[ xi 3 
performs this operation. This power is com¬ 
mon to all animals in whom the phenomena 
of eleBricity are apparent. I believed to 
have difcovered in the mufcles which are fub - 
jeB to the empire of the will, the plan which 
nature has prop ofed in the confiruBion of the 
on thofe eleBric organs , in proportion to their fize y rnufl 
appear as extraordinary as their ejfeBs \ and that 3 if we 
except the important organs of our fenfes , there is no part 
even of the mojl perfeB animal y which y for its fize y is more 
liberally fupplied with nerves than the torpedo ; nor yet do 
thefe nerves of the ele Brie organs fern neceffary for any \Jm- 
fation than can belong to them $ and with refpeB to aBion 9 
1 Mr t Hunter obferves y that there is no part of any animal y 
however Jlrong and conjlani its aBion may be y which enjoys 
fo large a portion of them , If then it be probable } that 
thefe nerves are unnecejfary for the purpofe y either of fenfa~ 
fation or aBion y may we not conclude y that they are fuh- 
fervient to the formation y col!eElion y and management of the 
eleBric fluid ? efpecially as it appears , from Mr . Waljlls 
experiments , that the will cf the animal commands the elec¬ 
tric powers of its organ ? If thefe rejleBions are jujt y we 
may with fome probability feretell y that no difeovery of con* 
fequence will ever be made by future phyfiologiJls y concerning 
the nature of the nervous jluid y without acknowledging the 
lights they have borrowed from the experiments of Mr* 
Waljh upon the living torpedo , and the diJfeBion of the dead 
animal y by Mr* Hunter’’ (Sir f* Pringle’s Difcourfes.J 
organs, 
