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"Observe by the way, That all the Organs consist of little Threads, or Nerves; which have their Origine in the Middle of the Brain, are diffused thence throughout all the Members which have any Sense, and terminate in the exterior Parts of the Body: That when we are in Health, and awake, one End of these Nerves cannot be agitated, or shaken, without shaking the other; by reason they are always a little stretch'd, as is the Case of a stretch'd Cord, one Part of which cannot be stirr'd without a like Motion of all the rest."

— Chambers, Ephraim (1680-1740)

Author

Chambers, Ephraim (1680-1740)

Work Title

Cyclopædia; or, an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences

Place of Publication

London

Publisher

James & John Knapton

Date

1728

Metaphor

"Observe by the way, That all the Organs consist of little Threads, or Nerves; which have their Origine in the Middle of the Brain, are diffused thence throughout all the Members which have any Sense, and terminate in the exterior Parts of the Body: That when we are in Health, and awake, one End of these Nerves cannot be agitated, or shaken, without shaking the other; by reason they are always a little stretch'd, as is the Case of a stretch'd Cord, one Part of which cannot be stirr'd without a like Motion of all the rest."

Metaphor in Context

To conceive the Manner wherein Sensation is effected: Observe by the way, That all the Organs consist of little Threads, or Nerves; which have their Origine in the Middle of the Brain, are diffused thence throughout all the Members which have any Sense, and terminate in the exterior Parts of the Body: That when we are in Health, and awake, one End of these Nerves cannot be agitated, or shaken, without shaking the other; by reason they are always a little stretch'd, as is the Case of a stretch'd Cord, one Part of which cannot be stirr'd without a like Motion of all the rest. Observe, again, That these Nerves may be agitated two ways; either by the End out of the Brain, or that in the Brain. If they be agitated from without, by the Action of Objects, and their Agitation be not communicated as far as the Brain as frequently happens in, Steep, when the Nerves are in a State of Relaxation; the Soul does not then receive any new Sensation. But if the Nerves happen to be agitated in the Brain, by the Course of the Animal Spirits, or any other Cause; the Soul perceives something, though the Parts of those Nerves, that are out of the Brain, diffused through the several Parts of the Body, remain at perfect Rest: as likewise is frequently the Case in Sleep. Lastly, observe, by the way, that Experience tells us, we may sometimes see, Pain in Parts of the Body that have been entirely Cut off; by reason the Fibres in the Brain corresponding to them, being agitated in the same Manner as if they were really hurt; the Soul feels a real Pain in those imaginary Parts. All these Things shew evidently, that the Soul resides immediately in that Part of the Brain wherein the Nerves of all the Organs of Sense terminate: we mean 'tis there it perceives all the Changes that happen with regard to the Objects that cause them, or that have been used to cause them; and, that it only perceives what passes out of this Part, by the Mediation of the Fibres terminating in it. See NERVE, FIBRE, &c.
(II, 53-4)