New-York tribune., 1867-08-08

and biography, in the facts of our own internal con-
seriousness and the actions Of others around in in
fancy childhood and barbarisn, in idiots and the
insane and in the inferior animal creation which are
perfectly inexhausbe as illustrations of the laws and
characteristics of mind and which constitute mate
rials of investigation to which well able to
direct our powers of observation and analysis as we
are to the outward phenomena of nature itself.
Modern thinkers are driven to the scientific method
from sense of the utter barrenness and insuciency
of the old speculative method Whatever may be
said in derogation of utitariansm by philosophers
Of the speculative school, it has nevertheless been
the guiding star of the worlds progress Uses and
applications, how the hypothesis squares with ex-
perience, how it will aid practice, are the great
tOuchstones of speculative thought They control
us into sober reason, check our wayward fancleS'
and forever bring back from the realms OF dream
land to the tangible realities of the world Inc a
cient philosophers contemned the useful ana Ihe
practical. They expatated through realms OF pure
thought rising and falling, swaying oScilating anu
gyrating in the bOdest style of 9rostaton Out e'o
disdaining the vulgar earth; and the penaity was
no forward movement of the human NINA IoI .iou
sands of years. The mutual dependence OF aoSVrac'
thongbt and actual working experience are becom-
ing ever moro close. With the progress Oh khoWi-
edge science is constantly becoming more practical
and nractice more scientific. Even in the realm of
unrest abstraction mathematics, we are mainly IN
debed to its material applications for progress dur
ing the last two hundred years As Professor Forbes
remarks in his recent able survey of the progress OF
science during the last century: The necessities OF
the natural philosopher have been the prime sources
of inspiration to the geometcr. Ofpurey mathemat-
ical discoveries the great majority have been called
forth by the immediate necessity arising from some
problem requiring solution in astronomy, mechanics,
OPTICS or heat. The combinations arising out Of ertRdt
phenomena more suggestive Of The possible relations Of
number and quantity thGR is the most aRhmited SEetch
fancy and mGgipdtiOR'
But if this is true in that department Of thought
which is forever quoted to us as absolutely ndepend
ent of all matcriality, how much mere true must
il be of those phenomena of mind which are solely
manifested by animal organisms! As il was prac-
tica professional study of the disorders of the hu-
man body that led 10 the calculation of the laws of
the human constitution and the creation of physio-
logical science so it has been, in great degree, but
an extension of this inquiry to the morbid condition
Of the human mind that has led as far as we
have yet proceeded the road to knowledge
of its heathful activities and normal operations.
The first great step taken in this direction was the
discovery that the soul is linked to the universe by
a definite mechanism that the world acts upon the
mind, and the mind reacts upon the world through
the special agency of the nervous system.
The name of Sir Charles Bell will be always men,
orable rs the pioneer in these great researches,
having first determined the double function of the
neryes-sensOry and motor. The spell OF ages was
thus broken The intelligent principle was no longer
an isolated and incomprchensibe mystery-a foreign
agency thrust into the scheme of universal order
with which it was forever at war-fitted to provoke
wonder, but inscrutable to scientific research. Tho
first and most difficult step had been taken which
proved that the thinking principle IS subject TO con-
ditons controlled by laws and aienabe to analytic
scrutiny, like other natural phenomena. 1t was
great event in the march Of discovery. not only OF
the highest intrinsic interest but douby important
As being the divergent step which gave organization
and positive basis to a new science full of the
promise of great results. And well have these ex-
peetations been justified. The successive discoveries
i'm this line Of inquiry by Drs. Marshall Hail. Car
peter LaycOck and others, whatever OF incomplete
ness may still characterize them nevertheless const
tute series of most important advancements in the
| true direction, and place the study of mind upon
| immovable scientific foundation The necessities of
the physician in the treatment Of insanity have been
| powerful agency in promoting this research. Any
vaguo theories of mind might answer for the meta
physician, the thcologian, and merely speculative
thinker. These could drift in any direction, for
the ocean Of distractions was boundlcss, there
! ity. But this would not do for the physician. lie
demanded firm foothold upon observed facts; he
was face to face with unbendng realities, and
quired knowledge of mind possess ing the certude
Of science and which could be made of actual pro-
fessional seryicea knowledge that would stand the
test Of use.
The volume before US is the latest contribution TO
the science of mind from this point of view. IN ell
tering upon his work. Dr. Maudsley found three
branches provinces Of inquiry-meaphysi ccre-
bral physiology, and cerebral path0logy-a dealing
with the same subject matter but not yet CO.
ordnated. Such were the dscordant results
reached by the separate pursuit Of these phases Of
the subject that it was obviously impossible to adopt
either of the exclusive methods, and nothing re-
mained but such philosophical combination of them
as would eliminate disagIcements, serve for mutual
correction, and give unity and harmony to the gem
eral subject DR.. Maudsley had the true qualifca-
tions for the undertaking. early metaphysical
student, medical man. Psychologist, and prOfes-
sonal chemist, practitioner in tho department Of
mental diseases his all-sded studies of the questions
of mind adapted him for the task, and as the work
attess he has been emnenty successful in its exc
cution. His purpose is thus stated in the preface
The aim which have . had IN view throughout this
| era from physiological rather than from meaphys-
cal point Of view; and, secondly, 10 bring the manifold
upon the Interpretation Of the obscure problems of
mental science. Indeed it has been my desire do what
could in order 70 put happy end TO the "inauspcious
divorce" between the physiology and pathology OF mind
and to effect reconciliation between these two branches
OF the same science. When first applied myself up
ward Of ten years SINCE to the practical stndy Of
ity, having laid up beforehand store Of mctaphysi
cal philosophy II was no small surprise and dis
couragement TO find, on the one hand, that the
theoretical knowledge acquired had no bearing
whatever on, discoyerablo relation %, the
facts that daily come under observation, and,
the other hand that writers mental diseases While
their subject II 10 belonged 10 science entirely dis
flcf VVbic with he