50 



THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 



iequired for the convenient use of particular mem 

 bers, and for the variety of evolutions which a sen 

 tient being may have occasion to make, the ball and 

 socket articulation is combined with the former. 

 For example, let any person, for a moment, 

 consider the joints of his fingers, and compare 

 them with the joint at his wrist , where the hand 

 is connected with the fore arm. If he hold the 

 back of his hand upwards, he will find that he 

 can move his fingers upwards, or downwards ; 

 out he cannot turn them to the right hand, or to 

 the left, so as to make them describe a circular 

 motion. He will also find that his wrist is ca 

 pable of a similar movement, so that the hand 

 may be bent in a vertical direction. But, in 

 addition to this motion, it is also capable of 

 being turned in, a horizontal direction, or from 

 one side to another. In the former case, we have 

 an example of the hinge articulation ; in the 

 latter, it is combined with an articulation which 

 produces nearly the same effect as a pivot mov 

 ing in a socket. Now, had the joints of the 

 fingers been capable of the same motions as the 

 wrist, the hand would have lost its firmness, and 

 been incapable of performing a variety of mecha 

 nical operations which require objects to be held 

 with a steady grasp. On the other hand, if the 

 joint of the wrist had been formed in the same 

 manner as the joints of the fingers, and confined 

 to a vertical motion, the hand would have been 

 incapable of one out of a hundred varied move 

 ments, which it can now perform with the 

 greatest ease. In this case, we could not have 

 bored a hole with a gimblet, cut down corn with 

 a sickle, digged the earth with a spade, sewed 

 clothes with a needle, tossed up a ball, or turned 

 up the palm of the hand, for any of the useful 

 purposes for which that motion was ordained. 

 In short, without the rotatory motion of the 

 wrist, the greater part of the operations connected 

 with gardening, agriculture, cookery, washing, 

 spinning, weaving, painting, carving, engraving, 

 building, and other mechanical arts, could not be 

 performed ; and such of them as could be effected, 

 would be accomplished only with the greatest 

 inconvenience and labour. Any person may con 

 vince himself of this, by holding his hand in a 

 horizontal position, and preventing his wrist 

 joint from turning round, and then by trying what 

 operations he can easily perform without the 

 rotatory motion ; and he will soon perceive with 

 what exquisite skill the numerous movements 

 of our animal frames have been contrived by 

 the great Author of our existence. In each hand 

 there are 27 bones, all of which are essential to 

 the different motions we wish to perform. Every 

 uiger is composed of three bones, connected 

 together by articulations, muscles, and ligaments. 

 If, instead of three, each finger were composed 

 of only one bone, it would be quite impossible 

 for us to grasp a single object. 



The same admirable contrivance may bv per 

 ceived in the movements of which the head iff 

 susceptible. It was requisite, in order to out 

 convenience and comfort, lhat we should be ena 

 bled to move our head backwards or forwards 

 to look up towards the heavens, or downwards 

 to the ground. It was also expedient, that it. 

 should have a power of turning to the right, or to 

 the left, so as to take in a considerable portion 

 of a circle, wilhout being under the necessity of 

 turning round the whole body. Accordingly we 

 find, that both these motions are provided for, in 

 the manner in which the head is connected with 

 the vertebrae. The head rests upon the uppermost 

 of these bones, to which it is connected by a hinge 

 joint, similar to those in the fingers, which allows 

 it to move backwards and forwards ; and, by means 

 of a round, longish process, or projection, which 

 moves in a socket, it is enabled to move horizon 

 tally, as upon an axis. Had the first motion 

 been wanting, we could not have looked up to the 

 zenith, without laying flat on our back ; nor could 

 we have looked to the ground, without placing 

 our bodies in a prone position, and, in such a 

 case, we could never have seen our own feet, un 

 less when they were bent considerably forward. 

 Had the second motion been wanting, we could 

 have looked to .lothing except the objects directly 

 before us, without the trouble of turning round 

 the whole body, either to the right, or to the left. 

 But in the construction of our corporeal system, 

 every thing is so arranged and adapted to another, 

 as at once to contribute to ease, and facility of 

 motion, in all the varied operations and move 

 ments we have occasion to perform ; which 

 circumstance forcibly demonstrates both the be 

 nevolent intentions, and the admirable wisdom 

 of Him &quot; whose hands have made and fashioned 

 us,&quot; and who &quot; breathed into our nostrils the 

 breath of life.&quot; 



The above are only two or three out of a 

 hundred of similar instances, which might be 

 produced to show the benevolent care which has 

 been exercised in arranging and articulating 

 the system of bones, of which the prop-work of 

 the human frame is composed. Were we to enter 

 into an investigation of the actions and uses of 

 the various muscles, the wonderful system of veins 

 and arteries, the action of the heart, stomach, 

 and bowels ; the process of respiration, and in 

 sensible perspiration, and the system of nerves, 

 glands, lymphatics, and lacteals a thousand in 

 stances of Divine wisdom and beneficence would 

 crowd upon our view, which could not fail to ex 

 cite the pious and contemplative mind to join in 

 the devotions of the &quot; sweet singer of Israel,&quot; 

 &quot; I will praise thee ; for I am fearfully and won 

 derfully made ; marvellous are thy works, and that 

 my soul knoweth right well.&quot; But as I intended 

 to present only a few specimens of the Wisdom 

 of God, as displayed in the construction of 



