MENTAL ACTIVITY AND MEMORY.
[To THE EDITOR or THE "SPECTATOR."J SIR,—The phenomena described in the letter of "Sens Quidam " in your issue of July 8th serve as another link in the chain of proof of a theory which obtains, namely, that we humans possess a sub-conscious mind which has abnormal powers, such as perfect memory, complete understanding of the laws of mathematics, absolute power of deductive reasoning, &c.; that this spiritual gift is subservient (during working hours) to the normal brain (or will) power; but that during sleep its only control is that due to the suggestion to which it has been subjected whilst under the influence of the physical brain—in other words, auto-suggestion. It is probable, also, that one sub-conscious mind has powers of suggestion over another.
The probable explanation of the partial recollection of the lines quoted is that at some time or another the dreamer had read, or heard recited, the lines in question—this would be sufficient for them to remain imprinted for ever on the pages of the sub-conscions memory. Such a case may explain inci- dences that have occurred of unconscious plagiarism.
The solving of mathematical problems during sleep is not un- common, and, granting the theory roughly outlined above, such a phenomenon is easily explained. The conscious mind, obsessed (even to the moment of falling asleep) with the effort towards solution by process of suggestion, leads the sub-conscious mind towards the same objective, and the powers of deductive reckoning produce the desired result.
In exceptional cases the faculty of " freeing " the sub- conscious mind at will exists; then we have a freak, such as a lightning calculator or person of wonderful memory. Several cases of such occur to mind. In such faculty may lie also the secret of genuine " thought-readers."
Hence it is but a short step towards the explanation of telepathy—may we not imagine intercourse between two sub- conscious minds ? Is it not a fact that in nearly all recorded cases of such phenomenon both the communicating parties have been asleep at the time of the communication P
With difficulty I refrain from further discussion of this fascinating subject out of regard to your limits of space.—I,
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