PAIN AND PLEASURE CONTINUOUS

teristic and original contribution by Carpenter to our conception of the function of pain in human life. He points ont that there is a certain continuousness between pleasore and pain, alike in physical and psychical expériences. The same sensation may be pleasurable in its milder form, and painful if it is intensified beyond a certain limit. But, strangely enough, in some cases a still further prolongation of the sensation issues in a new pleasure, différent in quality from the first. As an illustration, Carpenter dtes the efifect of Arabie music.

The perfonnance begins with a pleasant i^mae which gratifies the ear. But the phrase is repeated and xepeated ad nauseam, until the listener longs for it to oease. He hâtes, but is obliged to hear it ; and then presently the pam of it fedes away, and a strange mesmeric and ecstaiic swoon takes its place.

This is explained by saying that an exdtement which is strong enough to be painful has the eif ect of wakening an underplane of consciousness which before had been dormant ; as f elt in this underplane, the excitement is mild, and so pleasurable. So pleasure and pain may exist side by side, but at différent levels of consciousness.

In the case of the soldier, the very pain and fury of the battle excite and throw up into relief the andent and wild enthusiasm of cause and country, long perhaps dormant within him ; and swept on this tide of feeling he forgets his wounds.