9J 



MUSCOVY MUSES. 



of blood, and, at least, one nervous filament. By 

 chemical analysis, muscle is found to consist chiefly 

 of fibrin, with albumen, gelatine, extractive, phos- 

 phate of soda, phosphate of ammonia, phosphate 

 ami carbonate of lime, and sulphate of potassa. 

 Each muscle is surrounded by a thin and delicate 

 covering of cellular membrane, which, dipping down 

 into its substance, encloses the most minute fibres we 

 are able to trace, connecting them to each other, 

 lubricating them by means of the fat which its cells 

 contain, in more or less quantity in different subjects, 

 and serving as a support to the blood-vessels, lym- 

 phatics, and nerves, which are distributed through 

 the muscles. The muscles owe the red colour which 

 so particularly distinguishes their belly part, to an 

 infinite number of arteries, which are everywhere 

 dispersed through the whole of their reticular sub- 

 stance ; for their fibres, after having been macerated 

 in water, are (like all other parts ot the body divested 

 of their blood) found to be of a white colour. The 

 veins, for the most part, accompany the arteries, but 

 are larger and more numerous. The lymphatics are 

 numerous, as might be expected from the great pro- 

 portion of reticular substance, which is everywhere 

 found investing the muscular fibres. The nerves are 

 distributed in such abundance to every muscle, that 

 the muscles of the thumb alone receive a greater 

 proportion of nervous influence than the largest 

 viscera. See Muscular Motion. 



MUSCOVY. See Russia. 



MUSCULAR MOTION. Muscular motions are 

 of three kinds, namely, voluntary, involuntary, arid 

 mixed. The voluntary motions of muscles proceed 

 from an exertion of the will : thus the mind directs 

 the arm to be raised or depressed, the knee to be 

 bent, the tongue to move, &c. The involuntary 

 motions of muscles are performed by organs, without 

 any attention of the mind, as the contraction and 

 dilatation of the heart, arteries, veins, absorbents, 

 stomach, intestines, &c. The mixed motions are 

 those which are in part under the control of the 

 will, but which ordinarily act without our being con- 

 scious of (heir acting ; and are perceived in the 

 muscles of respiration, the intercostals, the abdominal 

 muscles, and the diaphragm. When a muscle acts, 

 it becomes shorter and thicker ; both its origin and 

 insertion are drawn towards its middle. The sphinc- 

 ter muscles are always in action ; and so likewise 

 are antagonist muscles, even when they seem at rest. 

 When two antagonist muscles move with equal force, 

 the part which they are designed to move remains at 

 rest ; but if one of the antagonist muscles remains at 

 rest, while the other acts, the part is moved towards 

 the centre of motion. When a muscle is divided, it 

 contracts. If a muscle be stretched to a certain ex- 

 tent, it contracts, and endeavours to acquire its for- 

 mer dimensions as soon as the stretching cause is 

 removed. When a muscle is wounded, or otherwise 

 irritated, it contracts independently of the will : this 

 power is called irritability, and it is a property pecu- 

 liar to, and inherent in the muscles. When a muscle 

 is stimulated, either through the medium of the will, 

 or any foreign body, it contracts, and its contraction 

 is greater or less in proportion as the stimulus applied 

 is greater or less. The contraction of muscles is dif- 

 ferent, according to the purpose to be served by their 

 contraction : thus the heart contracts with a jerk; the 

 urinary bladder, slowly and uniformly. The inten- 

 sity of muscular contraction, that is, the degree of 

 power with which the fibres draw themselves to 

 gether, is regulated by the action of the brain : it is 

 generally regulated by the will, according to certain 

 limits, which are different in different individuals. A 

 particular organization of the muscles is favourable 

 to the intensity of their contraction : this organization 



is a considerable volume of fibres, strong, of a deep 

 red, and striated transversely. The cerebral influ- 

 ence, and the disposition of the muscular tissue, are 

 the two elements of the intensity of muscular con- 

 traction. A very great cerebral energy is rarely- 

 found united, in the same individual, with that dis- 

 position of the muscular fibres which is necessary to 

 produce intense contractions : these elements are 

 almost always in an inverse ratio. When they are 

 united, they produce astonishing effects. Perhaps 

 this union existed in the athletes of antiquity ; in our 

 times, it is observed in certain mountebanks. The 

 muscular power may be carried to a wonderful degree 

 by the action of the brain alone : we know the 

 strength of an enraged person, of maniacs, and of 

 persons in convulsions. The will governs the dura- 

 tion of the contraction : it cannot be carried beyond 

 a certain time, however it may vary in different indi- 

 viduals. A feeling of weariness takes place, not 

 very great at first, but which goes on increasing 

 until the muscle refuses contraction. To prevent 

 this inconvenience, the motions of the body are so 

 calculated that the muscles act in succession, the 

 duration of each being but short : our not being able 

 to rest long in the same position is thus explained, 

 as an attitude which causes the contraction of a small 

 number of muscles, can be preserved but for a very 

 short time. The feeling of fatigue occasioned by mus- 

 cular contraction soon goes off, and, in a short time, 

 the muscles recover the power of contracting. The 

 quickness of the contractions are, to a certain degree, 

 subject to cerebral influence : we have a proof of this 

 in our ordinary motions ; but beyond this degree, it 

 depends evidently on habit. In respect to the 

 rapidity of motion, there is an immense difference 

 between that of a man who touches a piano for the 

 first time, and that which the same man produces 

 after several years' practice. There is, besides, a 

 very great difference in persons, with regard to the 

 quickness of contractions, either in ordinary motions, 

 or in those which depend on habit. As to the extent 

 of the contractions, it is directed by the will; but it 

 must necessarily depend on the length of the fibres, 

 long fibres having a greater extent of contraction 

 than those that are short. The will has generally a 

 great influence on the contraction of muscles ; it is 

 not, however, indispensable : in many circumstances 

 motions take place, not only without the participa- 

 tion of the will, but even contrary to it : we find very 

 striking examples of this in the effects of habit, of the 

 passions, and of diseases. 



MUSES; goddesses of the liberal arts and sciences; 

 originally, nymphs of inspiring fountains. Different 

 accounts are given of their origin. There is, also, a 

 great difference in their names and attributes. The 

 most celebrated are the daughters of Jupiter and 

 Mnemosyne, also called Moneta, Memoria, and 

 Mens. Their foster-mother was Eupheme. Accord- 

 ing to Homer, they lived upon Olympus. They 

 originated in Pieria, in Thrace ; from thence they 

 came to Boeotia, and afterwards spread over the 

 rest of Greece. The explanation of this probably is, 

 that the art of singing was considered as having- been 

 first cultivated in the north of Greece. At first, three 

 muses only were known : Melete (meditation), 

 Mneme, or Arche (memory, for the immortalizing 

 of great deeds), and Aoide (song, for the accompani- 

 ment of story); Cicero mentions a fourth, Tlielxiope 

 (De Natura Deorum, iii. 21). Finally, Pierus, a 

 Macedonian, brought nine muses to Thespia, who 

 were considered as his daughters, and hence, accord- 

 ing to Pausanias, called Pierida (Pierians). Others 

 derive this name from Pieria, on Olympus, where 

 they were first worshipped. Their names were Clio, 

 Euterpe, Thalia, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Erato, 



