Elements of the philosophy of the human mind. By Dugald Stewart. Rev. and abridged, with critical and explanatory notes, for the use of colleges and schools. By Francis Bowen ...

a76(L3 C ONCEPTIONo
CHAPTER Ill..OF CONCEPTION.o
Offce of Conception. — By conception, I mean that power
of the mind, which enables it to form a notion of an absent ob.
ject of perception; or of a sensation which it has formerly felt.
I do not contend that this is exclusively the proper meaning of
the word, but I think that the faculty which I have now defined,
deserves to be distinguished by an appropriated name.
Conception is often confounded with other powers. When a
painter makes a picture of a friend, who is absent or dead,
he is commonly said to paint from memory; and the expression is sufficiently correct for common conversation. But in an
analysis of the mind, there is ground for a distinction. The
power of conception enables him to make the features of his
friend an object of thought, so as to copy the resemblance; the
power of memory recognizes these features as a former object
of perception. Every act of memory includes an idea of the
past; conception implies no idea of time whatever.*
According to this view of the matter, the word conception corresponds to what was called by the schoolmen simple apprehen.
sion; with this difference only, that they included, under this
name, our apprehension of general propositions; whereas I
but with the upper and lower portions of the spinal column, reserving only
a segment of this column to connect the excitor with the motor nerve, and
the reflex movement may still be produced. Thus, when the mucous
membrane of the nose is irritated, sneezing follows in spite of any effort
of the will to prevent it. Winking takes place involuntarily, whenever an
object comes suddenly near or before the eyes, or when water needs to be
carried off through the tear passage.]
* Shakspeare calls this power " the mind's eye."
Hamlet. - " My father! Methinks I see my father.
Horatio. — " Where, my Lord?
Hamlet. - " In my mind's eve, Horatio." - Act x. Scene G4