CH. II.] CEREBRAL IMPRESSIONS. 65 



caused by animal-sentient forces, — material ideas (114), — take 

 place solely through the brain, and may very properly be termed 

 cerebral impressions (sinnliclie Eindriicke durchs Gehirn).^ 



122. The actions of material ideas in the nerves are there- 

 fore impressions of conceptions propagated along the nerves 

 from the brain downwards to the terminating fibrils (31, 121); 

 and since, in this respect, the material ideas act as animal- 

 sentient forces (114), their actions in the nerves are true 

 sentient actions (97), which probably are extended through the 

 system of nerves by means of the vital spirits. (See § 17 

 and § 28 ; also Haller's ' Physiology,' § 377.) 



123. Since no other animal movements in animal organisms 

 are sentient actions except material ideas and the actions 

 actually resulting from them (97) ; it follows that, to every 

 true sentient action, a conceptional impression is necessary, 

 which is either confined to the brain, or propagated downwards 

 along the nerves (122). 



124. Since there is a particular point in the brain from 

 which each nerve arises (13), and at which alone the material 

 ideas of its external sensations are developed, — no other por- 

 tion of the brain having a part therein — (43) ; it follows, that 

 the impressions of the conceptions act upon the origin of a 

 nerve when they excite sentient actions in it (31, 118). Con- 

 sequently, the whole brain will not be put into action by each 

 conception, but only a certain locality, or that point in which the 

 material ideas are formed ; and this action is directly propagated 

 only along the nerve and its branches to the terminating fibrils 

 arising from this point of the brain, although it m|iy also be 

 communicated indirectly to other nerves when in connection 

 with the former in ganglia, and when, in both cases, there is 

 no hinderance to this transmission. The impressions of pleasure 

 and pain are only difi'erent conditions of the material ideas of 

 the conceptions which please or displease (80). They con- 

 sequently take place at the same point as the material ideas of 

 the conceptions themselves, and are only impressions of a 

 difi'erent kind at the same origins of nerves. 



125. Just as an external impression, — whether made on 

 trunks of nerves, in which many fibrils are collected, or on the 



' These impressions, caused by, or accompanying, acts of thought or feeling, are 

 also termed conceptional impressions. (Vide § 359.) — Ed. 



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