NATURAL THECLOGY. 147 



produced by the hand of the musician are exceed- 

 ingly rapid; are exactly measured, even when 

 most minute; and display, on the part of the mus- 

 cles, an obedience of action alike wonderful for 

 its quickness and its correctness. 



Or let a person only observe his own hand 

 whilst he is writing; the number of muscles w^hich 

 are brought to bear upon the pen; how the joint 

 and adjusted operation of several tendons is con- 

 cerned in every stroke, yet that five hundred such 

 strokes are drawn in a minute. Not a letter can 

 be turned without more than one, or two, or three 

 tendinous contractions, definite, both as to the 

 choice of the tendon, and as to the space through 

 w^hich the contraction moves; yet how currently 

 does the work proceed ! and when we look at it, 

 how faithful have the muscles been to their duty 

 — how true to the order which endeavour or habit 

 hath inculcated ! For let it be remembered, that, 

 whilst a man's hand-writing is the same, an exacti- 

 tude of order is preserved, whether he write well 

 or ill. These two instances of music and writing 

 show not only the quickness and precision of mus- 

 cular action, but the docility. 



II. Regarding the particular configuration of 

 muscles, sphincter or circular muscles appear to be 

 admirable pieces of mechanism. It is the muscu- 

 lar power most happily applied; the same quality 

 of the muscular substance, but under a new modi- 

 fication. The circular disposition of the fibres is 

 strictly mechanical : but, though the most mecha- 



