322 MEMOIRS OF 



ralysis attacked the legs ; the night was restless 

 and painful ; the speech became affected, though 

 it was perfectly to be understood. He pointed 

 out tlie seat of his disorder, observing to those 

 who could comprehend him, " Ce sont les nerfs 

 de la volonte qui sont malades*;" alluding to 

 the late beautiful discoveries of Sir Charles Bell 

 and Scarpa, on the double system of spinal 

 nervest: he clearly and precisely indicated the 

 changes of position which the parts of the limbs 

 yet unparalysed rendered desirable ; and he was 

 moved from his own simple and comparatively 

 small bed-room, into that saloon where he had 

 been the life and soul of the learned world; and, 

 though his speech was less fluent, he conversed 

 with his physicians, his family, and tlie friends 

 wlio aided them in tlieir agonising cares. Among 

 other anxious enquirers came M. Pasquier, whom 

 he had seen on the memorable Tuesday; and he 

 said to him, *' Behold a very diiferent person 

 to the man of Tuesday — of Saturday. Never- 

 theless, I had great things still to do. All was 

 ready in my head ; after thirty years of labour 



* " The nerves of the will are sick." 



* A mouth before hi:? illness, he had read a paper at the 

 Institute upon a memoir of Scarpa's, on this distinction be- 

 tween the nerves of will, and those of sensibility. 



