone through it all bufore," endcavors
to explain it 10y supposug that the faint
shadow at a dream hus suddenly aud for
tho first time como to our recollection in a
farm so unusual that 1t seems as though We
had acted tho part before in another world
That We go thruugh brain work uncon.
sciously. we havu therefore no doubt; and
wa SEQ no reason why We should duny tho
existence of % powor seated in tho b, ain.
whose duty il is silently to sift tho grain
from tho hu,k in tho immense mass of mem
tai pabulum supplied to It nv tho senses.
Edin6urgh Revie.o