Page:Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, volume 1.djvu/134

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separably conjoined and co-operating; and when they have confined our mental relations with the external world, to the limited number of our five external senses, they have concluded that they have traced the origin of all our perceptions, and have pointed out the source of all the phenomena of the mind, or of the intellectual principle within us. But this, in fact, is far from being the case. It may appear, at first sight, a paradox; but it is true that, as far as our minds are concerned, our bodies are outside of ourselves. Some of the bodily instruments with which we are endowed, have to be learnt themselves first, before they can teach us anything. The newly-born infant has no more idea of the form of his own bodily frame, or of the different situation of its external organs, than he has of the world exterior to it. His body is, literally, outside of himself. He gradually learns that he has hands and feet, by bringing them within the sphere of his vision; and he acquaints himself, through the medium of the sense of touch, residing in those very hands, with the various localities, and relative situations, of other parts of his body. Yet, from the body thus distinct, there arises a modification of the states of the mind, from a variety of causes not duly appreciated.

There are other feelings, besides those ascribed to certain distinct organs of perception, which are, strictly speaking, sensations, are perceived by the mind, and modify its state: for instance, there are muscular feelings. There is a particular feeling, which attends the action of voluntary muscles, which acquaints the mind with their power, and informs