For the fake of method, we have confidered animal bodies under three divifions, their bones, their muscles, and their veffels: and we have ftated our obfervations upon these parts feparately. But this is to diminish the ftrength of the argument. The wisdom of the Creator is feen, not in their separate but their collective action; in their mutual fubferviency and dependence; in their contri buting together to one effect, and one ufe. It has been faid, that a man cannot lift his hand to his head without finding enough to con vince him of the existence of a God. And it is well faid; for he has only to reflect, fami liar as this action is, and fimple as it seems to be, how many things are requifite for the performing of it; how many things which we

understand, to say nothing of many more, say probably, which we do not; viz.. first, a long; hard, ftrong cylinder, in order to give to the arm its firmness and tension; but which, being rigid and, in its fubftance, inflexible, can only turn upon joints: fecondly therefore, joints: for this purpose, one at the fhoulder to raise the arm, another at the elbow to bend it; these joints continually fed with a.foft mu cilage to make the parts flip cafily upon one another,

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another, and held together by ftrong braces to keep them in their pofition: then, thirdly, ftrings and wires, i. e. mufcles and tendons, artificially inferted for the purpose of drawing the bones in the directions in which the joints allow them to move. Hitherto we seem to understand the mechanifm pretty well; and understanding this, we poffefs enough for our conclufion: nevertheless we have hitherto only a machine standing ftill; a dead organization; an apparatus. To put the fyftem in a state of activity (to fet it at work) a further provision is necessary, viz. a communication with the brain by means of nerves. We know the existence of this communication, because we can see the communicating threads, and can trace them to the brain: its neceffity we alfo know, because, if the thread be cut, if the communication be intercepted, the muscle becomes paralytic: but beyond this we know little; the organization being too minute and fubtile for our inspection.

To what has been enumerated, as officiating in the fingle act of a man's raifing his hand to his head, must be added likewife, all that is neceffary, and all that contributes, to the growth, nourishment, and fuftentation of the

limb, the repair of its wafte, the prefervation of its health: fuch as the circulation of the blood through every part of it; its lymphatics, exhalants, absorbents; its excretions and integuments. All these share in the refult; join in the effect: and how all these, or any of them, come together without a designing, disposing intelligence, it is impoffible to conceive.

CHAP

CHAPTER XI.

OF THE ANIMAL STRUCTURE REGARDED AS A MASS.

CONTEMPLATING an animal body in its collective capacity, we cannot forget to notice, what a number of inftruments are brought together, and often within how finall a compass. In a canary bird, for inftance, and in the ounce of matter which composes its body (but which feems to be all employed), we have inftruments, for eating, for digesting, for nourishment, for breathing, for generation, for running, for flying, for feeing, for hearing, for smelling; each appropriate; each entirely different from all the reft.

The human, or indeed the animal frame, confidered as a mafs or affemblage, exhibits in its compofition three properties, which have long ftruck my mind, as indubitable evidences, not only of defign, but of a great deal of attention and accuracy in profecuting the defign.

I. The first is, the exact correspondency of the two fides of the fame animal; the right hand answering to the left, leg to leg, eye to eye, one fide of the countenance to the other; and with a precision, to imitate which in any tolerable degree forms one of the difficulties of ftatuary, and requires, on the part of the artist, a constant attention to this property of his work, diftinct from every other.

It is the most difficult thing that can be to get a wig made even; yet how seldom is the face awry? And what care is taken that it should not be fo, the anatomy of its bones demonstrates. The upper part of the face is composed of thirteen bones, fix on each fide, answering each to each, and the thirteenth, without a fellow, in the middle the lower part of the face is in like manner compofed of fix bones, three on each fide, respectively correfponding, and the lower jaw in the centre. In building an arch could more be done in order to make the curve true, i. e. the parts equi-diftant from the middle, alike in figure and pofition?

The exact resemblance of the eyes, confidering how compounded this organ is in its ftructure, how various and how delicate are the fhades of colour with which its iris is

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tinged,