WCP2996

[1]

July 8th 1867.

My dear Sir

How very odd this difficulty about a name that no two can agree upon it — I myself had a try at it see Letters¹ P 17 and suggested Phreno-Physiology. Galls² term was physiology of the Brain Dr Maudsley³ calls his work — on the physiology of the mind⁴ — Dr [illeg.] is for mental science, & we have your p fresh suggestion which some would object to on account of word Psychical –[2] as implying soul — and I suppose it is on such differences that de Morgan⁵ supposes we might not agree — sufficiently to work the society — perhaps after all mental science would be most simple & least objectionable, but strictly speaking we cannot name a matter until we agree what it is with Gall mind was physiology — with Combe⁶ a mind is using the brain as an instrument, so he termed his system phrenology. Science I believe assumes the study of [3] phenomena with their causes, see Letters P 20: I enclose a note by Mr Simon⁷ the Berklyite to inform you ^{there are} no physical facts at all. I think I hover very close upon this idea. I ask Hunt⁸ to let me answer Mr Simons which he has printed but he wont. — said it was printed by mistake & I [2 words illeg.]; a Psychology. [illeg.] thinks Physio-Psychology. right & here is Mr Brookes⁹ programme by a great work suggesting aat other term — so here we are "in the beginning was the word and the word was God" is soon to really seem so.

Sincerely yours | Henry Atkinson¹⁰ [signature]

[4] I do not leave until next week I think I said for the Royal Hotel Boulogne S.M. for 3 months

need not return Mr S's letter