New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-01-15
THE AMERICAN INSTITL lie,

before the American Institute the subject being the
Connection OF Natural Science and Mental Philosophy.
The hall well filled, and the lecturer frequently
appauded The lecture not in manuscript but was
delivered in ofhand and entertaining manner which
tended however to impair its style and conference. The
lecturer introduced by Judge DAILY who spoke as
follows:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: The lecture on next Friday
evening win be the interesting subject OF the compO-
OF the Sun by DR. b. A. Gould of Cambridge Mass
The lecture OF this evening will he by Prof j. BascO
the connection OF Natural Science and Mental Phos
ophy and although these subjects seem to De widely
apart, have no doubt as the gentleman says tho
railroad, that the Professor will succeed In making
nection, and therefore take pleasure in introducing
Prof. BascoIn.
Prof Bascom upon coming forward, was received with
applause. He said:
LECTURE BY PRoF BAscoM
am obliged 10 you ladies and gentlemen, for this op-
porunity Of speaking in defense OF 1t has
van in the advance Of knowledge long time since the
great intellect OF the world has given itself to
ophers since students by thousands gathered them
selves the feet of Abaon The progress in knowledge
globe We SaVe Of after
tnen and while we have entered upon the have
always lost some ground In that from which
have departed We have not succeeded in taking
OF the old. The field OF knowledge on which now
entering, wherein laying down our landmarks OF
ownership and possession especially that Of the nat
ura sciences, that OF the external and physical world
and In connection with this we have lost some hold
the spiritual and intellectual world 1t has been thought
that the inquiries Of metaphysics have been unprohta
BILE have been unIustwCr6y in the results reached,
they have not added TO the wealth and progress aud the
warehouses of commerce things which are the great
CHARACTERISTICS. the striking features Of our age;
1t has been felt that while the mind
may indeed have been quiCkened somewhat by these in
quries that the cold, clear judcious judgment with
which we thread the ways OF economy have been
lost in connection with 1t, and now perhaps there
is something of the truth In this accusation II one is
gazing the stars, IL Is evident that he may stumble
the stones at his feet and yet perhaps that IS not
sufficient why he should not sometimes look at
the heavens But the accusation which most deprecae
connection with metaphysics is the presentation of
false conclusions not merely turning away from this
field Of inquiry but putting IN the place Of 1t that which
is not ITS fair representative.
THE POWER TIE MIND
There IS disposition in our times especially TO look
upon mind as the product Of the external world. It is
the fashion of times to look upon mind In much tho
way and to regard it played upon by the eXer
nal world by visible things, by audible things, by things
tasted and handled til finally We regard 1t as produced
by things altogether outside Of IT, and not giving
form aud knowledge TO the world in the midst OF which
il placed the great creative agent And therefore
wish TO urge upon you this evening the power OF the
mind and its independence, and the fact that
II brings TO the material about IT the ., Key
Of knowledge, and does not acquire that KEY, thosS
methods of explanation from the external world And
IN reaching Tins end invite your attention nDst 10 tne
power of the mind IN connection win the senses How
does the external mattcrmatera OF the sensespresent
itself in the hands Of the physicist Take the eye for IN
stance. lie nquires into the character ot hght. lie
finds it may be resolved into motion, and the various
rapidy; and he traces this motion to the retlna'
and all he knows there OF 1t Is stu mo-
traces through the to the BRAIN and all the way as
the result Of his inquiry, motion; that is his lmt-ho
brain and has resolved that external material sensation
so fan as sight IS concerned into motion in that
and he traces motion into the organ, and there he
finds delicate mechanism Il nervous matter:
Through all the there IS chemical action, but
action s resolved into change OF the nervous cen
say Of It is IL is form OF motion. Now what does
bafore ise This World IN all its beauties ali Visible
-pTiuR transformed
that the physicist lost sight Of as motion SO IN cOnnec
ton with sound; all the pleasures Of music and
the human voice; all the stirring Of thought all
the energy of will is inspired by that voice. and
these Sounds which come TO the human ear spring
up as the action Of the mind on nervous motion. and
thus this one product to the physicist with which ho
hottie which the player OF tricks takes to himself and
from which he pours all manner Of wines. No mat
from it he brings everything with his astphaL And
thus the human mind brings from TINS
sesses Remember now that this great nervous
the mind builds up itself all that comes TO 1t from the ex
ternal world Is il not therefore, the most marvellous
The transforming power OF the MUD by which II makes
everything as it WERE out of nothng-yet out OF ono
which is brought, to us. Applause l am sitting
in my room, and the heat gently stealing over
fine work upon my mantel my ear at the same tine
DO delighted with pleasant SOUNDS anu YET more
of motion stealing upon my body and Transformed into
comfort prevail The wavy motion OF the light stealing
into nv eve; the wavy motion Of sound stealing into my
car these c SrcduSts Of the Mind these three external
conditions the physician can say nothing more than
they are all one. Or may feel upon my cheek q
scorchng heat, and / may observe deep and lurd
lght-darkness as 1t were, mingled win hght-and
may shl shrek. three kinds of motion again and
feel that life is in danger in the cOuhlgratlOn before
everything GepsRdpg upon and hT make, int
into feeling, thought PURPOSE, INTO hdi,ra any ~
I s mind Whc, can make for itself out Of is own pres
cut conditions and which may give way IN due time 70
another or suppose this black board were MIRROR IN
should in the depths Of that mirror space m
which 10 place that audience. Now the mind does all
this. know that the audience in reality exists. 500
this external fact and see at the same time the picture
to the external fact Yet of these
of motion have mental power that can spread OUT
lent TO this external fact-an equivalent which has
existence save my thought first creates and then
direct upon the eye by placing behind 1t this image OF the
mind. How little is the word except as the mind lays
hold Of II and makes IL something How much OF power
Of creative art does require TO give due attention 10
the picture. If the poet Is creator yet almost III me
same degree is he VINO listens to the poetry IN the spirit
a. And now passing from the senses invite your aten-
ton TO scientific conception for second illustration OF
The power Of the mind. Take, for instance such con
be powerfully trained in order bring that conception
with any great cearness before IT, The sun IN the CEN
ter Of lie system each planet with It's satellite revolving
about IT. ali this creation of the mind, The do
declare II in way whatsoever we 90 not see the
at All t6e snn. Indeed the conceptions Of the
mind come directly 10 contradict. The senses have
nothing TO do with this action OF the mind We do not
IT, we conceive Or take again. the theories OF chem
isry in connection with molecules DO you know that
under the present chemical theory that IN al the great
complex compound bodies there is acholod matter.
Jac molecue may be complex than the solar sy
tenn more complex than the number OF bodies which
make IL up, and In the relation which these sustain TO
each other and In their varying hold upon one another
30 that the invisible mOecule is to the chemical mind
more complicated thing than the solar system, and now
this whole conception again Is conception
which came forth from the mind, the eye never
so much asreacbing the mOecule, never so much
~ dtscornIno that which this whole theory