44^ THE PHILOSOPHY 



CHAPTER II. 



Of the organs and general Jlru£lure of Animals — A floor t vleiv of 

 the external and internal parts of the human body — This Jlrutlure 

 compared ivith thofe of ^adrupeds, Birds, Fifloes, and Infe£is-~ 

 Hoivfar peculiarities of Jirudure are conne^ed ivitb peculiarities 

 of manners and difpofttions. 



IN Treating of this fubjedl, it is not intended to dive into the 

 depths of anatomical refearch. On the contrary, I ftiall exhibit 

 ftiort views only of the general ftrudlure and organization of the 

 various clafles of animated beings, from man, who is the raofl: per- 

 fect animal of which, we have any knowledge, down to the infect 

 tribes. Confidering man, therefore, as the ftandard of animal per- 

 fedion, we ftiall inftitute frequent comparifons, and mark peculiar 

 diftindtions between him and the brute creation, both with regard 

 to form, manners, and fagacity. By following this plan, 1 hope I 

 ftiall be enabled to render a fubjedt which, at firft fight, may have a 

 forbidding afped, both interefting and agreeable. 



STRUCTURE OF MAN. 



The bones may be regarded as the bafis upon which the human 

 body is conftrudled. The fpine, or back-bone, confifts of a number 

 of vertebrae, or fmall bones, conneded together by cartilages, arti- 

 culations, 



