of any Size or Quantity. The least things, as any Imall fingle Seed, are taken up by the Thumb and Forefinger; thofe a little greater, by the Thumb and two Fingers, which alfo we chiefly employ to manage the Needle in Sowing, and the Pen in Writing: When we would take up a greater Quantity of any thing, we make use of the Thumb, and all the Fingers. Sometimes we ufe one Finger only, as in pointing at any thing, picking things out of Holes, or long and narrow Veffels; fometimes all feverally at one time, as in ftopping the Strings when we play upon any mufical Inftruments. Secondly, The Fingers are ftrengthened with feveral Bones, jointed together for Motion, and furnished with feveral Mufcles and Tendons, like fo many Pullies to bend them circularly forwards; which is most convenient for the firm holding and griping of any Object: Which of how great, conftant, and neceffary Ufe it is in pulling or drawing, but efpecially in taking up, and retaining any fort of Tool or Inftrument to work withal, in Hufbandry, and all mechanick Arts, is so obvious to every Man's Obfervation, that I need not fpend Time to inftance in Particulars: Moreover, the feveral Fingers are furnished with feveral Mufcles, to extend and open the Hand, and to move to the Right and Left: And fo this Divifion and Motion of the Fingers doth not hinder, but that the whole Hand may be employed, as if it were all of a piece; as we fee it is, either expanded, as in ftriking out, fmoothing

T 4

fmoothing and folding up of Cloths, and fome mechanick Ufes; or contracted, as in Fighting, kneading of Dough, and the like. It is alfo notable, and indeed wonderful, that the Tendons, bending the middle Joint of the Fingers, fhould be perforated to give Paffage to the Tendons of the Mufcles which draw the uppermost Joints, and all bound down close to the Bone with ftrong Fillets, left they should ftart up, and hinder the Hand in its Work, ftanding like fo many Bow-ftrings.. Thirdly, The Fingers-Ends are ftrengthened with Nails, as we fortify the Ends of our Staves or Forks with Iron-Hoops or Ferules; which Nails serve not only for Defence, but for Ornament, and many Ufes. The Skin upon our FingersEnds is thin, and of moft exquifite Senfe, to help us judge of any thing we handle. If now I fhould go ab about to reckon up the feveral Ufes of this Inftrument, Time would fooner fail me than Matter. By the Help of this we do all our Works, we, build ourfelves Houses to dwell in; we make ourfelves Garments to wear we plow and fow our Grounds with Corn, drefs and cultivate our Vineyards, Gardens, and Orchards, gather and lay up our Grain, and Fruits, we prepare and make ready our Victuals. Spinning, Weaving, Painting, Carving, Engraving, and that Divinely invented Art of Writing, whereby we tranfmit our own. Thoughts to Pofterity, and converfe with, and participate the Obfervations and Inventions of them that are long ago Dead, all

per

performed by this. This is the only Inftrument for all Arts whatfoever; no Improvement to be made of any Experimental Knowledge without it. Hence (as Ariftotle faith well) they do amifs that complain, that Man is worfe dealt with by Nature than other Creatures; whereas they have fome Hair, fome Shells, fome Wool, fome Feathers, fome Scales, to defend themselves from the Injuries of the Weather: Man alone is born Naked, and without all Covering. Whereas they have natural Weapons to defend themselves, and offend their Enemies, fome Horns, fome Hoofs, fome Teeth, fome Talons, fome Claws, fome Spurs and Beaks, Man hath none of all thefe, but is weak, and feeble, and unarmed fent into the World. Why, a Hand with Reafon to use it, fupplies the Ufes of all thefe, that's both a Horn, and a Hoof, and a Talon, and a Tusk, Ge. because it enables us to ufe Weapons of thefe and other Fashions, as Swords, and Spears, and Guns. Befides, this Advantage a Man hath of them, that whereas they cannot at Pleasure change their Coverings, or lay afide their Weapons, or make ufe of others as Occafion ferves, but muft abide Winter and Summer, Night and. Day, with the fame Cloathing on their Backs, and fleep with their Weapons upon them; a Man can alter his Cloathing according to the Exigency of the Weather, go warm in Win, ter, and cool in Summer, cover up himfelf hot in the Night, and lay afide his Cloaths in the Day, and put on or off more or fewer, ac

cording

cording as his Work and Exercife is: And can, as Occafion requires, make use of divers Sorts of Weapons, and Choice of fuch at all Turns, as are most proper and convenient whereby we are enabled to fubdue and rule over all other Creatures; and ufe for our own Behoof thofe Qualities wherein, they excell, as the Strength of the Ox, the Valour and Swiftnefs of the Horfe, the Sagacity and Vigilancy of the Dog, and fo make them as it were our own. Had we wanted this Member in our Bodies, we must have lived the Life of Brutes, without Houfe or Shelter, but what the Woods and Rocks would have afforded without Cloaths or Covering; without Corn, or, Wine, or Oil, or any other Drink but Water; without the Warmth and Comfort, or other Ufes of Fire, and fo without any Artificial Bak'd, Boil'd, or Roaft Meats; but must have fcrambled with the wild Beafts for Crabs, and Nuts, and Acorns, and fuch other things as the Earth puts forth of her own Accord. We had laid open and expofed to Injuries, and had been unable to refift or defend ourfelves against almoft the weakest Creature.

The remaining Parts I fhall but briefly run

over.

That the Back-Bone fhould be divided into fo many Vertebres for commodious bending, and not be one entire rigid Bone, which being of that Length would have been often in Danger of fnapping in funder: That it fhould be made tapering in Form of a Pillar, the lower

Vertebres'

1

Vertebres being the broadeft and largest, and the fuperiour in order, leffer and leffer, for the greater Firmnefs and Stability of the Trunk of the Body. That the feveral Vertebres fhould be fo elegantly and artificially compacted and joined together, that they are as strong and firm, as if they were but one Bone. That they fhould be all perforated in the Middle with a large Hole for the Spinal Marrow or Pith to pafs along; and each Particular have a Hole on each Side to tranfmit the Nerves to the Muscles of the Body, to convey both Sense and Motion. That by reafon of the forementioned clofe Connexion of the Vertebres, it fhould be fo formed, as not to admit any great Flexture or Recefs from a Right Line, any Angular, but only a moderate Circular Bending left the Spinal Pith fhould be compreffed, and fo the free Intercourfe or Paffage of the Spirits to and fro be stopt.

One Obfervation relating to the Motion of the Bones in their Articulations, I fhall here add, That is, the Care that is taken, and the Provifion that is made, for the eafy and expedite Motion of them; there being to that Purpofe a twofold Liquor prepared for the Inunction and Lubrification, of their Heads or Ends, 1. An Oily one, furnished by the Marrow. 2. A Mucilaginous, fupplied by certain Glandules feated in the Articulations, both which together make up the most apt and proper Mixture for this Ufe and End that can be invented or thought upon. For not only both

the