268 ANDREW JACKSON HOWE. 



A feature of Sir Charles Bell's surgical produc- 

 tions, is the careful demonstration of the anatomy of 

 the parts involved in an operation. Both of the Bells 

 were ever noted for the interest they threw into their 

 demonstrations. If a muscle were described, not only 

 its origin, insertion and function were called vividly 

 to mind ; but the importance of certain surgical points 

 a given muscle bore upon, was cited and emphasized. 

 The same practice of showing the relation of vessels 

 and nerves to surgical operations was always followed. 



Sir Charles Bell never omitted an opportunity to 

 learn something of comparative anatomy, dissecting 

 every variety of creature that could be obtained from 

 any part of the earth. He always was at great ex- 

 pense in securing rare specimens. Whoever has read 

 The Hand, its Mechanism and Vital Endowment, will at 

 once see why the author of the production was se- 

 lected to execute a work which should in part fulfill 

 the bequest of the Earl of Bridgewater, who left 

 8,000 in trust to the President of the Eoyal Society 

 of London, for the purpose of rewarding the writer 

 of a dissertation " to exemplify the power, wisdom, 

 and goodness of God, as manifested in the works of 

 his Creation." The history of the execution of the 

 celebrated bequest is somewhat interesting. The then 

 President, Mr. Davies Gilbert, shrank from the re- 

 sponsibility of selecting the person best qualified to 

 carry the object of the will into effect; and having 

 associated with himself, in the discharge of this duty, 

 the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Lon- 

 don, they determined to subdivide the sum left to their 

 disposal amongst the writers of eight several essays, 

 illustrative of the subject proposed. In his will, Lord 

 Bridgewater had expressed a desire that the power 



