The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-09

conditions. MIR. Fskc declares mat such world
Il not spiritual world at all but he might as ven
declare that because we cannot think without
the aid Of images drawn from material ohlocH
our thinking T. not a spiritual process ana that
mind ITSELF l. only It form Of matter. ihis Ut
ter conclusion lie dUniei, ASSERTING eAIhcltS tue
prone. ition that "modcrn di-covcry,so r. from
bridging over thu cla,m between mind and
matter, tend, rather to exhibit thO distinction
between them as absolute" But, II the imma-
ter'nl mind. While IN the bNdV can de with
In lgcs derived from natter treating them IA
81 iccts po..es Ing an existence me- real as ma ter
itself. Why May not whole world exist, based
upon this materi 4 world AMI resembling II as
IN, Images ~ thought resemble natcfi i OBJ
iects, and yet be az completely distinct from
ihis world as mind Is from matter? Fur
thcrmorc, II our minds, during this lifc, nrc alb
soldtcly distinct from our bodies, what is there
"unthinkablc" in the proposition that the, con-
tinue to exist and carry on their functions In an
immateIial world after those bodies are
dissulNed2 Mr.. Fiske seem. to have
gnps OF this possibility, for no sug-
gests, as not irrational hypothesis, that
psychical qualities may be Inherent Ia
spiritual substance, which under cert In
conditions becomes incarnatcd In matter.
to wear It as perishabe garment for a. BRIEF
season, but presently to cast 1t OF and enter
upon the freedom of larger existence" Unfor-
tunatey, he contents himself with merely max
ing the sugge ton, and does not adopt 1t aud
carry Il out to Its consequences. II no would
but do this, he might arrive at results OF much
practical value.
The diniculty I'm his way, as In that OF other
men OF science seems 10 be that OF concerning
OF anything as really existing besides matter
what Ia not matter Ia to them nothing at all,
conclusion in witch they forget that the bodily
senses are not our only avenues Of knowledge
II Is not poetry hut fact, that the mind has its
senses as the body has, aud that the objects Of
thought make a. sensible Impressions upon It
a material objects do upon the body. When
the despatch announcing Cornwallis's surrender
reached Lord North, whose political fortunes
had been st ,ked upon the success ~ the cam
paign, the messenger who took 1t In To him was
asked how he received the news " Like a ball
in the breast" was the reply aud every one can
see the truthfuness OF the expression. Indeed,
q thousand such are used every day. We say
that Kind words are sweet, that reproaches arc
| cutting that an argument IL weighty and that
| people IN their disnosltons. are cold and warm,
hard and soft, heavy aud light Indeed in all
our talk about the mind, and things connected
with the mind, we resort, as Mr.. Fiske has
| pointed out, to sensuous images. Sometimes
they are yelled IN words OF La In or Greek deti-
Walton. which only remotely suggest them, but
! they were there originally, and may be readily
traced nv the phlloloest. The materialist as
sumes this As proof that the mind Is nothing but
a delicate form or function OF matter; and MIR.
Fiske regards It as an insuperable barrier TO
! imagining the perception of soul by soul apart
from the material structure ana activities In
which soul is manifested" The moment, how
ever, we conccde the possibility OF substance
I ~
definition OF matter to include substances Of a
degree above that form of matter watch mani
tests itself to the bodily senses, we md our.
selves relieved OF the obstacle. And II we
will further conceive Of this finer substance as
existing within ordinary matter, we shall have.
what has puzzled 50 many inquirers, both a
locality for the spiritual world and an explana-
tion OF It's connection with this world.
To put the proposition in anotherform Mind,
| Mr.. Fiske admits. Is not matter, nor Is hJught
the product # the molecular motion II the cells
and Il res Of the brain. The most that can ID
claimed "a demonstrated by scientific investiga-
tion IS that every act Of consciousness Is ac-
companed by such molecular motion. But
thought i an activity Of some kind, and An &C
tiyity which does not reside IN some organized
substance Is, 10 use Mr. Fske's word, uuthinka-
be. Moreover, though, ia scnsiDy perceived by
the thinker, aud It's objects are sensible to him
as real things. They must, therefore. have ex
istence, and existence without substance Is also
unthinkable. Since, again, our mental operations
arc found TO be simultaneous with molecular
motion n the material body, It IA not impossible
that the mind may have such relations to the
b1u,, although distinct from 1t, Us to affect iti
operations,
Of course, the objection Will Mt once be m de
that even concsdng all th.s, It does not prove
the souls existence after the dissolution OF The
body, and thus leaves the problem ~ INN r
tally still unsolved. The objection l., indeod'l
good one at present, because 40 effort has heel
made ~ scientific investigators, In their blin'
4, 1 devotion to purely material phen nuenh' L
gather the facts which are necessary 10 meet u
We do not mean by this that they have neglecte
the so-called spirit manifest lions Ihcso d
W. have said, nrc always material in their chnr
ucter. aud even n verified, would not prove 10
existence Il immortal souls. what u neeue
| ia chronological inquiries, looking toward re;
spiritual phenomend. aud investigating tnem u
. thoroughly as II they were aLnenanie 70 tne cr.
, are the well known facts OF the power OF sot
y over soul. Of elective attraction ana tepusl y
OF the influences OF the passions upon the hodll
heath, and of the changes wrought IN the mel
. tai constitution by education and religious ~
If fluences. This great field OF inquiry has scarce
- yet been entered upon, partly for want Of Il
y c,ination but more for want ~ the requisite II
H.; sight. Our telescopes have sounded the staii
a heavens, aud our microscopes nave unraVeile
the most delicate hbres OF insect org niz
i ton, but we are ns yet, without Appliances u
the ANALYSIS Of he soul. 1t II Impossible to su
., pose that the human Intellect, which h IS cot
- so far In tho domain OF nature, ST al not III
10 means At some tine or other Of exploring u
! domain of spirit, nut the trst step must ne Il
, acknowledc ement of the existence Of that d
main, and 1t ia AS this first step that we WELDON
l. Mr.. Fiske's essay.
What May be Expected this season In the l.
erary World.
20 From the following announcements 1t will
. seen that the opeEinR promises TO be b.
enc IN many departments OF literature;
Soon after Easer, Mr. James Gordon Bennett v
u publish his latest work of fiction, Dancing in III
W Isutudes" Tie story IS TO be dedicated TO Lord
o. fern whose own sting book suggested the utt
H. Mr.. George Washington Chids, A. NJ" IA engal
lpou criu a. essay The Hearse In Modern Lite
az ture"
he Mr. samuel Bowles Is looking up material for "E
t tory II the Adams Family, IRON the Adams OF Eden
81 the Proscut d ""
Mir. sunset Cox Will supplement his entertain
' book. " Why WeLaugh," win second volume. EMIT
w. "WAy the Republicans Don't Laugh" The Two
en- umes. taken together Will throw much tsht on
he conditions necessary true appreciation Of hume
OF Brother shearman Will open a new nut parallel V