88 OF THE MUSCLES. 



Although the few instances we have selected, even as 

 they stand in our description, are nothing short, perhaps, 

 of logical proofs of design, yet it must not be forgotten, 

 that, in every part of anatomy, description is a poor sub- 

 stitute for inspection. It was well said by an able anato- 

 mist,* and said in reference to the very part of the sub- 

 ject which we have been treating of, *' Imperfecta hsec 

 musculorum descriptio, non minus arida est legentibus, 

 quam inspectantibus fuerit jucunda eorundem prseparatio. 

 Elegantissima enim mecanices artificia, creberrime in 

 illis obvia, verbis nonnisi obscure exprimuntur ; carnium 

 autem ductu, tendinum colore, insertionum proportione, 

 et trochlearium distributione, occulis exposita, omnem su- 

 perant admirationem." 



The following remarks upon the structured the tendons, from the An- 

 imal Mechanics already quoted, will form an instructive addition to the 

 foregoing Chapter, to the subject of which they bear a near relation. Ed. 



Of the Cordage of the Tendons. 



Where nature has provided a perfect system of columns 

 and levers, and pullies, w'e may antici})ate that the cords by 

 which the force of the muscles is concentrated on the movea- 

 ble bones, must be constructed with as curious a provision 

 for their offices. In this surmise we shall not be disappoint- 

 ed. 



To understand what is necessary to the strength of a rope 

 or a cable, we must learn what has been the object of the im- 

 provements and patents in this manufacture. The first pro- 

 cess in rope-making, is hatchelling the hemp : that is, combing 

 out the short fibres, and placing the long ones parallel to one 

 another. The second is, spinning the hemp into yarns. And 

 here the principle must be attended to, which goes through 

 the whole process in forming a cable ; vrliich is that the fibres 

 of the hemp shall bear an equal strain : and the difficulty may 

 be easily conceived, since the twisting must derange the par- 

 allel position of the fibres. Each fibre, as it is twisted, ties 

 the other fibres together, so as to form a continued line, and 

 it bears, at the same time, a certain portion of the strain, and 

 so each fibre alternately. The third step of the process is 

 making the yarns. Warping the yarns, is stretching them to 

 a certain length ; and for the same reason, that so much at- 

 tention has been paid to the arrangement of the fibres for 

 the yarns, the same care is taken in the management of the 

 yarns for the strands. The fourth step of the process is to 



* Sterno in Bias. Anat. Animal, p. 2. c. 4, 



