LECTURE II. 57 



a subtile fluid, by means of which such 

 motions were transmitted. 



Of the extensive knowledge and high 

 intellectual powers of Baron Haller, no 

 one can entertain a doubt ; and yet, he 

 could devise no other theory to account for 

 the phaenomena of the nervous functions. 

 His opinions have always appeared to me 

 very sensible, and they were accordant to 

 the philosophy of his own times. He says, 

 Si vero, cogitata nostra de ipsa natura spi- 

 rituum proferre juberemur, activum ad mo- 

 tum, a voluntate et a sensu concipiendum, 

 aptissimum, celerrimum, omne sensuum 

 acie subtilius,tamen hactenus igne et asthere, 

 et electro, et magnetica materie crassius 

 facere elementum, ut et contineri vasis et 

 a vinculis coerceri aptum sit: et denique 

 manifestum ex cibis nasci et reparari 

 queat. 



Mr. Hunter's opinion of a subtile and 

 mobile substance, inhering in the nervous 

 chords, is not essentially different from 

 that of Haller. He does not indeed sup- 



