the meshes are fo minute, that nothing paffes them, which is difcernible by the eye; though they discharge every moment, myriads and myriads of fuperfluous incumbrances. The threads are fo multiplied, that neither the point of the fmalleft needle, nor the infinitely finer lance of a gnat, can pierce any part, without drawing blood, and caufing an uneafy fenfation. Confequently, without wounding, by fo fmall a puncture, both a nerve and a vein ! But a course of inceffant action muft exhauft the folids and waste the fluids, and unless both are properly recruited, in a fhort time destroy the machine. For this reafon it is furnished with the organs, and endued with the powers of nutrition: Teeth, the foremoft, thin and fharp, to bite afunder the food; the hindermoft, broad and ftrong, indented with fmall cavities, the better to grind in pieces what is tranfmitted to them. But in children, the formation of teeth is poftponed till they have occafion for them. Were the teeth, like other bones, covered with the periof teum, chewing would give much pain. Were they quite naked, thy would foon decay and perifh. To guard against both, they are overlaid with a neat enamel, harder than the bone itself, which gives no pain in chewing, and yet fecures them from various injuries. The Lips prevent the food from flipping out of the mouth, and affifted by the tongue, return it to the grinders. While they do this in concert with the cheeks, they fqueeze a thin liquor from the adjacent glands. This moiftens the food and prepares it for digeftion. When the mouth is inactive, these are nearly closed: but when we speak or eat, their moisture being then neceffary, is expreft as need requires. But the food could not defcend merely by its own weight, through a narrow and clammy paffage into the ftomach. Therefore to effect this, muscles both ftraight and circular are provided. The former enlarge the cavity, and give an easy admittance. The latter, clofing behind the defcending ali ment, ment, prefs it downward. But before the food enters the gullet, it must of neceffity pafs over the orifice of the windpipe whence it is in danger of falling upon the lungs, which might occafion inflant death. To obviate this, a moveable lid is placed, which when the smallest particle advances, is pulled down and fhut close, but as foon as it is fwallowed, is let loofe and fands open. Thus the important pafs is always made fure against any noxious approaches; yet always left free for the air, and open for refpiration. The food defcending into the ftomach is not yet ready for the bowels. Therefore that great receiver is ftrong to bear, and proper to detain it, till it is wrought into the fmooth ft pulp imaginable. From hence it is difcharged by a gentle force, and paffes gradually into the inteftines. Near the entrance waits the gall-bladder, ready to pour its falutary juice upon the aliment, which diffolves any thing vifcid, fcours the inteftines, and keeps all the fine apertures clear. This bag, as the ftomach fills, is preft thereby, and then only discharges its contents. It is alfo furnished with a valve of a very peculiar, namely, of a spiral form; through which the deterfive liquid cannot haflily pour, but must gently ooze. Admirable conftruction! which, without any care of ours, gives the needful fupply, and no more. The nutriment then purfues its way through the mazes of the int fines: which, by a worm-like motion protrude it, and force its small particles into the lacteal veffels. These are a feries of fineft ftrainers, ranged in countless multitudes all along the fides of the winding paffage. Had this been ftraight or fhort, the food could not have refigned a fufficient quantity of its nourishing particles. Therefore it is artfully convolved and greatly extended, that whatever paffes may be fifted throughly. As the aliment proceeds, it is more and more drained of its nutritious juices. In confequence of this, it would become hard, and pain the tender parts, but that glands are posted in proper places, to difcharge a lubricated fluid. VOL. IV. Kk Thefe Thefe are fmaller and fewer near the ftomach, because there the aliment is moist enough: whereas in the bowels remote from the ftomach, they are either multiplied or enlarged. The Chyle drawn off by the lacteals is carried through millions of ducts, too fine even for the microfcope to discover. To this it is owing, that nothing enters the blood, but what is capable of paffing through the finest veffels. It is then lodged in feveral commodious cells (the glands of the Mefentery) and there mixt with a thin diluting lymph, which makes it more apt to flow. Hence it is conveyed to the common receptacle, and mounts through a perpendicular tube into the left fubclavian vein. This tube lies contiguous to the great artery, whofe ftrong pulfation drives on the fluid, and enables it to afcend and unload its treasure, at the very door of the heart. But the chyle is as yet in too crude a state, to be fit for the animal functions. Therefore it is thrown into the lungs. In the fpungy cells of this amazing laboratory, it mixes with the external air, and its whole fubftance is made more smooth and uniform. Thus improved it enters the left ventricle of the heart, a strong, active, indefatigable mufcle. The large mufcles of the armor of the thigh are foon wearied: a day's labour, or a day's journey exhaufts their ftrength. But the Heart toils whole weeks, whole months, nay years, unwearied: is equally a ftranger to intermiffion and fatigue. Impelled by this, part of the blood fhoots upward to the head; part rolls through the whole body. But how fhall a ftream divided into myriads of channels, be brought back to its fource? Should any portion of it be unable to return, putrefaction, if not death, must enfue. Therefore the all-wife Creator has connected the extremities of the arteries, with the beginning of the veins: fo that the fame force which darts the blood through the former, helps to drive it through the latter. Thus it is re-conducted to the great ciftern, and there played off afresh. Where two oppofite currents would be in danger of clashing, where the streams, from the vena cava and vena afcenden coincide, a fibrous a fibrous excrefcence interpofes, which like a projecting pier, breaks the ftroke of each, and throws both into their proper receptacle. Where the motion is to be speedy, the channels either forbear to wind (as in the great artery, which descends to the feet) or leffen in their dimenfions, as in every interval between all the ramifications. When the progrefs is to be retarded, the tubes are varioufly convolved or their diameter contracted. Thus guarded, the living flood never difcontinues its courfe, but night and day, whether we fleep or wake, ftill perseveres to run briskly through the arteries, and return softly through the veins. But farther. The great Creator has made us an invaluable present of the fenfes, to be the inlets of innumerable pleasures, and the means of the moft valuable advantages. The Eye, in its elevated ftation, commands the most enlarged profpects. Confifting only of fluids, inclosed within coats, it fhews us all the graces and glories of Nature. How wonderful, that an image of the hugeft mountains, and the wideft landscapes, fhould enter the fmall pupil! that the rays of light fhould paint on the optic nerve, paint in an instant of time, paint in their trueft colours, and exactest lineaments, every species of external objects! The Eye is fo tender, that the flighteft touch might injure its delicate frame. It is guarded therefore with peculiar care, intrenched deep, and barricaded round with bones. As the fmalleft fly might incommode its polifhed furface, it is farther protected by two fubftantial curtains. In fleep, when there is no occafion for the fenfe, but a neceflity to guard the organ, thefe curtains clofe of their own accord. At any time they fly together as quick as thought. They are lined with an extreme fine sponge, moift with its own dew. Its briftly palifades keep out the leaft mote, and moderate the too strong impreffions of the light. As in our waking hours we have almoft inceffant need for thefe little orbs, they run upon the finest caftors, rolling every way with the utmost ease: which circumftance, added to the flexibility of the neck, renders our two eyes as useful as a thoufand. [To be concluded in our next.] I THOUGHTS upon JACOB BEHMEN. [By the Rev. Mr. Wesley.] Have confidered the Memoirs of Jacob Behmen, of which I believe he was a good man. But I fee nothing extraordinary either in his life or in his death. I have known many both men and women, who were far more exemplary in their lives, and far more honoured of God in their death. I allow he wrote many Truths: but none that would have appeared at all extraordinary, had he thrown afide his hard words, and ufed plain and common language. What fome feem moft to admire in his Writings, is what I moft object to: I mean, his Philofophy, and his Phrafeology. These are really his own: and these are quite new: therefore they are quite wrong. I totally object to his blending Religion with Philofophy: and as vain a Philofophy as ever exifted: crude, indigested; fupported neither by Scripture nor Reason: nor any thing but his own ipfe dixit. I grant, Mr. Law, by taking immenfe pains, has licked it into fome fhape. And he has made it hang tolerably together. But fill it admits of no manner of proof. And |