STAGGERS, &c. 309 



mmate degree of refinement, I ihall decline 

 entering into the explanatory parts, fo minutely 

 and tedioufly defined upon former occafions, 

 reciting only the general fyflem upon which 

 the caufe is founded, and then proceed to quote 

 from others circumftances that may juftify the 

 bringing fuch a variety of diforders into a fingle 

 point of view. 



How far the pretended accuracy of former- 

 ly diftinguifhing one of thefe difeafes from 

 another, may be reconciled to modern com- 

 prehenfion, or generally credited, I know not ; 

 but confefs, where the whole formation of 

 judgm^ent and decifion is to rell upon the 

 penetration of the obferver only, and no in- 

 formation come from the patient, circum- 

 ftances could or can but very feldom combine 

 to form fo fingular a diftindlion. Experience 

 and obfervation may undoubtedly do much in 

 a colledlion of fimilitudes and probabilities, 

 but never enough to afcertain the diftind: in- 

 variable caufes and eiFe<fls of difeafes, where 

 the moft trifling difference is hardly acknow- 

 ledged ; more particularly when it is recon- 

 fidered that the caufe of nearly all thefe dif- 

 orders is in the original feat of nervous irri- 

 tability. 



X3 



