Page:Mind (Old Series) Volume 9.djvu/538

 526 CHARLES MEECIEE : hand into adjacent groups, and has corresponding feelings with corresponding graduations into neighbouring feelings. TABLE VIII. CLASS I. Sub-cl. II. : Self-conservative Emotions, Organismally -initiated. Genus 5 : Feelings corresponding with the relation of Activity to Obstacle. Feelings of Freedom and Restraint. Obstacle is cognised as insignificant in comparison with Activity. Freedom. Obstacle is cognised as overwhelming in comparison with Activity. Restraint. Obstacle is cognised as great and Activity as great. Determination. Where obstacle and activity are both small it is evident that feeling will be inconspicuous, and hence to such feeling no name is applied. Feelings of the two preceding genera correspond with the relation to environmental circumstances of an activity on the part of the organism, that is to say, of an action that is potential but need not be actual. We have now exhausted all the possible relations of activity of the organism as dis- tinguished from its action. In the next genus of emotions the stage of interaction between the organism and the en- vironment is carried a step further. They correspond with an action that is no longer potential but actual. There must be some work done upon the environment by the or- ganism before feelings of this genus can come into existence. Still, however, the emotion corresponds, not necessarily with the relation that actually exists but only with that which is cognised, the cognition being in this case mainly a remembrance. When actual action of the organism upon the environment takes place, the organism forms an estimate of the amount of energy that is expended by it. How this estimate is formed, on what basis it rests, and how far it is correct, are immaterial to our present purpose. All that is required to justify the constitution of the next genus of feel- ings is the admission that such an estimate is formed, and this, I think, no one will deny. Let us call the amount of activity that is cognised as put forth by the organism in the performance of an action the exertion of the organism. Then the next class of feelings will correspond with the relation that the Exertion of the organism bears to the Effect produced in the environment.