35i Analyses of a Series of Papers, by Mr. C. Bell, 



second place, to consider how the nerves minister to these 

 offices : whilst the object itself of his paper is to explain the 

 reason of there being six nerves distributed to the eye, and 

 consequently crowded into the narrow space of the orbit. 



Mr. Bell has deemed it necessary to enter into a minute 

 description of the relative functions of the different muscles 

 and parts which are around the eye-ball, and which constitute 

 its frame-work : this description, however, is of such a nature, 

 that to do it justice, and convey to the reader a proper idea 

 of the opinions which the author entertains, the whole of the 

 first part ought to be brought forward verbatim ; but inasmuch 

 as the second part, though depending a good deal on the first, 

 bears more directly upon his hypothesis of there being distinct 

 functions performed by distinct nerves, we venture to proceed 

 to the confirmations which it contains of the hypothesis itself, 

 after giving a general view only of the first part, more espe- 

 cially as these confirmations will also tend to make our readers 

 better acquainted with the more important points treated of 

 in the first part. What these points are, may appear from the 

 remarks with which Mr. Bell commences the first part of the 

 subject. 



" Even grave and learned men," he says, " have eulogized 

 this organ (of vision) as the most necessary to intellectual en- 

 joyment, and which ranges from the observation of the fixed 

 stars to that of the expression in the human face. But this 

 admiration is in part misplaced, if given to the optic nerve 

 and ball of the eye exclusively ; since these high endowments 

 belong to the exercise of the whole eye, to its exterior apparatus 

 as much as to that nerve which is sensible to the impressions 

 of light. It is to the muscular apparatus, and to the conclu- 

 sions we are enabled to draw from the consciousness of mus- 

 cular effort, that we owe that geometrical sense, by which we 

 become acquainted with the form, and magnitude, and distance 

 of objects. We might as well expect to understand the uses 

 of a theodolite, or any complicated instrument for observa- 

 tions, by estimating the optical powers of the glasses, without 

 considering the quadrant, level, or plumb-line, as expect to 

 learn the whole powers of the eye by confining our study to 

 the naked ball. I propose to show, that we must distinguish 

 the motions of the eye, according to their objects or uses, 

 whether for the direct purpose of vision, or for the preservation 

 of the organ : that the eye undergoes a revolving motion not 

 hitherto noticed ; that it is subject to a state of rest and activity, 

 and that the different conditions of the retina are accompanied by 

 appropriate conditions of the surrounding muscles ; that these 

 muscles are to be distinguished into two natural classes ; and 



that 



