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Many catenations of irritative motions were at first succeeded by sensation, as the apparent motions of objects when we walk past them, and probably the vital motions themselves in the early state of our existence. But as those sensations were followed by no movements of the system in consequence of them, they gradually ceased to be produced, not being joined to any succeeding link of catenation.
From hence it appears, that these catenations of ideas and muscular motions, which form the trains of reverie, are composed both of voluntary and sensitive associations of them; and that these ideas differ from those of delirium or of sleep, as they are kept consistent by the power of volition; and they differ also from the trains of ideas belonging to insanity, as they are as frequently excited by sensation as by volition.
The last link of the broken chain of actions becomes connected with the new motion which has broken it, or with that which was nearest the link omitted; and these new catenations proceed instead of the old ones. Hence the periodic returns of ague-fits, and the chimeras of our dreams. If a train of actions is dissevered, much effort of volition or sensation will prevent its being restored.
It is these habits of action, these catenations of ideas and muscular motions, which begin with life, and only terminate with it; and which we can in some measure deliver to our posterity; as explained in Sect.
If any circle of actions is dissevered, either by omission of some of the links, as in sleep, or by insertion of other links, as in surprise, new catenations take place in a greater or less degree.
Whilst the acquiring of languages, the making of tools, and the labouring for money; which are all only the means of procuring pleasure; and the praying to the Deity, as another means to procure happiness, are characteristic of human nature. Catenations of animal motion. 2. Are produced by irritations, by sensations, by volitions. 3. They continue some time after they have been excited.
For what else is there of similitude between the first speck of living entity and the mature man? every deduction of reasoning, every sentiment or passion, with every fibre of the corporeal part of our system, has been subject almost to annual mutation; while some catenations alone of our ideas and muscular actions have continued in part unchanged.
The associated motions seem to be the next most strongly united, from their frequent repetition; and where both these circumstances unite, as in the vital motions, their catenations are indissoluble but by the destruction of the animal.
The great novelty of combination is owing to another circumstance; the trains of ideas, which are carried on in our waking thoughts, are in our dreams dissevered in a thousand places by the suspension of volition, and the absence of irritative ideas, and are hence perpetually falling into new catenations. As explained in Sect.
We may conclude from this account of vertigo, that sea-sickness is not an effort of nature to relieve herself, but a necessary consequence of the associations or catenations of animal motions.
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