OF NATURAL HISTORY. 109 



and complicated machinery. In fpeaking, the tongue, the lips, the 

 jaws, the whole palate, the nofe, the throat, together with the muf- 

 cles, bones, &c. of which thefe organs are compofed, are all em- 

 ployed. This combination of organs we are taught to ufe when fo 

 young that we are hardly confcious of the laborious tafk, and far 

 lefs of the manner by which we pronounce different letters and 

 words. The mode of pronouncing letters and words, however, may 

 be learned by attentively obferving the diiferent organs employed 

 by the fpeaker. By this means we are enabled to corred various 

 defeds of fpeech, and even to teach the dumb to fpeak ; for dumb- 

 nefs is feldom the effe£t of imperfedion in the organs of fpeech, but 

 generally arifes from a want of hearing ; and it is impoffible for 

 deaf men to imitate founds which they never heard, except they be 

 taught to ufe their organs by vifion and by touching. 



When about to laugh, we make a very full infpiration, which is 

 fucceeded by frequent, interrupted, and fonorous expirations. When 

 the titillation is great, whether it arifes from the mind or body, thefe 

 convulfive expirations fometimes interrupt the breathing to fuch a 

 degree as to endanger fuffocation. Moderate laughing, on the con- 

 trary, promotes health : By agitating the whole body, it quickens 

 the circulation of the blood, gives an inexpreflible chearfulnefs to 

 the countenance, and banifhes every kind of anxiety from the mind. 



In weeping, we employ nearly the fame organs as in laughing. 

 It commences with a deep infpiration, which is fucceeded by fliort, 

 broken, fonorous, and difagreeable expirations. The countenance 

 has a difmal afped, and tears are poured out. Weeping originates 

 from grief, or other painful fenfations either of body or mind: When 

 full vent is given to tears, grief is greatly alleviated. Both laugh- 

 ing and weeping have been reckoned peculiar to man. But this no- 

 tion feems not to be well founded. Though the other animals ex- 



3 prefs 



