ASSOCIATION OF IDEAS. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
as a matter of course. But in going deeper into the | every other respect. It takes a keen identifying 
explanation of the human intellect, we encounter faculty—that is, a strong natural tendency for the 
many classes of similars, where there is not absolute resurrection of like to meet like—to see the resem- 
identity, but the mixing up of a certain amount of blance of some of these species to the rest; and it 
diversity with the likeness actually existing. The | has happened in many departments of knowledge 
botanist classing together all the plants of the same | that a class has remained incomplete for a time, 
order, as, for example, the Rosacece, has to be struck purely from the disguised character of some of the 
with the occurrence of certain common characters— | individuals. So in the process termed induction, by 
viz., the properties that distinguish the order—in the | which 1 general law is arrived at by comparing 
midst of great varieties in all other respects. It is | instances of it everywhere, there must be an attrac- 
important that he recognise these general marks, !tion of similars, in order to bring together in the 
whether the plants be trees or shrubs, whether they | mind the collection of particulars that the induction 
be poisonous or wholesome, and under many other | is based upon. Thus, Newton assembled in his view 
diversities. It is exceedingly important in science, | the various transparent bodies that he had found in 
in the business of life, and even in the creations of | the course of his experiments to refract or bend 
fine art, that the mind should take cognizance of |light strongly, his only intellectual instrument for 
likeness surrounded by unlikeness; which is the doing so being the bond of likeness operating as a 
case that renders it necessary to characterise as | power of recall, Having looked at them in company, 
distinet the associating force now under discussion. / he saw that some were remarkable for their weight 
  
In the case of perfect identity between a present | or specific gravity, and others for containing inflam- 
and a past impression, the past is recovered, and | mable ingredients ; upon which he raised the general 
fused with the present, instantaneously and surely. | induction, connecting these two properties with high 
So quick and certain is the process, that we lose refrangibility.  Then, deductively, he applied this 
sight of it altogether; we are scarcely made aware | generalisation to the diamond, which refracts light 
of the existence of an associating link of similarity | more than any other known substance ; and as it is 
under such circumstances. But when we pass from | not a heavy material, he extended the other infer- 
perfect to imperfect or partial identity, we are more | ence to it—namely, that it was made up of some 
readily led to perceive the existence of this link of ! inflammable material, an inference afterwards con- 
  
  
TPt et~ 
! 
attraction between similars, for we find that the firmed by the discovery that it is crystallised carbon., 
restoration sometimesdoes not take place; cases occur Many of the greatest discoveries in science have 
where we fail to be struck with a similitude : the | turned on the identification of modes of action never 
spark of resuscitation does not pass between the new | before supposed the same, as when Franklin was 
impression and the old dormant one. Then it is that | struck with the resemblance between the atmos- 
we recognise differences between different minds ; one 
man tracing resemblance and making .out identity 
better than another. Moreover, we can assign rea- 
sons connected with the culture of the individual, | principle, is the region of #llustrative comparisons, 
which partially explain superiority or inferiority in whereby two things widely remote are brought 
) pheric thunder and lightning and the phenomena, of 
this important faculty ; just as we have pointed out ’ together, in the view either to elucidate one another, 
common electricity. 
Another wide field for the operation of the same 
the conditions favourable to the rapid growth of the | or for the sake of ornament and poetic effect. Mogk 
adhesive bond of proximity. The failure in rein- | men of genius in literature and poetry have contri- 
stating an old impression by virtue of a present one | buted original illustrations, similes, metaphors, or 
like it, is solely ascribable to the wanf of perfect | comparisons in the course of their compositions. 
identity. When in some new presentation of an | Shakspeare carries the palm in this faculty. The 
object, the old familiar form is muffled, obscured, writings of Bacon are remarkably rich in those that 
distorted, disguised, or in any way altered, it is just ’ serve the purpose of exposition. Science is with, 
a chance if we recognise it; the amount of likeness | him the ‘interpretation’ of nature: final causes 
still remaining will have a tendency to revive the i are ‘vestal virgins;’ they have no fruif: fallacies 
  
object, while the points of difference or unlikeness | are ‘idols” Edmund Burke, another master of 
will operate against the revival, and tend to restore | illustrative comparison, has termed revolutions the 
things of their own kindred. If we hear a musical | ‘medicine’ of the state, and regular government 
air that we are accustomed to, the new impression | its ¢ food.’ 
revives the old as a matter of course ; but if the air | If we inquire into the circumstances that render 
is played with complex harmonies and accompani- | one mind more prolific in new identifications and 
ments which are strange to us, it is possible that | comparisons than another, apart from difference of 
the effect of these additions may be to check our original capacity, we must refer mainly to the fact, 
recognition of the melody; the unlike circumstances I that the one has had the greater previous familiarity 
may repel the reinstatement of the old experience | with the class of things thus brought up by the 
more strongly than the remaining likeness attracts f attraction of similarity. A mathematician is the 
it. If our hold of the essential character of the | most likely person to bring up comparisons from 
melody is but feeble, and if we are stunned and con- | mathematics ; a botanist is prepared to identify 
founded by the new accompaniments, there is every plants ; a travelled man provides illustrations from 
probability that we shall not be put upon the old | foreign countries; a historian, from history. The 
mental track made by the same air; in other words, | sailor is notoriously rich in nautical similes and 
we shall not identify the performance. illustrations. When any one not specially versed in 
A few examples may next be given, to shew the | a subject is yet prone to draw upon it profusely in 
workings of this associating power, and the conse- | the way of comparison, we must then refer to great 
quences thence arising. The intellectual operations | natural endowment as the sole explanation. But our 
knownunder the names Classifioation,Genemlisatien, space does not allow us to dwell further on the 
Induction, and Deduction, all proceed upon the dis- | subject. (For the full exemplification of both the 
covery of likeness among things lying wide asunder associating principles and of the complications that 
in space and time, and very often veiled by diversity. | they give birth to, see Bain on 7%e Senses and the 
Thus, in order to include in one list all tha species of | I ntellect.) 
the 70se, botanists have had to trace the characters | The earliest known attempt to lay down the 
of the genus through its various members, wherever | laws whereby thought succeeds to thought, is that 
they occur, and under the greatest differences in 1' contained in Aristotle’s treatise on Memory. He 
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