no THE GROUNDWORK OF SCIENCE

dependent on, and called forth by feelings ; and feelings

are a result of a normal, vital condition of a physical

organization. To fully understand what is psychical, it

is, therefore, generally necessary to have a certain

acquaintance with what is physiological and physical.

Moreover, as function depends on structure, any sufficient

comprehension of the vital activities of our frame

necessitates some previous acquaintance with its physical

organization its anatomy. As we cannot venture to

assume that the great majority of our readers are possessed

of even a small amount of anatomical and physiological

knowledge, we feel it impossible to dispense with some

description of the physical antecedents of science (readers,

however, who do possess such knowledge, and an elemen-

tary knowledge of zoology, had better pass over this

chapter unread), related as they necessarily are to the

groundwork of all science, which it is our ultimate object

to study and endeavour to comprehend.

Very little, however, need be said here, except with

respect to that substance and those organs of the body

which are the necessary means by which alone we are

capable of different special feelings and imaginations, or

of any feelings at all.

Feeling, knowledge, thought, everyone knows to be only

carried on by us in a living body, which ought to be in

a sufficiently healthy and normal state. Abnormal con-

ditions may be accompanied by an absence, or paralysis, of

one or more of our senses, or by various forms of mental

aberration down to complete idiocy. In *order, therefore,

to have a satisfactory comprehension of our powers of

thinking (one indispensable preliminary for investigating the

groundwork of science), it is necessary to have some know-

ledge of^ these vital functions which are necessary for the

exercise of thought, and to understand these, as already

dependent on, and called forth by feelings ; and feelings

are a result of a normal, vital condition of a physical

organization. To fully understand what is psychical, it

is, therefore, generally necessary to have a certain

acquaintance with what is physiological and physical.

Moreover, as function depends on structure, any sufficient

comprehension of the vital activities of our frame

necessitates some previous acquaintance with its physical

organization its anatomy. As we cannot venture to

assume that the great majority of our readers are possessed

of even a small amount of anatomical and physiological

knowledge, we feel it impossible to dispense with some

description of the physical antecedents of science (readers,

however, who do possess such knowledge, and an elemen-

tary knowledge of zoology, had better pass over this

chapter unread), related as they necessarily are to the

groundwork of all science, which it is our ultimate object

to study and endeavour to comprehend.

Very little, however, need be said here, except with

respect to that substance and those organs of the body

which are the necessary means by which alone we are

capable of different special feelings and imaginations, or

of any feelings at all.

Feeling, knowledge, thought, everyone knows to be only

carried on by us in a living body, which ought to be in

a sufficiently healthy and normal state. Abnormal con-

ditions may be accompanied by an absence, or paralysis, of

one or more of our senses, or by various forms of mental

aberration down to complete idiocy. In *order, therefore,

to have a satisfactory comprehension of our powers of

thinking (one indispensable preliminary for investigating the

groundwork of science), it is necessary to have some know-

ledge of^ these vital functions which are necessary for the

exercise of thought, and to understand these, as already