SECT. XXXIV. i. DISEASES OF VOLITION. 477 



tary ; becaufe no deliberation is interpofed between 

 the defire or averfion and the confequent a&ion ^ 

 but in the fenfe of the word, as above defined, they 

 belong to the clafs of voluntary motions, as deli- 

 vered in Vol. II. Clafs III. If this ufe of the word 

 be difcoidant to the ear of the reader, the terra 

 morbid voluntary motions, or motions in confe- 

 quence of averfion, may be fubftituted in its (lead. 



If a perfon has a delire to be cured of the ague, 

 and has at the fame time an averfion (or contrary 

 defire) to fwallowing an ounce of Peruvian bark; he 

 balances defire againft defire, or averfion againft 

 averfion; and thus he acquires the power of choof- 

 ing, which is the common acceptation of the word 

 willing. But in the cold fit of ague, after having 

 difcovered that the a6l of fhuddering, or exerting 

 the fubcutaneous mufcles, relieves the pain of cold; 

 he immediately exerts this aclof volition, andfhud- 

 ders, as foon as the pain and confequent averfion 

 return, without any deliberation intervening ; yet is 

 this aci, as well as that of fwallowing an ounce of the 

 bark, caufed by volition ; and that even though he 

 endeavours in vain to prevent it by a weaker con- 

 trary volition. This recalls to our mind the ftory 

 of the hungry 'afs between two hay-ftacks, where 

 the two defires are fuppofed fo exactly to counteract 

 each other, that he goes to neither of the flacks, 

 but perifhes by want. Now as two equal and op- 

 pofite defires are thus fuppofed to balance each 

 other, and prevent all action, it follows, that if one 

 of thefe hay-ftacks was fuddenly removed, the afs 

 would irrefiftibly be hurried to the other, which 

 in the common ufe of the word might be called an 

 involuntary a& ; but which, in our acceptation of 

 it, would be clalfed amongft voluntary adlions, as 

 above explained. 



Hence to deliberate is to compare oppofmg defires 

 or averfions, and that which is the mod intereiling 



Ii 3 at 



