The Shape of Man's Sensitive Body, is, in some manner, of a mixt Form: but, he is singular in this, That he is of an upright and straight Shape; of which, no other Animal but Man is: which Shape makes him not only fit, proper, easie and free, for all exterior actions; but also for Speech: for being streight, as in a straight and direct Line from the Head to the Feet, so as his Nose, Mouth, Throat, Neck, Chest, Stomack, Belly, Thighs, and Leggs, are from a straight Line: also, his Organ-Pipes, Nerves, Sinews, and Joynts, are in a straight and equal posture to each other; which is the cause, Man's Tongue, and Organs, are more apt for Speech than those of any other Creature; which makes him more apt to imitate any other Creature's Voyces, or Sounds: Whereas other Animal Creatures, by reason of their bending Shapes, and crooked Organs, are not apt for Speech; neither (in my Opinion) have other Animals so melodious a Sound, or Voice, as Man: for, though some sorts of Birds Voices are sweet, yet they are weak, and faint; and Beasts Voices are harsh, and rude: but of all other Animals, besides Man, Birds are the most apt for Speech; by reason they are more of an upright shape, than Beasts, or any other sorts of Animal Creatures, as Fish, and the like; for, Birds are of a straight and upright shape, as from their Breasts, to their Heads; but, being not so straight as Man; causes Birds to speak uneasily, and constrainedly: Man's shape is so ingeniously contrived, that he is fit and proper for more several sorts of exterior actions, than any other Animal Creature; which is the cause he seems as Lord and Sovereign of other Animal Creatures.
[CHAP. IV. Of the several Figurative Parts of Human Creatures.]
The manner of Man's Composition, or Form, is of different Figurative Parts; whereof some of those Parts seem the Supreme, or (as I may say) Fundamental Parts; as the Head, Chest, Lungs, Stomack, Heart, Liver, Spleen, Bowels, Reins, Kidnies, Gaul, and many more: also, those Parts have other Figurative Parts belonging or adjoining to them, as the Head, Scull, Brains, Pia-mater, Dura-mater, Forehead, Nose, Eyes, Cheeks, Ears, Mouth, Tongue, and several Figurative Parts belonging to those; so of the rest of the Parts, as the Arms, Hands, Fingers, Leggs, Feet, Toes, and the like: all which different Parts, have different sorts of Perceptions; and yet (as I formerly said) their Perceptions are united: for, though all the Parts of the Human Body have different Perceptions; yet those different perceptions unite in a general Perception, both for the Subsistence, Consistence, and use of the Whole Man: but, concerning Particulars, not only the several composed Figurative Parts, have several sorts of Perceptions; but every Part hath variety of Perceptions, occasioned by variety of Objects.
[CHAP. V. Of the several Perceptions amongst the several Parts of MAN.]
There being infinite several Corporeal Figurative Motions, or Actions of Nature, there must of necessity be infinite several Self-knowledges and Perceptions: but I shall only, in this Part of my Book, treat of the Perception proper to Mankind: And first, of the several and different Perceptions, proper for the several and different Parts: for, though every Part and Particle of a Man's Body, is perceptive; yet, every particular Part of a Man, is not generally perceived; for, the Interior Parts do not generally perceive the Exterior; nor the Exterior, generally or perfectly, the Interior; and yet, both Interior and Exterior Corporeal Motions, agree as one Society; for, every Part, or Corporeal Motion, knows its own Office; like as Officers in a Common-wealth, although they may not be acquainted with each other, yet they know their Employments: So every particular Man in a Common-wealth, knows his own Employment, although he knows not every Man in the Common-wealth. The same do the Parts of a Man's Body, and Mind. But, if there be any Irregularity, or Disorder in a Common-wealth, every Particular is disturbed, perceiving a Disorder in the Common-wealth. The same amongst the Parts of a Man's Body; and yet many of those Parts do not know the particular Cause of that general Disturbance. As for the Disorders, they may proceed from some Irregularities; but for Peace, there must be a general Agreement, that is, every Part must be Regular.
[CHAP. VI. Of Divided and Composed Perceptions.]
As I have formerly said, There is in Nature both Divided and Composed Perceptions; and for proof, I will mention Man's Exterior Perceptions; As for example, Man hath a Composed Perception of Seeing, Hearing, Smelling, Tasting, and Touching; whereof every several sort is composed, though after different manners, or ways; and yet are divided, being several sorts of Perceptions, and not all one Perception. Yet again, they are all Composed, being united as proper Perceptions of one Man; and not only so, but united to perceive the different Parts of one Object: for, as Perceptions are composed of Parts, so are Objects; and as there are different Objects, so there are different Perceptions; but it is not possible for a Man to know all the several sorts of Perceptions proper to every Composed Part of his Body or Mind, much less of others.