their numerous centres, and with the nerves of | of organic life, or solar plexus. The roots of these the whole body, they are sometimes called the nerves are in the cerebellum, the seat of motion, Great Sympathetic Nerves, and Nerves of Vege-a receptacle of life. Now, we see why intensity table Life. There are three orders of these of thought, carking cares, &c., impede respiration Nerves: one going to the blood-vessels and other and infringe on the laws of health, for want of the parts of the vascular system; one to the contrac-proper co-operation with the nerves of organic tile tissues or muscles of involuntary motion: life; inducing dyspepsia, and even consumption. and one to the nerves of organic sensation, con- hence, the painful mode of teaching children to veying the impressions made on the organs. read by a book: away with this false system, unless you would inhumanly sacrifice the rising generation on the altar of evil; let the ear, or right feeling predominate: please work out the whole; for you can do it: a hint is sufficient for those who think. 6. In this view of the Nerves of Respiration, (originating in the Medulla Oblongata, which is an extension of the Cerebellum, (b,) or seat of Voluniary Motion, and of the Cerebrum, (a,) or seat of Rationality,) may be seen the nerve (c.) that goes to the Diaphragm (i,) and is concerned in the office of breathing, which generally acts without the aid of the Will; but yet is controllable by the Will, to a certain extent; for we may breathe fast or slow, lang or short. Next above this, is the Spinal Accessory Nerve, used in moving the breast, &c., in respiration; one of its fellow roots goes to the tongue (d,) and is concerned in mastication, swallowing, speaking, &c. [Some nerves are thrown back, the better to be seen.] Next in order is the pneumosgastric, or lungs-and-stomach nerve (f, g, h,) which sends a branch to the meat-pipe, larynx and wind-pipe, (e,) also to the cardiac, or heart plexus, just above, and a little at the right of (g); a recurrent branch goes to the larynx, &c.; >ther branches go to the face to exhibit the feelings. All interweave, and bring the vocal organs into mportant relations with the heart and lungs, with feelings and thoughts; while the main body goes the stomach, and unites with the great centre 7. Here is an excellent representation on the Nerves of Voluntary Motion, and of Sense, which, with the nerves of Organic Life, and the Respiratory Nerves, constitute the inmosts of the body; also, a posterior, or back view, of the two brains, which is the seat of the Mind, the constituents of which, are Will and Understanding. The letter c, indicates the cerebrum, or large brain, where the Understanding, Rationality, or thought is located; and cv, the cerebellum, or little brain, under, and adjoining the cerebrum, where the acr.zontal black line is: here is the seat of the Will, Affections, Passions or Emotions; also the seat of the Motive power of the body; and from these proceed the spinal marrow, (me,) enveloped in three different membranes, lying in the hollow of the back bone, and branching off by thirty pairs of spinal nerves into a great many ramifications over every part of the body; pb, the brachial plexus, a reunion or assemblage of the different nerves distributed to the arms, or upper extremities; and ps, the plexus, or folds of nerves, that form the great sciatic nerves, descending to the legs, or lower extremities. From the spinal marrow, the nerves arise by two sets, or bundles of roots; the front (anterior,) one serving for motion, and the back (posterior,) are the nerves of feeling, or sensibility. Now, in all voluntary actions of the body, whether reading, speaking, singing, or working, there should be a perfect harmony and co-operation of the Organic Nerves, Respiratory Nerves, and Motary Nerves; hence, the voluntary effort must be made from the abdomen, where Is the great centre of Organic Nerves, in connection with those of Respiration. 9. We now descend to the hard parts of the body, which have the least of life in them. This is a very correct representation of the Osseous system, or the bony parts which may be aptly called the basis, or foundation, of the splendid temple we live in; which is three stories high; viz. the cavity below the diaphragm, the one above it, and the skull. Examine, minutely, each part, the situation and attachment of the different bones of the head, the five short ribs, and the seven long ones, the breast-bone, &c. In a complete human frame, there are 250 bones: they afford us the means of locomotion. Do you see any analogy between the body and language? 10. ZOOLOGY-(the doctrine or science of life,) is a necessary element of education. Whose cu- . riosity has not been excited by the innumerable living beings, and things, with which we are surrounded? Is it not desirable to scrutinize their interiors, and see how they are made, and understand their various uses? Look at a man, a fish, a spider, an oyster, a plant, a stone; observe their differences, in many respects, and their simiları ties in others: they all have essence, form, use The tendency of the study of the three kingdoms of nature, the Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral, is to emancipate the human mind from the darkness and slavery of ignorance, into the light and berty of rational humanity. The things of the Animal kingdom live, and move from an interior power; those of the Vegetable kingdom grow; and those of the Mineral kingdom do not live or grow; they simply exist. 11. Three objects are designed by this erigraving: first, to show the body, clothed in its own beautiful envelop, the skin, which is the continent of our most wonderful piece of Mechanism: second, to call attention to the fact, that it is full of pores, or little holes, through which passes out of our systems more than half of what we eat and drink, in the form of what is called insensiblo perspiration, which is indicated by the cloudy mist, emanating from every part of the surface; and as our bodies wear out, by degrees, and are renewed every seven years, and the skin being the principal evacuating medium for the worn-out particles of the system; the great importance of keeping it in a clean, and consequent healthy condition, by daily washing in soft cold water, must be evident to every one of reflection, it being the safety-valve of the body: and thirdly, to indicate a higher truth, that of the passing off of a subtle and invisible fluid from the mind, in accordance with its state; which is often perceived when certain persons are present; also when powerful speakers are pouring forth their highly wrought affections, and brilliant thoughts; so as to give the mind a kind of ubiquity, co-extensive with their tones and audible words, ruling immense audiences with absolute sway, and demonstrating the power of truth and eloquence. Animals and Plants endure for a time, and under specific forms, by making the external world a part of their own being; i. e. they have the power imparted to them of self-nourishment, and when this outward supply ceases they die, having completed their term of duration : hence, death, to material existences, is a necessary cor sequence of life. Not so with minerals: they exist so long as external forces do not destroy them: and if they increase, it is simply by the juxtapoAnimals and Plants increase by nutrition: sition of other bodies; and if they diminish, it is Minerals by accretion. In infancy, we weigh by the action of a force, or power, from withbut a few pounds: at adult age, we exceed one out. Has not every thing its circle? How inhundred pounds. Whence, but from foreign sub-teresting must be the history of all things, anistances, are the materials of which our organs are composed? In sickness, extreme emaciation proves that our bodies may lose a portion of their bulk, and give back to the world what was once s own. Thus, composition and decomposition, mate and inanimate! Oh that we had eyes to see, and ears to hear, every thing that is manifested around us, within us, and above us! 13. If we would have the Mind act on the Body, and the Body react on the Mind, in an on the spine, so that the liver, stomach, and other digestive organs in that vier. nity, are pressed into a small derly, and, consequently, beneficial manner, it is | rience the dreadful consequences. Observe, alt necessary that the body be in a natural and up- the short ribs, from the lower end of the breastright position. The following engraving repre- bone, are unnaturally cramped inwardly toward sents the Thorax, or Chest, which contains the Heart and Lungs; and reason teaches, that no organs should be in the least infringed upon, either by compressions, or by sitting in a bent position. The Lungs are reservoirs for the air, out of which we make sounds, by condensation. All are familiar with the hand-bellows: observe the striking analogy between it and the body, in the act of speaking, singing and blowing. The wind-pipe is ike its nosle, the lungs like the sides, and the abdominal and dorsal muscles, like its handles; of course, to blow with ease and power, one must take hold of the handles; to speak and sing right, the lower muscles must be used; for there is only one right way of doing anything. Larynx, Wind-pipe, Collar bone, Bronchia, Heart & Lungs, 7 Long Ribs, Diaphragm, 5 Short Ribs, Dorsal and Abdominal 14. This is a view of a well developed and naturally proportioned chest; with space for the ungs, the short ribs thrown outwardly, affording ample room for the free action of the organs: it is the true model of the form of one who would live to a good old age. [compass, that their functions are great ly interrupted, and the vessels, all bones and viscera are more or less distorted and enfeebled. Cease to do evil, and learn to do well. D 17. This engraving, of a bell-shaped glass, C, C, shows how the air gets into the lungs, and some of its effects. A head is placed on the cork, T, representing the wind-pipe, and having a hole through Cit. L, represents a bladder, tied to the lower end of the cork, to indicate a lung. At D, is seen the diaphragm. The cavity of the bell represents the inside of the thorax, where the heart and lungs are there is no communication with the external* air, except through the hole in the cork; air, entering through that hole, can go only into the bladder. Now, when the centre of the diaphragm is raised to D, the bladder will be flaccid and devoid of air; but when it is dropped, to the situation of the dotted line, a tendency to a vacuum will be the consequence, which can be supplied with zir, 15. TIGHT DRESSING. No one can enjoy good health, or perform any kind of labor with ease, or only through the hole in the cork; the air expandread, speak, or sing, when the thorax is habitual- ing the bladder to its full extent, is shown by the dotted circle, around L; and when the diaphragm ly compressed. It diminishes the capacity of the is elevated again, the air will be forced from the lungs, for receiving the necessary quantity of air to purify the blood, and prevents the proper action ted by this alternate operation of the diaphragm, bladder; thus, the lungs are inflated and exhausof the diaphragm. The following engraving shows and of the contraction and elongation of the abthe alarming condition of the chest, when compressed by tight lacing; a practice that has hur-dominal muscles; hence, the comparison between ried, and is now hurrying, hundreds of thousands the vocal organs proper, and a pair of bellows, in distinctly seen. to a premature grave; besides entailing upon the offspring an accumulation of evils, too awful to contemplate. What is the difference between and killing one's self in five minute a razor her doing it in five years by tight or any bad habit? Our clothing should never be so tight as to prevent the air from coming between it and the body. 16. Here follows an outline of the chest, or thorax of a female, showing the condition of the bones of the body, as they appear after death, in every one who has habitually worn stays and corsets, enforced by tight lacing. But,' says one, I do not lace too tight.' If you lace at all, you most certainly do, and will, sooner or later, expe MUSCULAR ACTION. These two engravings represent some muscular fibres in two states: the upper one at rest, with a relaxed nervous filament ramified through the fibres, as seen under the microscope; and the lower one in a state of contraction, and the fibres in zigzag lines, with a similar nervous filament passing over them: apply the principle to all muscles. The subject might be greatly extended; but for further information, see the Author's large work on Physiology and Psychology, which will be published as soon as convenient. viscera and diaphragm upwards: the lungs en operate with the diaphragm and abdominal muecles; or rather, the soul, mind, nerves and muscles act unitedly, and thence with ease, grace and effect. Observe, the Stomach, Liver, &c. are below the diaphragm, and are dependent on it, in a measure, for their actions. and wholly fill up the cavity of the chest: every one has two hearts, for the two different kinds of blood, and each heart has two rooms: a, right auricle, that receives all the blood from every part of the body, through the vena cava, or large vein, which is made up of the small veins, e, e, e, e, e ; it thence passes into the right ventricle, i, thence into both lungs, where it is purified; after which it passes into the left auricle, and left ventricle, then into the aorta, o, and the carotid and subcla vian arteries (u, and v,) to every part of the body. returning every three or four minutes. |