Sect. XXXIV. i. i. OF VOLITION. 327 



The power of oppofing volitions is beft exemplified in the 

 ftory of Mutius Scaevola, who is faid to have thruft his hand 

 into the fire before Porcenna, and to have fuffered it to be con- 

 fumed for having failed him in his attempt on the life of that 

 general. Here the averfion for the lofs of fame, or the unfatis- 

 fied deflre to ferve his country, the too prevalent enthufiafms at 

 that time, were more powerful than the defire of withdrawing 

 his hand, which mult be occafioned by the pain of combuftion > 

 of thefe oppofing volitions 



Vincit amor patriae, laudumque immenfa cupido. 



If any one is told not to fwallow his faliva for a minute, he 

 foon fwallows it contrary to his will, in the common fenfe of that 

 word ; but this alfo is a voluntary action, as it is performed by 

 the faculty of volition, and is thus to be underflood. When 

 the power of volition is exerted on any of our fenfes, they be- 

 come more acute, as in our attempts to hear fmall noifes in the 

 night. As explained in Section XIX. 6. Hence by our atten- 

 tion to the fauces from our defire not to fwallow our faiiva ; 

 the fauces become more fenfible ; and the flimulus of the fali- 

 va is followed by greater fenfation, and confequent de fire of 

 fwallowing it. So that the defire or volition in confequeuce of 

 the increafed fenfation of the faliva is more powerful, than the 

 previous defire not to fwallow it. See Vol. I. Deglutitio in- 

 vita. In the fame manner if a modeft man wilhes not to want 

 to make water, when he is confined with ladies in a coach of an 

 affembly-room ; that very act of volition induces the circum- 

 ftance, which he wilhes to avoid, as above explained j mfomuch 

 that I once faw a partial infanity, which might be called a vol- 

 untary diabetes, which was occafioned by the fear (and confe- 

 quent averfion) of not being able to make water at all. 



It is further neceffary to obferve here, to prevent any confu- 

 fion of voluntary, with fenfitive, or aflbciate motions, that in all 

 the instances of violent efforts to relieve pain, thofe efforts are 

 atfirft voluntary exertions -, but after they have been frequent- 

 ly repeated for the purpofe of relieving certain pains, they be- 

 come aflbciated with thofe pains, and ceafe at thofe times to be 

 fubfervient to the will ; as in coughing, fneezing, and ftrangu- 

 ry. Of thefe motions thofe which contribute to remove or dif- 

 lodge the offending caufe, as the actions of the abdominal muf- 

 cles in parturition or in vomiting, though they were originally 

 excited by volition, are in this work termed fenfitive motions 5 

 but thdfe actions of the mufcles or organs of fenfe, which do 

 not contribute to remove the offending caufe, as in general con- 

 vulfions or in madnefs, are in this work termed voluntary mo- 

 tions- 



