[bb] Whether Printing was invented in 1440, as many imagine, or was sooner practised, in 1430, or 1432, as Mr. Ellis’s Account of the Dutch Inscription in Phil. Trans. Nᵒ. 286. doth import; it is however manifest, how great an Influence (as it was natural) this Invention had in the promoting of Learning soon afterwards, mentioned before in [Note (x).] After which followed the Reformation about the Year 1517.
[cc] The Chinese being much addicted to Judicial Astrology, are great Observers of the Heavens, and the Appearances in them. For which Purpose they have an Observatory at Pekin, and five Mathematicians appointed to watch every Night; four towards the four Quarters of the World, and one towards the Zenith, that nothing may escape their Observation. Which Observations are the next Morning brought to an Office to be registred. But notwithstanding this their Diligence for many Ages, and that the Emperor hath kept in his Service above 100 Persons to regulate the Kalendar, yet are they such mean Astronomers, that they owe the Regulation of their Kalendar, the Exactness in calculating Eclipses, &c. to the Europeans; which renders the European Mathematicians so acceptable to the Emperor, that Father Verbiest and divers others, were not only made Principals in the Observatory, but put into Places of great Trust in the Empire, and had the greatest Honours paid them at their Deaths. Vid. La Comte Mem. of China. Letter 2d. &c.
[dd] 1 Tim. iv. 14. 2 Tim. i. 6.
[ee] Bishop Patrick in loc.
CHAP. II.
Of Man’s Body, particularly its Posture.
Having thus, as briefly as well I could, surveyed the Soul, let us next take a View of Man’s Body. Now here we have such a Multiplicity of the most exquisite Workmanship, and of the best Contrivance, that if we should strictly survey the Body from Head to Foot, and search only into the known Parts (and many more lie undiscovered) we should find too large and tedious a Task to be dispatched. I shall therefore have Time only to take a transient and general Kind of View of this admirable Machine, and that somewhat briefly too, being prevented by others, particularly two excellent Authors of our own[a], who have done it on the same Account as my self. And the
I. Thing that presents itself to our View, is the Erect Posture[] of Man’s Body; which is far the most, if not the only commodious Posture for a rational Creature, for him that hath Dominion over the other Creatures, for one that can invent useful Things, and practise curious Arts. For without this erect Posture, he could not have readily turned himself to every Business, and on every Occasion. His Hand[c] particularly could not have been in so great a Readiness to execute the Commands of the Will, and Dictates of the Soul. His Eyes would have been the most prone, and incommodiously situated of all Animals; but by this Situation, he can cast his Eyes upwards, downwards, and round about him; he hath a glorious Hemisphere of the Heavens[d], and an ample Horizon on Earth[e], to entertain his Eye.
And as this Erection of Man’s Body is the most compleat Posture for him; so if we survey the Provision made for it, we find all done with manifest Design, the utmost Art and Skill being employ’d therein. To pass by the particular Conformation of many of the Parts, the Ligaments and Fastnings to answer this Posture; as the Fastning, for Instance, of the Pericardium to the Diaphragm, (which is peculiar to Man[f]; I say, passing by a deal of this Nature, manifesting this Posture to be an Act of Design,) let us stop a little at the curious Fabrick of the Bones, those Pillars of the Body. And how artificially do we find them made, how curiously plac’d from the Head to Foot! The Vertebræ of the Neck and Back-bone[g], made short and complanated, and firmly braced with Muscles and Tendons, for easy Incurvations of the Body; but withal for greater Strength, to support the Body’s own Weight, together with other additional Weights it may have Occasion to bear. The Thigh-bones and Legs long, and strong, and every Way well fitted for the Motion of the Body. The Feet accommodated with a great Number of Bones, curiously and firmly tack’d together, to which must be added the Ministry of the Muscles[h], to answer all the Motions of the Legs and Thighs, and at the same Time to keep the Body upright, and prevent its falling, by readily assisting against every Vacillation thereof, and with easy and ready Touches keeping the Line of Innixion, and Center of Gravity in due Place and Posture[].