[ i 9 8 ] 
eleCtrifed, the force of attraction is con¬ 
tinually in action within them. 
An opinion has been entertained by 
fonie, that irritability is only a tranfitory 
attraction, but this is a miftake. If we 
cut the mufcje of an animal we obferve in 
a moment, the antagonift mufcle take on 
extraordinary movements, as there does 
not exit any longer a force capable of 
oppofing any exertion to it, and preferve 
a counterpoife. 
Let us examine an athletic, nervous 
man, and in certain attitudes, we fhall 
obferve the bodies of fome mufcles be¬ 
come turgid and elevated, whilft their 
antagonifts become more flaccid than even 
during a ftate of reft. 
Thus betwixt mufcles which are in a 
ftate of contraction, and thofe which are 
not, the only difference is as to the inten¬ 
sity of attraction. This difference, how- 
ever, is very great, Borelli demonftrated. 
