[ 5 ° } 
And again; When a Mufcle is freed from the 
Power of its Antagonift, and is thereby left at full 
Liberty to eontrad, as it always will by its elaftic, 
reftitutive Property only, it does fo no further than 
in Obedience to the common Power of Attradion 
between its component Particles; but in all other 
mufcular Adion, when this attractive Power is 
greatly increafed by the Influx of the nervous 
i^yEther-, the Conftridion is carried much further, 
and the Mufcle is more fully contracted than it ever 
is in the other State : Hence it follows, that Con- 
traction, in its fulleft Degree, is not the natural 
State of a Mufcle. 
CXI. 
And further; When the conflituent Particles of 
the Fibres are drawn into their clofeft Contacts, by 
the Influx of the nervous y'Ether^ it requires forne 
Force, in a contrary Direction, to elongate the Fi- 
bres again ; fo that Extenfion, or Dilatation is alfo a 
State of Violence. 
CXII. 
From the Whole then it appears, that neither the 
Syjlole nor ^Diajioky in a full Degree, is the natu-' 
ral State of the Heart; and this we fhall fhew more 
plainly hereafter by infpecting the Flearts of Animals 
alter being bled to Death. But to proceed : 
CXIIL 
