90 
lavater’s 
is rounder at the top, but of a lefTer fize, and not fo 
pointed as the others. 
Every root of the teeth has a fmall tube, cover- 
ed with a membrane, that ferves as a {heath to the 
fibres and nerves. 
The tooth is compofed of two fubftances; the 
infide a kind of bark, and the outward part, called 
enamel, refembles glafs or china-ware, in fo*a^' 
degree. 
Teeth are fattened in their fockets by the band 
of the gums, which is riveted, as we may fay, to 
their borders. Young, hale, and hearty people 
have elattic gums, rofy, and glittering; but age 
relaxes and gives them a paler colour. 
The principal ufe of the teeth is for chewing: 
the fore-teeth cut and carve; the fangs break, 
and the grinders bruife food as with a mill-ftone. 
They are, likewife, not only ornaments, but re- 
quifites for the pronunciation of words, particu- 
larly the fore-teeth. 
Painters are guilty of a great neglect in omit- 
ting fo effential a part in their hittorical pieces ; 
for if we confider it attentively, we fhall dif- 
cover this branch of the features to be no lefs 
important than expreflive, particularly from its 
dole connexion with the lips, in reprefenting w’eak- 
nefs, hypocrify, and villany. 
/ 
The 
