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And the irritative ideas excited by the stimulus of the objects, with which we are surrounded, are every moment intruded upon us, and form other links of our unceasing catenations of ideas. The absence of the stimuli of external bodies, and of volition, in our dreams renders the organs of sense liable to be more strongly affected by the powers of sensation, and of association.
To investigate with precision the catenations of animal motions, it would be well to attend to the manner of their production; but we cannot begin this disquisition early enough for this purpose, as the catenations of motion seem to begin with life, and are only extinguishable with it; We have spoken of the power of irritation, of sensation, of volition, and of association, as preceding the fibrous motions; we now step forwards, and consider, that conversely they are in their turn preceded by those motions; and that all the successive trains or circles of our actions are composed of this twofold concatenation.
Hence also we understand, why the catenations of irritative motions are more strongly connected than those of the other classes, where the quantity of unmixed repetition has been equal; because they were first formed. Such are those of the secerning and absorbent systems of vessels, where the action of the gland produces a fluid, which stimulates the mouths of its correspondent absorbents.
Many other examples of the catenations of animal motions are explained in Sect. XXXVI. on the Periods of Diseases. Volition is suspended in sleep. 2. Sensation continues. Dreams prevent delirium and inflammation. 3. Nightmare. 4. Ceaseless flow of ideas in dreams. 5. We seem to receive them by the senses. Optic nerve perfectly sensible in sleep.
All the preceding circumstances of the catenations of animal motions will be more clearly understood by the following example of a person learning music; and when we recollect the variety of mechanic arts, which are performed by associated trains of muscular actions catenated with the effects they produce, as in knitting, netting, weaving; and the greater variety of associated trains of ideas caused or catenated by volitions or sensations, as in our hourly modes of reasoning, or imagining, or recollecting, we shall gain some idea of the innumerable catenated trains and circles of action, which form the tenor of our lives, and which began, and will only cease entirely with them.
This not only obtains in the annual, lunar, and diurnal catenations of animal motions, as explained in Sect. XXXVI. which are thus performed with great facility and energy; but in every less circle of actions or ideas, as in the burthen of a song, or the reiterations of a dance.
All these catenations of animal motions, are liable to proceed some time after they are excited, unless they are disturbed or impeded by other irritations, sensations, or volitions; and in many instances in spite of our endeavours to stop them; and this property of animal motions is probably the cause of their catenation.
The associate trains or circles of motions continue; but their catenations with some of the irritative motions are disordered, or inverted, or dissevered. Sleep from satiety of hunger. From rocking children. From uniform sounds. 2. Intoxication from common food after fatigue and inanition. 3. From wine or of opium. Chilness after meals. Vertigo.
Then new catenations take place. 10. Much effort prevents their reuniting. Impediment of speech. 11. Trains more easily dissevered than circles. 12. Sleep destroys volition and external stimulus. II. Instances of various catenations in a young lady playing on the harpsichord. What catenations are the strongest. 2. Irritations joined with associations from strongest connexions. Vital motions. 3.
For the sensorial power of association is combined with the sensorial power of irritation, or, in common language, the acquired habit assists the power of the stimulus. This circumstance not only obtains in the annual and diurnal catenations of animal motions explained in Sect.
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