DISEASES OF VOLITION. Spcr. XXXIV. a. 



fays the reverend doctor, " ride upon my gold- 

 headed cane ;" and the pleafed child, putting it 

 between his legs, galloped away with delight, and 

 complained no more of his fatigue. Here the aid 

 of another fenforial power, that of pleafurable fen- 

 fation, fuperadded vigour to the exertion of exhauft- 

 ed volition. Which could otherwife only have been 

 excited by additional pain, as by the laih of flavery. 

 On this account, where the whole fenforial power 

 has been exerted on the contemplation of the pro? 

 mifed joys of heaven, the faints of all perfecuted 

 religions have borne the tortures of martyrdom with 

 otheiwife unaccountable firmnefs. 



7. There are fome difeafes, which obtain at leaft 

 a temporary relief from the exertions of infanity j 

 many inftances of diopfies being thus for a time 

 cured are recorded. An elderly woman labouring 

 with afcites I twice faw relieved for fome weeks by 

 infanity, the dropfy ceafed fpr feveial weeks, an4 

 recurred again, alternating with the infanity. A man 

 afflicted with difficult refpiration on lying down, 

 with very irregular pulfe, and cedematous legs, 

 whom I faw this day, has for above a week been, 

 much relieved in refpect to all thofe fymptoms by 

 the accefiion of infanity, which is fhewn by inordi : 

 nate fufpicion, and great anger. 



Jn cales of Common temporary anger the increaf- 

 ed action of the arterial fyftem is feen by the re4 

 Ikin, and increafed pulfe., with the immediate in* 

 creafe of mufcular activity. A friend of mine, when 

 he was painfully fatigued by riding on horfeback, 

 was accuftomed to, call up ideas into his mind, 

 which ufed to excite his anger pr indignation, and 

 thus for a time at leaft relieved the 'pain of fatigue. 

 By this temporary infanity, the effecl of the volun- 

 tary power upon the whole of his fyftem was in- 

 creafed ; as in the cafes of dropfy above mentioned, 

 it would appear, that the increafed action of the 



voluntary 



