en
stationary_. But set into motion, a current of air will close a door
with a bang--will have the effect of definitely moving a heavy mass of
inanimate matter, in the manner indicated. It may be that in somewhat
the same way mind affects brain. Mind may reside in a sort of etheric
vehicle, and be more or less stable or stationary, save at the times
when volition or intense, active conscious operations are in
progress--when, in short, _effort_ is exerted. At such times, it is
surely conceivable that what was static becomes dynamic; something is
set into motion which in turn brings into activity some more "physical"
energy, and so on, until sufficient material momentum has been gained to
affect that most unstable and mobile substance, nervous tissue. It is
certainly quite conceivable that certain nervous centres in the brain
(_which_ centres, we cannot say) might be set into actual operation by
some such process; or at least that the impulse or energy supplied in
this manner might be sufficient to release the nervous energy stored in
the cell, much as the trigger of a rifle would, when pressed, release
the energy contained within the cartridge. Such "hair trigger" action
has been postulated by both William James and Bergson, and is certainly
in line with modern speculations in this direction. There are also
certain analogies to be drawn from physical science to guide us here.

In electricity, e.g., what are known as "relays" are constantly
employed, and beautifully illustrate the principle here outlined. In
working over long lines, or where there are a number of instruments in
one circuit, the currents are often not strong enough to work the
recording instruments directly. In such a case there is interposed a
"relay" or "repeater." This instrument consists of an electro-magnet
round which the line current flows, and whose delicately-poised
armature, when attracted, makes contact for a local circuit, in which a
local battery and the receiving Morse instrument (sounder, writer, etc.)
are included. The principle of the relay is, then, that a current too
weak to do the work itself may get a strong local current to do its work
for it.

It may be the same in the case of mental action. Volition or thought may
be too weak, _per se_, to influence nervous processes; but, when
exceptionally active or potent, they may set into activity specific
nerve energies which manifest in the manner known to us as motor and
physical phenomena