180 Mifcellanea Curiofa. 



find the Share which Dr. Lower hints the 

 Blood to have in that Action, further profe- 

 cuted , and improved into the main Instru- 

 ment of the Dilatation of the Heart, wherein 

 I agree intirely with him. But as to the 

 manner, and reafons of its being Co very in- 

 ftrumental, I can't be fo perfectly of his mind. 



The Heart (fays this accurate Anatomift) of 

 stn Animal bears a great Analogy to the Pendu- 

 lums of thofe Artificial Automata % Clock? and 

 Watches, xvhilfl its motion is performed like that 

 of other Mufcles y the Blood doing the Office of a 

 Pondus. 



This Explication , being but a Simile without a 

 diftindt application to Particular?, is befide fo very 

 fliort, that I can at beft but give a conjecture 

 at the meaning ; which if I miftake, I (hall de- 

 ferve to be excufed, and expect to be better in- 

 form'd. 



By the Bloods doing the Office of a Pondm, 

 I fuppofe he means, that the Blood contri- 

 butes in the fame manner to the motion of the 

 Heart, as the Weights do to that of the Pen- 

 dulum of a Clock. If fo, the Blood, according 

 to him, muft be the Inftrument of ConflriBion ; 

 and Dilatation muft be the Natural State, or 

 Spontaneous Motion, to which it wou'd, when 

 under no violence, return ; the contrary of 

 which, I prefume , will appear e're * I have 

 done. 



But if he means, that the Blood in its reflux, 

 by gravitating on the Auricles and Ventricles^ 

 dilates and expands 'em, acting therein as a 

 Counterpoife to its contractions as a Mufcle, I 

 cou'd wifli his Defjgn had not bound him up 



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