Page:Mind (New Series) Volume 8.djvu/455

 ROUTINE PROCESS. 441 the minor undulations of the ground, or in walking up hill or down hill, or on board a vessel an appropriate solution is forthcoming for each instance. At first it might seem that on every separate occasion he is compelled to decide on one out of a dozen courses. As a matter of fact, each special difficulty has occurred previously, is remembered, and stands isolated. These cases cease to be cases of special difficulty. The solutions are firmly fixed in the memory. The obstacles as they appear, are settled by memory, and not by reasoning, speculation, or inquiry. (c) The precise effort needed in the formation of any letter or part of a letter is recollected. Should more or less energy be required, the memory will gauge it. But for memory the hand instead of going slowly might go quickly ; instead of in one direction it might move in another. The particular quantity and quality of muscular energy needed in an organic trend is not a matter of calculation. Suppose a man discards an umbrella and procures a new one. After he has used the. latter for some time it strikes him that the umbrella flies open rather too quickly. Then it occurs to him that the springs of the new one act much more readily than the springs of the old did, and that he had neglected to observe the difference. In ignorance he spent as much -energy in opening this umbrella as in opening his late one. That is to say, we do not take each case on its merits ; we go by precedent. In writing, recollection stands in the same relation to the muscles as it does to sights or other sensations. 3. The Process of Simplification. (a) At first, as we hinted, there is a many-sided interest. We wonder what is thought of our writing. We speculate whether we shall be praised or blamed. We doubt whether all is right. This interest is bound to depart in time, and also the play of mind con- nected therewith. No motives remain that induce us to busy ourselves concerning our caligraphy. There is nothing left to wonder about except, perhaps, our bad handwriting. The atmosphere of thought has changed. (6) The time and energy spent in doubting, hesitating, brooding, trying to remember, etc., are now saved. As the interest in writing declined, so have these agitations of the spirit proportionately decreased. (c) At the commencement, especially when the child has little or no guidance, he is sure to make many mistakes. How is it that he forgets these ? It is evident that writing would be most cumbersome if he first remembered the mistakes, and was bound afterwards to dismiss or correct tlu-m. If such were the fact organic trends would be buried