Page:Ralcy H. Bell - The Mystery of Words (1924).pdf/58

 there would be no consciousness of faulty function—of the wrong word. But the contrary happens: the mind is conscious of the failure of its machine to do its work. This indicates that the mind makes use of this part of the brain at least, much as one uses a typewriting or other similar machine. In using a damaged typewriting machine, for instance, one may have a clear motive and he may be able to strike the keys accurately, but the instrument responds faultily with wrong letters (parts of words) just as a slightly injured speech-area responds to clear purpose with faulty words (parts of speech). If the mind were only a function of the brain—or at least, if words were a function of the speech-center, merely—naturally there would be no consciousness of impairment. This phase of consciousness, therefore, must occupy some complex in time or space or relationship outside, if not separate from, that occupied by the functions of the brain. All this deepens the mysteries surrounding our words;