On muscular ISIotion. 121 



mav be considered as inanimate substances ; even the re- 

 ticular membrane itself seems to be of this class, and ten- 

 dons, which may be the conJensed state of it : but these 

 particulars are foreign to the present occasion. 



The deduction now to be made, and applied to the his- 

 tory of muscular motion, is, that animated matter n)ay be 

 connected with inanimate: this is exeirplified in the ad- 

 hesions of the muscles of multivalve and bivaKx shell- 

 fish to the inorganic shell, the cancer Bernhardus to tire 

 dead shells of other animals, and in the transplantation of 

 teeth. All of \vhich, although somewhat contrary to re- 

 ceived opinion, have certainly no degree of vascularity, or 

 vital connection with the inhabitant; these shells being 

 liable to transudations of cupreous salts and other poi- 

 sonous substances, whilst the animal remains uninjured. 

 A variety of proofs to the same efiect might be adduced, 

 but it would be disrespectful to this learned body to uro-e 

 any further illustrations on a subject so obvious. 



The effects of subdivision, or conmiinution of parts anions 

 the complicated organized bodies, is unlike that of mineral 

 bodies: in the latter instance, the entire properties of the 

 substance are retained, however extensive the subdivision; 

 in the former substances, the conmiinution of parts destroys 

 the essential texture and composition, by separating the gross 

 arrangements of structure upon which their specific pro- 

 perties depend. From similar causes it seems to arise, that 

 animals of minute bulk are necessarily of simple structure: 

 size alone is not, however, the sole cause of their simple 

 organization, because examples arc sufficiently numerous 

 wherein the animal attains considerable bulk, and is of 

 simple structure, and vice versa; but, in the former, the 

 jnedium in which they live, and the habits they assume, 

 are such as do not require extensive appendages, whilst the 

 smaller complex animals are destined to more difficult and 

 more active txv.rtions. It may be assumed, however, as an 

 invariable position, that the minutest animals are all of 

 simple organization. 



Upon a small scale, life mav be carried on with simple 

 materials; but the management and provisions for bulky 

 animals, with numerous limbs, and variety of organs, and 

 appendages of convenience, are not effected by simple ap- 

 paratus : tlms the skeleton w hich gives a determinate figure 

 to the species, supports its stjfl parts, and admits of a geo- 

 metrical motion, is placed interiorly, where the bulk of the 

 animal admits of the bones being sufficieiitly strong, and 

 yet light enough tor the moving powers; but the skeleton 



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