"Ah me! that cheek of livid hue "that brow-that auburn hair"thofe lips where late the roses blew, ❝all, all my fon declare." She added not-but funk opprefs'd— Death on her eye-lids stole, while from her grief-distracted break fhe figh'd her tortur'd foul. SECT. LXXIX. LAW III. A DEFECTING EXCITEMENT OF THE MIND ACCU-, MULATES NERVOUS ENERGY, WHILE IT AT THE SAME TIME WEAKENS THE NERVES. HAVING treated of direct nervous ftimuli, and their effect in strengthening the powers of the understanding, when in due quantity, and their baneful effect when in excess, and having fhewn that the nervous system was, in this respect, obedient to nearly the fame laws as the fibrous, we are arrived now at that part of our fubject which treats of indirect nervous ftimuli, which, like other indirect ftimuli, accumulates nervous energy. That the nervous power is accumulated by defect of fenforial action, we have the most striking example in vifion. It is, indeed, furprifing how far the eye can accommodate itself to darkness, and make the best of a gloomy fituation. When first taken from light and brought into a dark room, all things disappear; but after a few minutes the pupil dilates, and the optic nerve VOL. IV. 5 N having having accumulated fufficient fenforial power many objects may be difcerned. Xenophon, in his account of the retreat of the ten thoufand, mentions that the Perfians and Greeks had always lights in their camps: but as they traversed Thrace, the king Seuthes had lights around his camp, which kept him concealed, and enabled him to perceive any person who should have the boldnefs to reconnoitre his camp, whereas the Perfians and Greeks could only discover the spy in the camp itself.-The reason of this is explained by the principle above. There was a gentleman of great courage and understanding, who was a major under King CHARLES I. This unfortunate man, fharing in his master's misfortunes, and being forced abroad, ventured, at Madrid, to do his king a fignal service; but, unluckily, failed in the attempt. In confequence of this, he was inftantly ordered to a dark and dismal dungeon, into which the light never entered, and into which there was no opening but by a hole at the top, down which the keeper put his provifions, and presently closed it again on the other side. In this manner the unfortunate loyalift continued for fome weeks, diftreffed and difconfolate; but, at laft, began to think he faw fome 8 little |