74 SPINE. 



blessings, and to praise God who among his innu- 

 merable benefits has given us the power of hearing. 

 There is now another field we are to survey, which 

 will bring into view new occasions for admiration. 

 The head contains the organs by which the body is 

 directed. We are to see the machinery by which 

 the motions are performed ; that is, the bones and 

 muscles generally, which are the active parts of the 

 body. You may describe the principal and most 

 important bone, — the one immediately connected 

 with the head. 



THE SPINE. 



A. The head rests upon a strong, upright, bony 

 column, which forms the centre of the back, and is 

 called the spine, or back-bone. 



B. I never could conceive why this should be 

 called a bone. We certainly bend it very easily, 

 and therefore it cannot be one continued, solid body ; 

 like a bone. 



T. It is a chain of joints of very admirable con- 

 struction, and this you will see. 



A. Anatomists describe it as a wonderful speci- 

 men of mechanism. It has to answer several impor- 

 tant purposes most difficult to be united. A portion 

 of the most delicate substance of the brain, called the 

 spinal marrow, is continued down through the ho)- 



