Unconscious Memory

“As this paper contains nothing which deserves the name either of experiment or discovery, and as it is, in fact, destitute of every species of merit, we should have allowed it to pass among the multitude of those articles which must always find their way into the collections of a society which is pledged to publish two or three volumes every year. . . . We wish to raise our feeble voice against innovations, that can have no other effect than to check the progress of science, and renew all those wild phantoms of the imagination which Bacon and Newton put to flight from her temple.”—Opening Paragraph of a Review of Dr. Young’s Bakerian Lecture. Edinburgh Review, January 1803, p. 450.

“Young’s work was laid before the Royal society, and was made the 1801 Bakerian Lecture. But he was before his time. The second number of the Edinburgh Review contained an article levelled against him by Henry (afterwards Lord) Brougham, and this was so severe an attack that Young’s ideas were absolutely quenched for fifteen years. Brougham was then only twenty-four years of age. Young’s theory was reproduced in France by Fresnel. In our days it is the accepted theory, and is found to explain all the phenomena of light.”—Times Report of a Lecture by Professor Tyndall on Light, April 27, 1880.

* * * * *

This Book

Is inscribed to

RICHARD GARNETT, ESQ.

(Of the British Museum)

In grateful acknowledgment of the unwearying kindness with which he has so often placed at my disposal his varied store of information.

Contents

PAGE NOTE. By R. A. Streatfeild viii INTRODUCTION. By Professor Marcus Hartog ix AUTHOR’S PREFACE xxxvii CHAPTER I. Introduction—General ignorance on the subject 1 of evolution at the time the “Origin of Species” was published in 1859 CHAPTER II. How I came to write “Life and Habit,” and 12 the circumstances of its completion CHAPTER III. How I came to write “Evolution, Old and 26 New”—Mr Darwin’s “brief but imperfect” sketch of the opinions of the writers on evolution who had preceded him—The reception which “Evolution, Old and New,” met with CHAPTER IV. The manner in which Mr. Darwin met 38 “Evolution, Old and New” CHAPTER V. Introduction to Professor Hering’s lecture 52 CHAPTER VI. Professor Ewald Hering “On Memory” 63 CHAPTER VII. Introduction to a translation of the 87 chapter upon instinct in Von Hartmann’s “Philosophy of the Unconscious” CHAPTER VIII. Translation of the chapter on “The 92 Unconscious in Instinct,” from Von Hartmann’s “Philosophy of the Unconscious” CHAPTER IX. Remarks upon Von Hartmann’s position in 137 regard to instinct CHAPTER X. Recapitulation and statement of an objection 146 CHAPTER XI. On Cycles 156 CHAPTER XII. Refutation—Memory at once a promoter and a 161 disturber of uniformity of action and structure CHAPTER XIII. Conclusion 173