ORDER OF STUDY. 371 



that, reading (which, is like going through the operations a second time) 

 will be very useful ; and, as we get by the former a general knowledge, 

 we are now able to understand, by reading, what we did not know 

 before, nor could have known without that previous knowledge. 



Progress of the Study of Anatomy. 



Anatomy, or the knowledge of the structure of an animal body, may 

 be said to be, first, [acquired] for the good of the animal itself ; secondly, 

 for a variety of purposes which have a relation to that structure, such 

 as sculpture, painting, &c. 



An animal body is to be considered in two ways ; one in a mechanical 

 point of view, the other as regards the internal economy. The first 

 mentioned is the first to be considered. In the examination of the parts 

 of the animal structure, the best method is to begin with the most 

 simple or the least connected, and to proceed in that order ; for, how- 

 ever an animal body may seem to be compounded, all its particular 

 parts having a dependence upon one another; yet in an anatomical 

 sense they are more or less distinct, so as to admit of distinct examina- 

 tion. This connexion or interdependence is not in an equal degree, 

 some parts being immediately connected with a greater variety of other 

 parts than others are. The order or degree of connexion is progress- 

 ive, and will not admit of being reversed ; for, although the second in 

 that degree has connexion with the first, and cannot be understood 

 without also understanding that connexion, yet the first may be under- 

 stood without the second ; and so on. Therefore, the parts that have 

 the least degree of connexion, should be first considered ; because, 

 when perfectly understood, those which have immediate connexion with 

 them will be more easily understood. I am not speaking of their 

 constituent parts, but of the whole part as formed ; and of the way of 

 examining each part as it is compounded. 



The bones, in a mechanical view, appear to be the first that are to 

 be considered. "We can study their shape, connexions, number, 

 uses, &c, without considering any other part of the body. When they 

 are well understood, it will be a great step towards studying the parts 

 that have an immediate connexion with them. 



The next thing is their connexion with the cartilages and ligaments, 

 forming the first step in the composition : these, when understood, will 

 give us the motions of the bones one on another. But the ligaments 

 and cartilages have but little dependence on each other. The size, 

 shape, number, connexions, and motions of the bones having been 

 considered, we shall find that they are for the support, shape, and 

 motion of parts, and of the whole body. 



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