122 MECHANISM OF THE MUSCLES. 



indolent and effeminate habits. — The muscles by 

 which the joints are compressed and kept in their 

 right position become relaxed ; the consequence of 

 which is, that the bones are gradually displaced, and 

 produce deformity. The curvature of the spine and 

 shoulders is supposed to be often owing to this cause; 

 and hence exercise and active employments are now 

 principally recommended to correct any such tenden- 

 cy, especially in those young persons who are in pe- 

 culiar danger of so serious an evil, from the greater 

 delicacy of their system, and more sedentary and re- 

 tired habits. We very rarely observe any such im- 

 perfection among the laboring classes. 



Anatomists notice a remarkable attention to me- 

 chanical principles, in the situation of the muscles, — 

 and the manner in which they are applied to move 

 the limbs. 



A. First, there are always muscles where the 

 bone would admit of any motion, but no where be- 

 sides ; that is, in all the five hundred and twenty-sev- 

 en muscles, there is not one mislaid, or rendered 

 useless by its situation ; there is not one which pulls 

 against the joint without effect ; and further, there is 

 not a single motion of which the form of the bone and 

 joint will admit, but there is a muscle or set of mus- 

 cles provided to produce that motion. This admir- 

 able harmony is one of the most striking evidences 

 of an Intelligent Architeect. It is the same as in 

 examining the rigging of a ship, to find through all 

 the intricacy of the tackle, every rope suited to its 

 place. 



