Page:Mind (New Series) Volume 8.djvu/466

452 GUSTAV SPILLEB : cause of the worrying sensation. As we have learnt in section 3, this homely method is not open to him. There is nothing in the memory that will suggest the cause. All temporal or logical bonds are forgotten. He does not know what causes what. He does not remember what he learnt or how he learnt. He is hence bound to investigate. Oblivion makes it difficult to introduce changes in routine. He proceeds, then, to inquire. Perhaps one movement needs changing, perhaps two, perhaps three, perhaps twenty. Possibly the immediate source of discomfort is the result of the foolish position of one part of the body, and that of some other part. What is it, and which is it ? He will not find it easy to decide. Perhaps one seemingly well-calculated change is introduced, and nothing satisfactory is perceived. Perhaps some unexpected effect results. Perhaps the change makes matters worse, and he writes more awkwardly than before. He tries a fresh position or movement and still another, but without success. Perhaps he remedies the evil, and introduces a greater in its place. No horoscope can be cast as to what will or what will not happen. He is dealing with what he can only understand when he perceives its effects. To illustrate our illustration, let us take an experience with larger outlines. Strolling about in a poorer portion of London the following may be observed. The heels of those we are scrutinising are worn painfully low on one side. Suppose one of these people wished to remedy the defect. Merely to make a resolution that he would walk properly would be useless. If he tried to think of his walk he would most likely find nothing that suggested a solution. The same would probably happen if he proceeded to observe him- self or others. Being baffled he decides on experiment. He walks somewhat differently to what he is accustomed to ; but there is no apparent result. He alters his walk again. It seems to him that the change is an improvement. He advances a further step. Matters are worse than they were to commence with. He may thus go on experimenting for years and not achieve his purpose, or he may spoil his walk in other ways. It is not that he is unaware of what baffles him, but he cannot recall its cause effectively. In moving a step there are quite a multitude of motions with their ac- companying sensations. These sensations pass through his mind. If he is attentive enough he perceives their presence ; but he cannot hold them steadily before his mind or recall them at will, except after special practice. Even then, as one motion determines the succeeding ones, only the recall