discrimination of its Self from Things, to the most advanced
form, the rip*, and follows the law of continuity in a more
or less uniform way, we can however, consider it as proceed
ing by certain stages; for it is evident that a conception of
the metaphysical Self is a more advanced idea than the con
sciousness of the material being. Accordingly, we will con
sider in this treatment, three elements in the make up of our
natures— the bodily Self, the spiritual Self, and the meta
physical Self.
Considering these stages in their logical order we have,
first, the sentient bodily Self which means, strictly speak
ing, our own body whose various parts vary in importance
in our estimation of the formation of our larger whole. In ,the
development of the conception of this entity, the material
self would naturally be the first stage. If we ask the child
what it means by " I," or what is the "myself" to which it
continually refers, it will point to its own body or to specific
portions of it. And is this not a logical outcome of its lim
ited experience ? It has come to know this self from its
relations to things. When it touched the stove the first time
it was its own body that received the sensation of the burn.
This it could see as well as feel. We may further assert
that it is this self which the savage recognizes when he
paints and tattoos his body in all the most hideous ways he
can. As the child grows older its clothes become identified
with its body. Many children will prize their clothes above
anything else, and this is not only confined to the child.
How often do we observe the change in the mien of a person
when clothed in rich garments, while in poorer clothes a
complete change in their disposition is at once noticed. A
consciousness of degradation seems to hover over them; they
are shy, sulky, and forever leading a miserable life; but if
fortune favors them with finer clothes, notice the firm step,
the uplifted head, the haughty air in a word, their whole