the unknown guest(陌生客)-第31章
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conscious and abnormally individualized life that atrophies them by
relegating them to a state of idleness wherein they have fewer and fewer
opportunities of being exercised； whereas in our brothers who are less
detached from the universe； consciousnessif we can give that name to a
very uncertain and confused notion of the egois reduced to a few
elementary actions。 They are much less separated than ourselves from the
whole of the circumambient life and they still possess a number of those
more general and indeterminate senses whereof we have been deprived by
the gradual encroachment of a narrow and intolerant special faculty； our
intelligence。 Among these senses which up to the present we have
described as instincts； for wantand it is becoming a pressing wantof a
more suitable and definite word； need I mention the sense of direction；
migration； foreknowledge of the weather； of earthquakes and avalanches
and many others which we doubtless do not even suspect？ Does all this
not belong to a subconsciousness which differs from ours only in being so
much richer？
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30
I am fully aware that this explanation by means of the subliminal
consciousness will not explain very much and will at most invoke the aid
of the unknown to illuminate the incomprehensible。 But to explain a
phenomenon； a Dr。 J。 de Modzelwski very truly says； 〃is to put forward a
theory which is more familiar and more easily comprehensible to us than
the phenomenon at issue。〃 This is really what we are constantly and
almost exclusively doing in physics； chemistry； biology and in every
branch of science without exception。 To explain a phenomenon is not
necessarily to make it as clear and lucid as that two and two are four； and；
even so； the fact that two and two are four is not； when we go to the
bottom of things； as clear and lucid as it seems。 What in this case； as in
most others； we wrongfully call explaining is simply confronting the
unexpected mystery which these horses offer us with a few phenomena
which are themselves unknown； but which have been perceived longer and
more frequently。 And this same mystery； thus explained； will serve one
day to explain others。 It is in this way that science goes to work。 We must
not blame it： it does what it can； and it does not appear that there are other
ways。
31
If we assent to this explanation by means of the subliminal
consciousness； which is a sort of mysterious participation in all that
happens in this world and the others； many obstacles disappear and we
enter into a new region in which we draw strangely nearer to the animals
and really become their brothers by closer links； perhaps the only essential
links in life。 They take part from that moment in the great human problems；
in the extraordinary actions of our unknown guest； and； if； since we have
been observing the indwelling force more attentively； nothing any longer
surprises us of that which it realizes in us； no more should anything
surprise us of that which it realizes in them。 We are on the same plane with
them； in some as yet undetermined element； when it is no longer the
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intelligence that reigns alone； but another spiritual power； which pays no
heed to the brain； which passes by other roads and which might rather be
the psychic substance of the universe itself； no longer set in grooves；
isolated and specialized by man； but diffused； multiform and perhaps； if
we could trace it； equal in everything that exists。
There is； henceforth； no reason why the horses should not participate
in most of the mediumistic； phenomena which we find existing between
man and man； and their mystery ceases to be distinct from those of human
metaphysics。 If their subliminal is akin to ours； we can begin by extending
to its utmost limits the telepathic theory； which has； so to speak； no limits；
for； in the matter of telepathy； as Myers has said； all that we are permitted
to declare is that 〃life has the power of manifesting itself to life。〃 We may
ask ourselves； therefore； if the problem which I set to the horse； without
knowing the terms of it； is not communicated to my subliminal； which is
ignorant of it； by that of the horse； who has read it。 It is practically certain
that this is possible between human subliminals。 Is it I who see the
solution and transmit it to the horse； who only repeats it to me？ But；
suppose that it is a problem which I myself am incapable of solving？
Whence does the solution come； then？ I do not know if the experiment has
been attempted； under the same conditions； with a human medium。 For
that matter； if it succeeded； it would be very much the same as the no less
subliminal phenomenon of the arithmetical prodigies； or lightning
calculators； with which； in this rather superhuman atmosphere； we are
almost forced to compare the riddle of the mathematical horses。 Of all the
interpretations； it is the one which； for the moment； appears to me the least
eccentric and the most natural。
We have seen that the gift of handling colossal figures is almost
foreign to the intelligence proper； one can； even declare that； in certain
cases； it is evidently and completely independent of such intelligence。 In
these cases； the gift is manifested prior to any education and from the
earliest years of childhood。 If we refer to the list of arithmetical prodigies
given by Dr。 Scripure；＇1＇ we see that the faculty made its appearance in
Ampere at the age of three； in Colburn at six； in Gauss at three； in
Mangiamele at ten； in Safford at six； in Whateley at three； and so on。
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Generally； it lasts for only a few years； becoming rapidly enfeebled with
age and usually vanishing suddenly at the moment when its possessor
begins to go to school。
＇1＇ American Journal of Psychology； 1 April 1891。
When you ask those children and even most of the lightning
calculators who have come to man's estate how they go to work to solve
the huge and complicated problems set them； they reply that they know
nothing about it。 Bidder； for instance； declares that it is impossible for him
to say how he can instinctively tell the logarithm of a number consisting of
seven or eight figures。 It is the same with Safford； who； at the age of ten；
used to do in his head； without ever making a mistake； multiplication…
sums the result of which ran into thirty…six figures。 The solution presents
itself authoritatively and spontaneously； it is a vision； an impression； an
inspiration； an intuition coming one knows not whence； suddenly and
indubitably。 As a role； they do not even try to calculate。 Contrary to the
general belief； they have no peculiar methods； or； if method there be； it is
more a practical way of subdividing the intuition。 One would think that the
solution springs suddenly from the very enunciation of the problem； in the
same way as a veridical hallucination。 It appears to rise； infallible and
ready…done； from a sort of eternal and cosmic reservoir wherein the
answers to every question lie dormant。 It must； therefore； be admitted that
we have here a phenomenon that occurs above or below the brain； by the
side of the consciousness and the mind； outside all the intellectual methods
and habits； and it is precisely for phenomena of this kind that Myers
invented the word 〃subliminal。〃＇1＇
＇1＇ I have no need to recall the derivation of the term subliminal：
beneath （sub） the threshold （limen） of consciousness。 Let us add； as M。 de
Vesme very rightly remarks； that the subliminal is not exactly what
classical psychology calls the subconsciousness； which latter records only
notions that are normally perceived and possesses only normal faculties；
that is to say； faculties recognized to…day by orthodox science。
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32
Does not all this bring us a little nearer to our calculating horses？ From
the moment that it is demonstrated that the solution of a mathematical
problem no longer depends exclusively on the brain； but on another
faculty； another spiritual power whose presence under various forms has
been ascertained beyond a doubt in certain animals； it ceases to be wholly
rash or extravagant to suggest that perhaps； in the horse； the same
phenomenon is reproduced and developed in the same unknown； wherein
moreover the mysteries of numbers and those of subconsciousness mingle
in a like darkness。 I am well aware that an explanation laden to such an
extent with mysteries explains but very little more than silence does；
nevertheless； it is at least a silence traversed by restless murmurs； and
sedulous whispers that are better than the gloomy and hopeless ignorance
to which we would have perforce to resign ourselves if we did not； in spite
of all； to perform the great duty of man； which is to discover a spark in the
darkness。
It goes without saying that objections are raised from every side。
Among men； arithmetical prodigies are looked upon as monsters； as a sort
of extremely rare teratological phenomenon。 We can count； at most； half…
a…dozen in a century； whereas； among horses； the faculty would appear to
