Sect. I.] Anatomij. 265 



from their capillary size, their delicacy, and the 

 transparency of their contents, would be otherwise 

 imperceptible. 



In this high state of advancement, anatomy stood 

 at the beginning of the century the progress and im- 

 provements of which it is the object of this work more 

 particularly to explore. -At that period, the Italian 

 and Dutch schools held an undoubted sui)eriority. 

 This superiority, however, has been since much 

 more equally divided among the British, French, and 

 German anatomists. 



Early in the eighteenth century, anatomy was 

 improved by the writings of Ruysch in Holland, 

 and of Cowper, Keil, Douglas, Cheselden, and 

 others, in Great Britain. The works of Albinus, 

 Winslow, and the first Monro*, greatly contributed 

 to the same end, and are familiarly known to all 

 the cultivators of this science. 



But the most memorable discovery that anatomy 

 can boast in the eighteenth century, is that of the ab- 

 sorbent system. It has been mentioned that Rudbec 

 and Bartholine became acquainted with the lympha- 

 tic vessels about the middle of the preceding century. 

 When they were first seen, and traced into the tho- 

 racic duct, it might have been supposed natural for 

 anatomists to suspect, that, as the lacteals absorbed 

 from the cavity of the intestines, the lymphatics, si- 

 milar in figure and structure, might possibly perform 



* The family of Monro, in Edinburgh, has been long and 

 eminently distinguished in the annals of anaton;iy. Tiiree persons, 

 cf the name of Alexander Monro, have in succession adorned 

 the iijedical school of that city since the year 1720 ; of these, the 

 hst is yet alive, and ably supports tlie reputation of his illustriou* 

 predecessors. 



