cause it was for the Behoof of the Animal, that upon any fudden Accident it might be awakened out of its fleep, therefore were there no Shuts or Stopples made for the Ears, that fo any loud or fharp Noife might awaken it, as also a foft and gentle Voice of Murmur provoke it to fleep. Now the Ears, for the Benefit and Conveniencies of the Animal, being always to stand open, because there was fome Danger that Infects might creep in thereat, and eating their Way through the Tympanum, harbour in the Cavities behind it; therefore hath Nature loricated or plaiftred over the Sides of the forementioned Hole with Ear-wax, to stop and entangle any Infects that should attempt to creep in there. But I must confefs myself not fufficiently to understand the Nature of Sounds, to give a full and fatisfactory Account of the Structure and Ufes of all the Parts of the Ear. They who have a mind to fearch into the curious Anatomy and Ufe of this Part, may confult Monfieur du Verney.

Fourthly, The next Part I fhall take notice of, fhall be the Teeth; concerning which I find Seven Obfervations in the honourable Mr.Boyle's Treatife of Final Causes, which I fhall briefly recapitulate, and add one or two more,

I. That the Teeth alone, among the Bones, continue to grow. in Length during a Man's whole Life, as appears by the unfightly Length of one Tooth, when its Oppofite happens to

fall

fall, or be pulled out; which was most providently defign'd to repair the Waste that is daily made of them by the frequent Attrition in Mastication. Here, by the by, I might advise Men to be careful how they attempt to cure this Blemish, by filing or cutting off the Head of fuch an overgrown Tooth, left that befall them which happened to a certain Nun in Padua, who, upon cutting off a Tooth in that manner, was prefently convulfed, and fell into an Epilepfy, as Bartholine in his Anatomy reports,

II. That that Part of the Teeth which is extant above the Gums, is naked, and not invefted with that fenfible Membrane called Periofteum, wherewith the other Bones are covered.

III. That the Teeth are of a clofer and harder Subftance than the rest of the Bones, for the more eafy Breaking and Comminution of the more folid Aliments, and that they might be more durable, and not fo foon worn down by grinding the Food,

IV. That for the nourishing and cherishing thefe fo neceffary Bones, the All-wife Author of Things has admirably contrived an unseen Cavity in each side of the Jaw-bone, in which greater Channel are lodged an Artery, a Vein, and a Nerve, which, through leffer Cavities, as it were through Gutters, fend their Twigs to each particular Tooth,

V. Because Infants were for a confiderable time to feed upon Milk, which needs no Chewing, and left Teeth fhould hurt the tender Nipples of the Nurfe, Nature hath deferred the Production of them for many Months in a humane Fatus; whereas those of divers other Animals, which are reduced to seek betimes Food that needs Mastication, are born with them.

VI. The different Figure and Shape of the Teeth is remarkable. That the Fore-Teeth fhould be formed broad, and with a thin and fharp Edge, like Chizzels, to cut off and take away a morfel from any folid Food, called therefore Incifores. The next one on each fide, stronger, and deeper rooted, and more pointed, called therefore Canini, in English Eye-Teeth, to tear the more tough and refifting fort of Aliments. The reft called Jaw-Teeth or Grinders, in Latin Molares, are made flat and broad atop, and withall fomewhat uneven and rugged, that by their Knobs and little Cavities they may the better retain, grind, and commix the Aliments.

VI. Because the Operations to be performed by the Teeth, oftentimes require a confiderable Firmness and Strength, partly in the Teeth themselves, partly in the Inftruments which move the lower Jaw, which alone is moveable; Nature hath provided this with ftrong Muscles,

to

to make it bear forcibly against the upper Jaw. And thus not only placed each Tooth in a distinct Cavity of the Jaw-bone, as it were in a close, strong, and deep Socket, but has furnifhed the feveral forts of Teeth with Holdfafts fuitable to the Strefs, that by reason of their different Offices they are to be put to. And therefore, whereas the Cutters and EyeTeeth have ufually but one Root, (which in these last named, is wont to be very long) the Grinders that are employed to crack Nuts, Stones of Fruit, Bones, or other hard Bodies, are furnished with three Roots, and in the upper Jaw often with four, because these are pendulous, and the Subftance of the Jaw fomewhat fofter.

VIII. The Situation of the Teeth is most convenient, viz. the Molares or Grinders behind, nearest the Center of Motion, because there is a greater Strength or Force required to chew the Meat, than to bite a Piece; and the Cutters before, that they may be ready to cut off a Morfel from any folid Food, to be tranfmitted to the Grinders.

IX. It is remarkable, that the Jaw in Men, and fuch Animals as are furnished with Grinders, hath an oblique or tranfverfe Motion, which is neceffary for Chewing and Comminution of the Meat; which it is obferved not to have in those Animals that want the Molares.

Now

Part II. Now if (as Galen faith) he that fhall marfhal a Company but of 32 Men in due Order, is commended for a skilful and induftrious Perfon, fhall we not admire Nature which hath fo skilfully ranked and disposed this Quire of our Teeth?

Fifthly, The Tongue is no lefs admirable for the Contexture and manifold Uses of it. First, It is the Organ of Tafting; for being of a fpungey Subftance, the fmall Particles of our Meat and Drink being mingled with the Saliva, eafily infinuate themfelves into the Pores of it, and fo do either gratefully affect it, or harshly grate upon it, accordingly as they are figured and moved; and hereby we difcern what is convenient or inconvenient for our Nourishment. It helps us likewise in the Chewing and Swallowing of our Meat: And, Laftly, It is the main Inftrument of Speaking, a Quality fo peculiar to Man, that no Beast could ever attain to it. And although Birds have been taught to form fome Words, yet they have been but a few, and those learnt with great Difficulty; but what is the Chief, the Birds understand not the Meaning of them, nor use them as Signs of Things, or their own Conceptions of them; though they may use them as Expreffions of their Paffions: As Parrots having been used to be fed at the Prolation of certain Words, may afterwards, when they are hungry, pronounce the fame. For this Des Cartes makes his main Argument, to