112 CONSCIOUSNESS AND SENSATION. 
3. By the impressed condition continued from 
the brain to the distribution of a motor nerve not 
only is a stimulus communicated to the muscles 
and applied by the nerve, but muscular sense is 
given ; and the consciousness being brought into 
direct communication with the part by establish- 
ment of continuity of the impressed condition, the 
will is enabled to regulate the position of the part 
and the degree of muscular energy with which it is 
maintained. But a motor nerve differs from sen- 
sory nerves of all sorts in the fact that irritation 
of it does not produce any sensation either of the 
character of common sensation or special sense ; 
and in this respect it is probably like the proper 
fibres of the spinal cord and brain. 
It may be allowable to say in conclusion that in 
publishing these views I put most importance on 
the objections which I have urged against the 
received doctrine of sensation ; and in venturing to 
suggest another in its place I am perfectly aware 
that there is much which is imperfect in the hypo- 
thesis which I have put forward, and I can only 
hope that it may prove of some use in building up 
a more perfect view. 
