Part II. //^ /^^ Creation. 279 



or united, whereby it is fitted to lay hold of Ob- 

 jeds of any Size or Quantity -, the lead things, 

 as any fmall fingle Seed, are taken up by the 

 Thumb and fore Finger, thofe a Httie greater 

 by the Thumb and two Fingers, which alfo we 

 chiefly employ to manage the Needle in fewing 

 and the Pen in writing; when we would take up 

 a greater Quantity of any thing, we make ufe of 

 the Thumb and all the Fingers; fometimes we 

 ufe one Finger only, as in pointing at any thing, 

 picking things out of Holes or long and narrow 

 VefTeb; fometimes all feverally at one time, as 

 in flopping the Strings when we play upon any 

 mufical Inilruments. Secondly^ The Fingers are 

 ftrengthen'd with feveral Bones, jointed together 

 for Motion, and furnifli'd with feveral Mufcles 

 and Tendons, like fo many PuUics, to bend them 

 circularly forwards, which is moft convenient 

 for the firm holding and griping of any Objed:^ 

 which of how great, conftant and ncceflary Ufe 

 it is in pulling or drawing, but efpecially in ta- 

 king up and retaining any fort of Tool or Inftru- 

 ment to work withal in Hufbandry and all me- 

 chanick Arts, is fo obvious to every Man's Ob- 

 fervation, that I need not fpend Time to inftance 

 in Particulars ; m.oreover, the feveral Fingers are 

 furnifli'd with feveral Mufcles, to extend and 

 open the Hand, and to move to the Right and 

 Left ; and fo this divifion and motion of the Fin- 

 gers dQth not hinder but that the whole Hand 

 may be employed as if it were all of a piece, as 

 we fee it is, either expanded, as in flriking out, 



T 4 fmooth- 



