Page:Memory (1913).djvu/101

 unitary mind can be connected only by partial mutual inhibition followed by fusion of what remains. Yet this, for our purpose, is not essential. He proceeds as follows:

“Let a series, a, b, c, d&hellip; be given in perception, then a, from the very first moment of the perception and during its continuance, is subjected to inhibition by other ideas present in consciousness. While a, already partially withdrawn from full consciousness, is more and more inhibited, b comes up. The latter, at first uninhibited, fuses with the retiring a. c follows and, itself uninhibited, is united with the fast dimming b and the still more obscured a. In a similar fashion d follows and unites itself in varying degrees with a, b, and c. Thus there originates for each of these ideas a law according to which, after the whole series has been forced out of consciousness for some time, in its own way on its renewed appearance each idea struggles to call up every other idea of the same series. Suppose that a arises first, it is more closely connected with b, less with c, still less with d, etc. But, taken in the reverse order b, c, and d, all in an uninhibited condition, are fused with what remains of a. Consequently a seeks to bring them completely back to the form of an uninhibited idea; but its effect is quickest and strongest upon b, slower on c and still slower on d, etc. (whereby closer inspection shows that b sinks again while c is still rising, and that in the same way c sinks while d rises, etc.). In short, the series runs off as it was originally given. If we suppose, on the contrary, that c was the one initially reproduced, then its effect on d and the succeeding members is similar to that revealed by a—i.e., the series c, d,&hellip; runs off gradually in conformity with its order. b and a, however, experience an altogether different influence. With their separate conscious residues, the uninhibited c had fused; its effect upon a and b was therefore without loss of power and without delay, but this effect was limited to bringing back the conscious residues of a and b bound up with it, only a part of b and a still smaller part of a being recalled to consciousness. This, then, is what happens if the process of recall begins anywhere at the middle of a known series. That which preceded the point of recall rises at once in graded degrees of clearness. That which followed, on the contrary, runs off in the order of the original series. The series,