INTRODUCTION. xv 



Conformably to this plan, the bones come *first midcr consi- 

 deration ; they it is that, being of a nature, hard, firm, and in- 

 flexible in themselves, form the frame-work of the animal struc- 

 ture ; — that constitute the walls of defence and pillars of support 

 to the other parts of the body. The skeleton presents a beauti- 

 ful illustration of this ; it exhibits almost a perfect outline of the 

 living animal : — 



" How changed! and yet how like!" 



It forms altogether an inimitable piece of mechanism, serving the 

 united purposes of protection, support, and locomotion. The 

 cranium affords an asylum for the delicate organs of sensation ; 

 the thorax, a place of security for the vitally important ones of 

 respiration ; while the four legs, after the manner of the four 

 columns of a building, support the body, resting upon the feet 

 as their pedestals. Form and strength are likewise funda- 

 mentally derived from the osseous fabric. The dimensions and 

 proportions of parts must necessarily be regulated by the bony 

 frame, and their powers also must be greatly dependent upon 

 the nature of this foundation : a fact that has not escaped the 

 observation even of those but little acquainted with the science 

 of anatomy, as we may gather from the trite remark, that such 

 a horse possesses "■ plenty of bone." 



Superadded to all this, the bones are the agents, though but 

 jjassive ones, of locomotion ; the active or moving powers being 

 the next order of parts— the muscles. And when we come to 

 examine into the different forms and proportionate magnitude of 

 the bones ; the curious and admirable methods by which they are 

 fitted and adapted to each other ; and the singular advantages 

 they, in their relative situations and positions, present to the moving- 

 powers, the muscles ; we cannot fail to be struck less with the 

 beauty of the structure of the skeleton, than persuaded of what 

 paramount importance a knowledge of it must be to him who is 

 setting out in the study of anatomy. 



Compared with other living substances, bone possesses so little 

 animal or vital material in its composition, that hardly any differ- 

 ence is perceptible in its aspect either in life or death : altogether, 

 it is found to bear considerable analogy to inorganizcd matter ; 



