366 JAMAICA. 



fpeaks him a mafcr : by a particular form, and by mufcles peculiar 

 to them, they perform a multitude of aftions, and fituntions, adapted 

 to the feveral exigencies of his government, but ufelefs and denied 

 to his Jlavcs, the inferior animals ; his legs grow lels and lefs towards 

 the ground, where they terminate in a balls flattened on purpofe to 

 fuftain the body, by giving it a noble and firm attitude, without clog- 

 ging the freedom of its motions by the largenefs of bulk. 6th, The 

 mufcles and nerves, which produce fo many ftretchings, retraftions, 

 jerks, flidings, turnings, and operations of all kinds, have been all 

 collefted into one bundle, neatly rounded behind the fliin-bone ; this 

 mafs becomes a commodious pillow, fit to lay and reft the tender 

 bones upon, fo very neceffary, and fo brittle. I pafs by a great many 

 other marks of precaution, thefe inftruments are evidently full of; but 

 I muft not omit obferving, that the two columns of the body al- 

 ways afcend thicker and thicker, not only to lay the body upon a 

 proportionable prop, but alfo that it may lie foft, when it wants to 

 eafe itfelf of its fatigues. 7th, The arm and hand together contri- 

 bute ftill more to the exercife of the authority of man. Since man 

 has an arm, I fay, he is mafter of every thing on earth ; this muft na- 

 turally follow ; that being truly the token and inftrument of a moft 

 tffe£lual fovereignty. The arm of man being an univerfal inftru- 

 ment, his operations and government extend as far as nature itfelf. By 

 ■ftiffening, it performs the funflions of a lever, or bar. When bent in 

 the feveral articulations which divide it, it imitates the flail, the bow, 

 and any other kind of fpring. By doubling the fift, that terminates 

 it, it ftrikes like a mallet. When it rounds the cavity of the hand, it 

 holds liquids like a cup, and tranfports them as a fpoon would do. 

 By bending or joining its fingers clofe to each other, it makes 

 hooks, nippers, and pincers of them. The two arms, ftretched out, 

 imitate the balance ; and, when one of them is fhortened, to fupport 

 fome great burthen, the other, extended out immediately on the oppo- 

 fite fide, conftitutes an equilibrium. But it is extenuating the merits of 

 the arm and hand, to compare them with our ordinary inftruments. In 

 truth, the arm is both the model and the foul as it were, of all inftru- 

 ments wlialfoever; it is the foul of them, as the excellence of their efiedls 

 does always proceed from the hand and arm that dire«5t them j fince 

 they are all lo many imitations, or extenfions, of its diflerent proper- 

 ties. 



