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a barrifter, who, if he has any affurance and intereft, may not ftand a very good chance of fitting upon the bench. know, indeed, that a perfect knowledge of the laws is the caufa fine qua non of preferment among the gentlemen of the long robe, and that he only, who has figured at the bar, con have any hopes of fitting upon the bench. Yet I can fcarce think for all this, that every one who fits upon the bench has Viner's Short Abridgment of the Law, in-twenty-four volumes in folio, by heart, which is scarce a fiftieth part of the law books, which are to be confulted; any more than I can believe that there is any beneficed clergyman who has the four gofpels by heart, which are not at moft a twentieth part of the Bible. But fucceffion is a great advantage in behalf of the law department. Without a vacuum, the Newtonian philofophers affure us, there can be no motion in the law we frequently meet with this vacuum, by the fuperfeding of the perfon at the head of that department. But the church is a conftant plenum, in which there can be neither motion nor promotion: for if the head is never moved, the legs muft confequently stand still. The lord high chancellor feems to hold his poft only durante bene placito, or the pleasure of the king; but the lord primate keeps his durante vita. As the former is fuperfeded commonly for reafons of ftate, I think that the arguments which juftify his removal, would juftify the removal of the other great officer likewife. If the government would think as I do, the fucceflion in the fcale of church government would be fo great, that there is hardly a beneficed clergyman, who would not have fome profpect of wearing the pall; and the prieft, who is now bearing the heat of the day, and ftarving upon the fcanty reward of his labours, might, e'er long, be

feen fleeping in the stall of fome cathedral. If a plan of this kind were purfued, the outcry made against pluralities and non-refidence would be entirely ftopped; for the perfon who only inveighs against pluralities, is he that has not a single benefice; and he who exclaims against non-refidence, is generally a non-refident in the moft literal fenfe;-one who has no living to refide upcn.

But this is not all the advantages which the church would receive from this progreffive motion. The laity would be as much benefited by this plan as the clergy themselves. By thefe means they would get rid of a parfon whom they could neither cheat nor ftarve, which they always look upon as a very great hardship; and To indeed it is. In his room they might meet with one of a more pliant and paffive difpofition; and, by cheating him, might make up what they paid, or, as they exprefs it, loft by his predeceffor, who knew how to vindicate his rights. Thus harmony would be introduced between the clergy and the laity; than which nothing is more productive of the interefts of religion.

The only reafons I can affign for the little fuccefs that the ministers of the established church have amongst their parishioners may be reduced to thefe-they do not like their minifter at first, and therefore they will not like him-or they grow tired of him, and long to have a new one. Both thefe formidable reafons are obviated by this fcheme; for the removal of inferior clergymen to livings, from fmall livings to greater, and from greater to the highest preferments in the church, would be fo quick, that no minifter could ftay long enough among his parishioners to make them tired of him, or to prevent them from fatiating their appetite after novelty. The minifter, whom a congregation does not like, because they

do

On the Formation of the Heart of Man, and other Animals.

do not, or will not like him, and for no other reafon, will, by his removal, take away the caufe of their disguft; and stand a chance not only of extricating himself from fo difagreeable, a fituation, but likewife may poffibly change his former flock for one of more gratitude and more reafon. Novelty is the bafis and chief fupport of Methodifm; I tremble, therefore, for the proprietors of the Tabernacle and the Foundery, if this fcheme should meet with the approbation of

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government; for then, by the quick
fucceffion of priests in every church,
there would be found fo much no-
velty, befides fo much reafon, in the
eftablished church, that unless mo- .
ther Cole fhould be exhibited at the
Tabernacle, and Maw-worm at the
Foundery, the felf-inspired Apoftles,
and felf-confecrated primates of Me-
thodifm, muft preach to empty houfes,
and feel the pangs and throes of
empty purfes,
Coll. Jef. Oxon.

R.

C

To the EDITORS of the OXFORD MAGAZINE.
Onderful are the works of God
every where, but especially
in the formation of the heart of man,
and other animals. To give a full
and perfect account of the particulars:
of its curious mechanifm, is more
than mortal man can do; yet the fine
defcription of it might be beautifully
displayed by an able pen, and afford
entertaining articles enough to com-
pofe a volume. See Dr. Lower on
the fubject.

and action flows to its nourishment.
I cannot think that crude blood can
be the proximate proper matter of
that accretion; as poffibly I may pur
pofely treat of hereafter.

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But my prefent intention is only to take notice of one curious particular appertaining to its ftupendous ftructure, and which no one author, that I know of, except the great Boerhaave in his Inftitutiones Medica, p. 88, has took the leaft notice of that is, the afynchronous pulfation of the two coronary arteries of the heart to that of all the other arteries of the body.

To render the brief account of this curious phænomenon attending the heart as eafily intelligible to fuch as make not anatomy their ftudy, as poffible, (and which, as it is known but to few, I am hereby defirous to render public to many) they are first to know, that there are two arteries, that, twisting like vine tendrils, furFound the body, and penetrate the fubflance of the heart, for its heat

These two arteries, called coronary, because they, as it were, crown that noble bowel, arife, or spring out, from the aorta, or great artery, before it paffes through the pericardium, or membranous bag inclofing the heart, full of a watery fluid, to keep it moift and moveable. These two blood veffels extend many little branches from the bafis of the heart to its cone, of which the greatest number, and longeft, are very confpicuous on the left fide. There are just fo many coronary veins to anfwer the other, to carry back the refluent blood into the vena cava, or great hollow vein, and which are empty, while those of the body are full.

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Now, what is very wonderful, the blood, in its circulation, enters into the two coronary arteries at a time, afynchronous to that in which it enters the other arteries of the body: that is to fay, their pulfation is not at the fame time with that of the other arteries, but that they act when the others reft, and vice versa.

Neither, from the prefent circumftances, can it poffibly be otherways.; D d a

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for the direction of thefe two coronary arteries, with refpect to the courfe of the blood through the aorta, or great trunk, is fuch as entirely ftops the tranfit of the blood through them, whilft the heart is in its fyftole, or flate of cont.action.

This is very apparent to thofe who confider in what a retrograde manner they arife, making very acute angles to that part of the aorta which is neareft that ventricle.

Besides the mufcular fubftance of the heart, on which these two coronary arteries are diftributed, is, during its fyitole, or contraction, in fo firm and compacted a ftate, as is very unfavourable for the free paffage of the blood in circulation through its fubftance at this juncture. Thefe are the feveral caufes that prevent the blood's entrance into thefe coronary arteries at the fame time in which, by' the pulfation of the heart, it enters the other arteries all over the body.

That the blood when impelled out of the left ventricle of the heart into the aorta, or great artery, makes immediately in the ceffation of the impelling power a confiderable push, or reaction back again, may be reafonably inferred from the known ufe of the femi-lunar valves, and others, belonging to that bowel: and from the refiftance of the fides of the arteries, and the blood with which they are replete, muft neceffarily make to its progreffive motion.

Now if the impetus with which the blood recoils on the valves, be fufficient to raise them up, furely it' must enter the two coronary arteries

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at this time, and this only, efpecially as the relaxed ftate of the heart, now in its diaftole, as well as the direction of the two arteries themselves, fo remarkably concur in favouring fuch a tranfit. And that this is the very cafe in this fingular contrivance and mechanifm, any one, who will, may foon fatisfy himself by autopsy, on viewing a frog opened, or other fmall animals; when he may behold the heart become very red at the beginning of each diastole, or relaxed itate, when the ventricle is empty, and before filled again, and to continue fo during the whole time of its relaxation, till the commencement of its fyftole, when upon the next contraction, the fubitance of the heart directly becomes white, and fo continues during the whole time of its corrugation.

What greater demonftration can be required, than what these remarkably concurrent circumftances afford, that the blood does enter the two coronary arteries during the heart's diaftole, or the opening thereof, and cannot in the leaft during its fyftole, or fhutting thereof; when it is forced' into the aorta, or main artery, and thence through all the other, except the aforefaid two coronary ones?

But in what manner this particular contrivance of fupplying the heart with its blood during the diaftole was defigned to influence each fucceeding fyftole, with many other grand fecrets belonging to the fame, the great Kagdowolne only knows. Leigh, Yours, Dec. 10, 1768.

J. COOK.

To the EDITORS of the OXFORD MAGAZINE. Q U ER Y.

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the hypothefis, that, in femine mafculino are homunciones? for, why then, fhould an homuncio be charged with a gout, or any other hereditary dif temper? It may be answered, that,

a good

Some Theological Questions answered.

a good vegetable feed, ex traduce, does not always preferve its foundnefs and perfection; but a puny and, vitiated feed, or vegetable, often follows, either thro' the badness or unfitnefs of the foil or fituation. May not the homuncio, thro' the faultinefs of the aceeding juices, that ferve to dilate it, in its growth, be fo impregnated in the embrio, as to prejudice its tender texture, and corrupt and alter its original ftamen? Still recurs the old propofition, How can be communicated a principle capable of producing the fmall-pox,

209

which was difcharged from both parents before cohabitation? Muft we admit of feparate, independent, and felf-exiftent powers of homunciofhip? or fomething like infipid + properties in chymistry; which by the action of a menftruum, produce qualities that lay dormant, and could not otherwife exert themselves?

I am, Gentlemen, yours,

LEICESTRIENSIS, neither a Surgeon nor Phyfician. Leicester, Dec. 17, 1768.

+ Boyle fays in his Experiments, Saporem ex infipido, per menftruum evocari.

To the AUTHORS of the OXFORD MAGAZINE.
GENTLEMEN,

Your repeated favours in inferting my answers to the two firft theological queries, encourage me to fend you my answer to the third, which may be confidered likewise as an answer to the fourth, fince both questions relate to the fame subject. I am, Gentlemen, yours,

T1

HE doctrine of a Providence is a fundamental point in theology, and is neceffarily inferred from the existence of a Deity. However true and certain the doctrine is in itfelf, the inquifitive mind of man has embarraffed the fubject with many difficulties and objections, that arife from our limited views of the Divine Administration. The queftion before us fuppofes events to happen in a method commonly called Providential, or by Chance, or by fome eftablished laws or rules implanted in the nature of things at the creation.

First, I muft beg leave to premife, that in all inquiries the terms of the queftion fhould be clearly understood, for unless precife and determinate ideas are affixed to our words, confufion and perplexity will inevitably enfue. This obfervation may jufly be applied to the word chance, which .is only a negative term, and has no determinate meaning. When we cannot difcern the immediate caufe of

WADHAMENSIS.

any of effect, we afcribe it to chance, but chance is a mere chimera, existing only in imagination. It is an acknowledged axiom in philofophy, that there can be no effect without caufe; no events therefore can happen by themselves. Perhaps, it may be faid, that fome events happen by an occult principle, which we denominate chance: in ftrictness of speech, the efficient and primary cause of all events is unknown, I mean in refpe&t to the mode of operation. All final caufes are only effects of the first caufe

when we trace events to final causes, the eye of reafon grows dim, and becomes incapable of exploring the first link in the great chain of nature. No events are to be afcribed to chance, on account of our ignorance of their caufes, fince we are equally ignorant of the manner by which the firft caufe influences events of whatever kind. The only difference is, that in events, faid to happen by chance, there is no vifille coù

nection of caufe and effect, whereas in regular and uniform operations, the connection is more apparent. We have no reason to fuppofe chance to have any fhare in the conftitution of an univerfe formed by a Gon of 3rdsr.

It remains therefore to examine, whether those things that are compenly called Providential, do not happen by fome chablished laws or vules implanted in the nature of #ings at the creation. In refpect to armal events, the continual interposition of the Deity is neceffary: for matter is incapable of obeying any laws, being in its nature merely rasive, and void of any active principle. All bodies of matter ceafe to whenever the impetus that impels them to action is withdrawn: the impetus that was the original of motion is neceffary to continue it: for inftance, the motions of the heavenly bodies would have ceafed on account of the obftructions that would happen in a series of ages, unless they were preferved in regular order by a fuperintending Power. The centripetal and centrifugal forces havn been called: pinanovyxgivilas ta soixed, zas reixos w diangivelas by which trong metaphor is expreffed the attraction and averfion of the heavenly bodies in refpect to the center. Thefe forces are contrary to each other, and would mutually clafh, if fome unerring band did not continually preferve a ju balance. From the varieties of rection in the heavenly bodies, a conftant regulation from time to time is fufficiently evident. If we defcend from the heavens to the earth, we fall difcern additional proofs of a contant interpofition. Here the face of nature is continually varying; deInges,conflagrations,and earthquakes, Lappen in different places, not by virtue of any original laws or rules

planted in the nature of things at the creation; for they woulft be uni

verfal, not local. If the phoenomena of nature were exactly uniform, there might be fome pretext to alledge an original establishment of laws of rules without any particular interpofition of Providence, but fince there are diverfities of operations in the course of nature, we must of neceffity conclude that it is God, who continually worketh all in all, and difpofes alt events according to the purposes of his own will.

The hypothefis of a regular concatenation of caufes and effects eftablifhed at the creation is confonant to the Epicurean philofophy, which fuppofes the Deity to exift in a ftate of inactivity, not at all concerning himfelf with the affairs of the world. This fyftem of theology is very derogatory to the perfections of that Being, in whom we live, move, and have our Being. The Deity fills infinite fpace with his prefence; he is endued with the most confummate wifdom; he is armed with omnipotence, and his goodnels is infinite: hence he is both enabled and difpofed to exert himself not only in refpect to our globe, but to all the other globes that adorn the vaft expanfe. He employs fome exalted beings as the minifters of his univerfal Providence, and they, with humble reverence, obey the divine fat. He has not refigned the reins of government to a blind unintelligent principle called chance; neither has he fixed the laws of the univerfe at the creation, in such a manner, as to preclude any further interpofition. He did indeed conceive an extenfive plan of government, and is continually acting in the execution of that plan.

His Providence is not confined to the operations of matter, the intellectual world is enlightened and directed by him, either immediately or mediately, by fubordinate fpirits. In what manner fuperior fpirits may act upon the foul of man is uncertain;

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