SECT. XXXIV. i. DISEASES OF VOLITION. 47* 



from excefs or defeft of voluntary exertion. I. Mud- 

 nefs. 2. Diftinguifhed from delirium. 3. Why man- 

 kind more liable to infanity than brutes. 4. Sufpicion. 

 Want of Jhame, and of cleanliness. 5. They bear 

 cold, hunger, and fatigue. Charles XII. of Sweden. 

 6. Pleasurable delirium, and infanity. Child riding 

 on ajiick. Pains of martyrdom not felt. 7. Dropfy. 

 8. Injlammation cured by infanity. III. I. Pain re- 

 lieved by reverie. Reverie is an exertion of volun- 

 tary and fenfttive motions, z. Cafe of reverie. 3. 

 Lady fuppofed to have two fouls. 4. Methods of 

 relieving fain. 



I. i. BEFORE we commence this Seftion on 

 Difeafed Voluntary Motions, it may be neceffary to 

 premife, that the word volition is not ufed in this 

 work exactly in its common acceptation. Volition 

 is faid in Seftion V. to bear the fame analogy to 

 defire and averfion, which fenfation does to pleafure 

 and pain. And hence that, when deiire or averfion 

 produces any action of the mufcular fibres, or of 

 the organs of fenfe, they are termed volition ; and 

 the actions produced in confequence are termed vo- 

 luntary actions. Whence it appears, that motions 

 of our mufcles or ideas may be produced in confe- 

 quence of defire or averfion without our having the 

 power to prevent them, and yet thefe motions may 

 be termed voluntary, according to our definition of 

 the word ; though in common language they would 

 be called involuntary. 



The objects of defire and averfion are generally 

 at a diftance, whereas thofe of pleafure and pain 

 are immediately acUng upon our organs. Hence, 

 befoie defire or averfion are exerted, fo as to caufe 

 any actions, there is generally time for deliberation ; 

 which confifts in difcovering the means to obtain 

 the object of defire, or to avoid the object of aver- 

 fion ; or in examining the good or bad confequences 



VOL. I. I i which 



