e ventricles of the brain have been, that those ventricles are the
recipients of the animal spirits and of all the lymphs of the brain: the
arguments in favor of the _corpora striata_ have been, that these bodies
constitute the marrow, through which the nerves are emitted, and by
which each brain is continued into the spine; and from the spine and the
marrow there is an emanation of fibres serving for the contexture of the
whole body: the arguments in favor of the medullary substance of each
brain have been, that this substance is a collection and congeries of
all the fibres, which are the rudiments or beginnings of the whole man:
the arguments in favor of the cortical substance have been, that in that
substance are contained the prime and ultimate ends, and consequently
the principles of all the fibres, and thereby of all the senses and
motions: the arguments in favor of the _dura mater_ have been, that it
is the common covering of each brain, and hence by some kind of
continuous principle extends itself over the heart and the viscera of
the body. As to myself, I am undetermined which of these opinions is the
most probable, and therefore I leave the matter to your determination
and decision." Having thus concluded he descended from the desk, and
delivered the tunic, the robe, and the cap, to the third, who mounting
into the desk began as follows: "How little qualified is a youth like
myself for the investigation of so sublime a theorem! I appeal to the
learned who are here seated at the sides of the gymnasium; I appeal to
you wise ones in the orchestra; yea, I appeal to the angels of the
highest heaven, whether any person, from his own rational light, is able
to form any idea concerning the soul; nevertheless I, like others, can
guess about the place of its abode in man; and my conjecture is, that it
is in the heart and thence in the blood; and I ground my conjecture on
this circumstance, that the heart by its blood rules both the body and
the head; for it sends forth a large vessel called the _aorta_ into the
whole body, and vessels called the carotids into the whole head; hence
it is universally agreed, that the soul from the heart by means of the
blood supports, nourishes, and vivifies the universal organical system
both of the body and the head. As a further proof of this position it
may be urged, that in the Sacred Scripture frequent mention is made of
the soul and the heart; as where it is said, Thou shalt love God