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objective, validity and relations of the various sources of its perceptions and sensations, idealism is able, by limiting the attention to the phenomena of the internal world alone, to trace the inherent relations among these, and develop a purely ideal system of purely ideal objects. Herein there is opportunity for great subtlety, profoundly, consistency, and even breadth of thought; since everything, outer and inner, finds representation here. If the images of all the objects and events of the external world were brought to the eye of a spectator on a transparency, it is plain that he might form a very inclusive, and, in some of its aspects, correct philosophy concerning them. Consciousness is such a screen, and the philosopher, confining his attention to this, may evolve a very harmonious system.

Idealism more signally than most other theories fails of being a science, a knowing as actual that which is conceived of as theoretical. It matters little, that the inherent connections are necessary, unless the premises from point to point of the argument are verified as real. The difficulties of idealism are much the same as those of the a priori proof of the existence of God. An ideal conclusion is evolved from ideal premises, but as the last do not take hold of the world of facts, no more does the first. Philosophy is not merely philosophy, but science as well. It possesses inductive, united with deductive, elements. It resembles mixed rather than pure mathematics. It does not start with definitions of ideal objects, but with facts. Idealism, on the other hand, while contemplating thought, contemplates it as thought merely, in its formal relations rather than in its actual, phenomenal character and force.

It deduces the individual from the general. It inquires not so much what is given actually and practically with independent testimony by the several faculties of mind, as what can be evolved from the mere fact of thought.