Page:Mind (New Series) Volume 9.djvu/321

THE DOUBLK KKKKCT OK MKNTAL STIMULI. 807 in so far as muscular movements are modes of expression necessary in some measure for the development of thought : the ear, the eye, the muscles of articulation and even of gesticulation may be drawn into play. But herein the mixed nature of thought comes into play : it swells by concentra- tion deepening in itself, but it grows by expansion developing beyond itself : while based on the concentred passivity of the inner sense it consists in the active co-operation of all sensibility. 1 Nevertheless the central fact of quiescence in deep thought remains significant ; for the characteristic of deep thought is the endeavour to win a more intimate sense of the things that are in mind. In this endeavour the activity of thought itself seems to be stilled : we listen inwardly and stay our thinking. In deep feeling the quiescence of movement is still more obvious, except when the feeling is painful and rouses effort tt> be quit of it. Such effort is often indeed no more than a restless activity undertaken to dissipate the painful con- centration of energy, and this tells in confirmation of our general view. Sometimes feeling of even the painful kind is so great that there seems to be no energy available for an effort of dissipation ; and this, I suspect, is not only because of the exhaustion of pain as pain. Pleasant feeling, however, supplies the test case because it is feeling that tends to sustain itself, and no one having had both experiences would hesitate to say that the joy which makes one jump for joy is less intensely felt than the joy which is enjoyed in the full silence of quiescence. The evidence of these immediate experiences can only be found by careful introspective observation of each one for himself. It is necessary, however, to be sure that, in a hurried hyper-active life, we ever give ourselves opportunity for moods of deep thought or sustained feeling. In some ways the negative test may be more readily available. To dissipate feeling, to escape from thought, physical exercise is the most effectual of all methods. I find it almost difficult, even when I desire it, to take a simple walk and think deeply. The man who thinks and walks conjointly a wholesome practice and certainly effective when the brain needs to be stimulated through the circulation will be found to pause at the deep points of his thought, though it may help him 1 Muscular activity has no doubt a certain efficacy in stimulating intellectual activity 'due to the effect of exercise in stimulating the circulation ; and this effect is probably favourable on the passive as well as on the active side of mind.