1 7 * Mifeellaftea Curiofe. 



he been as happy in difcovering the true caufe 

 of the Diaftote, he had left little room for 

 the Induftry and Sagacity of others about this 

 Vifcus, 



But having judicioufly * and folidly explain'd 

 the Syftole, he contents himfelf to afcribe the DU- 

 fiele to a motion of Heftitution, which account 

 gives me no Satisfaction : Becaufe the Syftoie be- 

 ing the proper, and (as himfelf confefTes) the 

 only morion of the Heart, a State of Contraction 

 feems to be the natural State, and confequently 

 without External Violence, it flioifd have no 

 Diafiole at all. 



This will appear more plain, if we confider 

 the Circumftances of it, and its Motion, as a 

 Mufcle, with refpect to other Mufcles. That 

 Contraction is the proper Action, and State 

 of all Mufcles, is evident from Experience of 

 Fact, as well as Reafbn. For, if any Mufcle 

 be freed from the power of its Antagonift % it 

 is immediately contracted, and is not by any 

 Action of the Will, or Spirits, to be reduced 

 to a State of Dilatation. Thus, if the Mufculi 

 Flexores of any Joint be divided, the Extenfores 

 of that Joint being by that means free'd from 

 the contrary Action of their Antagonifts^ that 

 Joint is immediately extended without any 

 content of the Will, and in that State it re- 

 mains; and lb Vice verfa 9 if the Extenfores be 

 divided. From whence it is plain, that the 

 Mufcles have no reftitutive Motion, but what 

 they derive from the Action of* their Antago- 

 nijjts> by which they are balanc'd. Thus like- 

 wife the SphinBers of the Gula, Anus and Vefica y 

 having, no proper Antagonifts, are always in a 

 State of Contraction, and fuffer nothing to pals 



them, 



