THE MUSCLES. 103 



Ioj,acal proofs of design, yet it must not be forgotten, tliat in 

 every part of anatomy, description is a poor substitute for 

 inspection. It is well said by an able anatomist,* and said 

 in reference to the very part of the subject which we have 

 been treating of, " Imperfecta hsec musculorum descriptio 

 non minus arida est legentibus quam inspectantibus fuerit 

 jucunda eorundem prseparatio. Elegantissima enim mechan- 

 ices artificia, creberrime in illis obvia, verbis nonnisi ob- 

 scure exprimuntur : carnium autem ductu, tendinum colore, 

 insertionum proportione, et trochlearium distributione, oculis 

 exposita, omnem superant admirationem."t 



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



t " This imperfect description of the muscles is no less dry to our 

 readers, than the preparation of the same has been delightful to us as 

 students. Because these exquisite mechanical contrivances we so 

 often meet with in the muscles, car only obscurely be described in 

 words ; whereas, when displayed to the eye — with the conformation 

 of the fleshy parts, the color of the tendons, the proportionate distan- 

 ces of the mserti'oas, and the distribution of the pulleys — they surpasfc 

 all adi^iiratioii." 



