Notices respecting New Books. 455 



we may turn to the second essay for a summing-up of the whole, 

 sufficient to show the general view of the matter taken by the author. 

 A short account is there given of the arrangement of the nerves, &c, 

 and the different functions they perform. 



"Thus we have three distinct systems of nervous mechanism in the 

 living body, each dependent on the other, namely, 



" 1. The unconscious involuntary nerves oflife. 



" 2. The conductors of external and internal feelings to the brain. 



"3. The conveyers of volition from the brain to the organs fitted for 

 action ; which are respectively termed the sympathetic, the sensitive and the 

 motor nerves." (Connection between Physiology and Intellectual Philosophy, 

 p. 11.) 



The immediate bearing of the second on the third essay will be 

 shown by the following extracts : — 



" We have now traced the human animal through all parts of his struc- 

 ture ; we have shown first a system of ganglia and nerves springing from 

 them, by means of which organic life is carried on, and appetites excited 

 for its maintenance ; we have further seen a set of nerves whose termina- 

 tion* are to be found at the base of the brain, which supply the senses by 

 which man communicates with the external world; we have seen another 

 apparatus within the cranium by which these sensations are weighed and 

 examined, and the result of this examination transmitted finally to the 

 motor nerves for execution ; altogether forming the most perfect piece of 

 machinery ever constructed; for these nice operations of thought are the 

 work of fibres and fluids contained in them, merely set in motion by the 

 impression made at one part, and thus transmitted through the whole 

 series." (Ibid. pp. 50, 51.) 



Are our readers about to take alarm and to exclaim that we are 

 here on the verge of materialism ? Let them pause ; the facts which 

 the investigations of Muller, Solly, and a host of modern anatomists 

 have proved, cannot be gainsayed ; but mark the inference the author 

 draws from them. 



" Look at the astronomer in his observatory ! the night is far advanced, 

 and he is chilled and fatigued, yet he remains with his eye at the telescope; 

 for what ? to carry on a series of observations which perhaps in two gene- 

 rations more may give as its result the knowledge of some great law of the 

 material universe; but he will be in his grave long ere he can expect that 

 it will be ascertained. He sits down to his calculations and he forgets his 

 meals, sees nothing, hears nothing, till his problem is solved ! No sense 

 prompts to this sacrifice of rest and comfort. But do we call these per- 

 sons insane? No, we honour them as the excellent of the earth, and wish 

 that when the occasion comes we may have courage so to die. 



" I know but of one solution of the difficulty : there must be some ele- 

 ment in man which we have not yet taken account of; some untiring, un- 

 dying energy, which eludes indeed the fingers and the microscope of the 

 anatomist, but which exercises a despotic sway over the animal mechanism." 

 (Ibid. pp. 53, 54.) 



We hardly need inform our readers that the intelligent will is the 

 element here alluded to, nor will it require much penetration to di- 

 vine how this bears on the subject of the third communication ; for 

 in thus establishing the existence of an agent palpably superior to 



