113 Sketch of a General Theory of the [Aue. 
ArTIcLE VI. 
Sketch of a General Theory of the Intellectual Functions of Man 
and Animals, given in reply to Drs. Cross and Leach. By 
Alexander Walker. 
(Concluded from p. 34.) 
On the subject of the cerebellum, I have only to add, that all 
the observations which Drs. Gall and Spurzheim have adduced to 
prove that it is the organ of amativeness, are accountable from the 
circumstance that the degree of physical love seems to be more 
or less connected with the degree of voluntary power—the proper 
function of this organ: and hence it is that the man, the stallion, 
and the bull, having more voluntary power, have also more amative- 
ness and a larger cerebellum than the eunuch, the gelding, and the 
ox. With this modification—considering the cerebellum not as the 
organ, but as a convenient sign, of amativeness, the general theory 
which I now deliver of the nervous system is in perfect harmony 
with the more particular doctrine of Gall and Spurzheim as to the 
cerebral organs. 
My former brief paper being entitled, On the Use of the Cere- 
bellum and Spinal Marrow, it was less to the structure of these 
parts (which | conceived to be sufficiently well known) than to their 
use that I referred. In particular, I meant to lay'no claim to the 
first observation of the division of the spinal marrow, either on the 
ground of its having lateral fissures, asserted by Soemmerring, who, 
however, will no doubt now abandon his opinion, since Dr. Leach 
“has carefully examined the structure of the spinal mass of nerves,” 
or on a ground which is, I believe, peculiar to myself, that these 
columns being laterally séparated by cineritious matter, that sub- 
stance serves the purpose of insulating them from ‘each other, and 
serves a similar purpose, and no’other, throughout the brain. Even 
on this ground, which I believe to be'the best one, however peculiar 
it may be, it was not'my intention to claim 'the observation ; but it 
was my intention to ‘consider as my own, the observation ‘that ‘the 
anterior columns (in which end the anterior spinal nerves) terminate 
in the cerebrum, while the posterior‘columns (in which begin the 
posterior spinal nerves) commence in the cerebellum ; ‘as well as 
that the anterior maybe termed the ascending columns and nerves, 
and the posterior the descending—that the‘former ‘may be called 
those of sensation or impression, which, to be cognizable to the 
brain, must ascend from by far the greater part of the surface of 
the body; and that the posterior may be called those of volition or 
expression, which, to affect almost all the muscles, must descend 
from the head. And, to say the least of it, this is rendered highly 
probable by the circumstances that sensation and volition—an 
ascending and a descending motion cannot possibly take place in 
