372 ANATOMY. 



The next thing to be considered is the power or powers of motion. 

 The muscles cannot be considered by themselves, but in their depend- 

 ence upon the bones and tendons; without which we cannot bring 

 out all their uses. In their investigation, like the bones, they should 

 be deprived of everything but what concerns them immediately ; 

 therefore, fat, cellular membrane, vessels, nerves, glands, &c. must be 

 removed. 



The viscera are the next in order ; but as the bones, muscles, blood- 

 vessels, and nerves are common to every part of the body, and the 

 viscera, sense organs, &c. are particular parts, it is usual to proceed 

 with the universal or common, and afterwards with the particular 

 or viscera. 



The blood-vessels form a step beyond the mere mechanical parts ; but, 

 considering the parts only so far as mechanism is concerned, they are 

 next in the order of progression. For the knowledge of them depends 

 on the knowledge of the bones, ligaments, cartilages, muscles, and 

 tendons ; therefore, in dissecting them, they should be left in connexion 

 with these, but be deprived of everything else. 



The nerves come next. They are a good deal like the vessels in their 

 dependencies ; yet we choose to make them last, for these reasons : they 

 are less understood, are more complicated, more numerous, and in 

 general smaller. 



This appears to be the most reasonable way to proceed from the more 

 simple to the more complex parts : for, suppose we were to invert the 

 order and begin with the nerves, we should then begin with the most 

 complex parts, before we knew what dissection was [or had acquired the 

 art], and we should meet, in the attempt, with several parts of which we 

 knew nothing, such as muscles, viscera, ligaments, bones, &c. 



Fat is only a luxurious accidental part ; therefore does not come 

 within the compass of dissection. 



The cellular membrane we have not taken notice of ; for it is what 

 we destroy in cleaning the other parts. The best way of understanding 

 it is by common dissection, its use being no more than a connecting 

 medium to all the parts of a body, and dissecting, in general, is no 

 more than destroying this medium. 



Chap. II. — Or the Skeleton in general. 



A Skeleton is — 



A passive substance : 



Sustaining or giving support : 



Giving general figure to the parts or to the whole : 



Determining the places or motion of parts : 



