f
P K o OE M I U M.
•vcRigarc. Jam vero majora qua;dam animo complefli, et etiam fpem
fovcrc aufus cll, lore ut opus aliquod exicdificare polTet, quod ad pcrf
c f l i o n cm abfolutioncmque propius perveniret. Pncvidit cnim, in
liac urbe, tanta hominum multitudine refcrta, annorum aliquot fpatio,
occafionem omnia ea qua; ad gravidum utcrum pertinent, obfervandi
viro, lioc agenti, baud fortaffe defuturam ; unde fibi facultas
dari poffet al iquod quafi fyilema condere, variafque illas mutationes,
fingulis graviditatis menfibus proprias, fignris exprimerc. Ejufmodi
fere cil hoc opus I quod, longo tempor e promiffum, tandem aliquando
in medium prodit. Ut id fane ad exitum perduci polfet, moras trahere
ncceffe fuit, praeter opinionem diuturnas. Quoties autem auctor
fecum reputat has moras operi minime infrufluofas fui f fc, abunde
fentit, quo fe confoietur.
Q u o d autem hoc argumentum illuflrandi uni alieni mortali tam
pulchra occafio toties obtigerit, in caufa lìierunt tum varii cafus, tum
amicorum multorum gratiffima fubfidia. Tabularum harum ultima
e manu artificis vix excelferat, cum datum fuit del inear e embryonem
mole minorem, quam quem antea vidiífe auí lori unquam contigerat ;
et baud ita p r i d em concc/'/aj in tuba fallopiana, reshape animadverßone
egregie digna, figurarum numerum adauxit. Hx figura:, et fi qua
aha, ejuldem argumenti, oceurrent, vel in tabula his adjicienda, vel
cum uteri gravidi defcriptione anatomica, quam audor fecum medit
a t u r , data occafione, in publicum aliquando proferentur. Hañenus
quidem ipfi id otii non conceCTum eft, quod ad hanc operis partem
abfolvendam effet fatis. Quod fi cafu aliquo improvifo impeditus
f u e r i t , quo minus id, quod eupiat, polTit exfequi, perfuafum fibi habet,
hand defuturum al iquem, buie muneri obeundo parem. Multi
c n i m f u n t , qui anñor em de Iiis rebus publice dilTerentem fiepe fa;pius
audieriht i mul t i quos i l k opinioni s ac fentent ia: fui£ p a r t i c ipe s fecerit.
F I G U R A R U M fere anatomiearum duplex eft et diverfa ratio.
A b altera íimplex rei imago, qualis oeulo vifa eft, talis delineatur.
Altera, una cum vifis, etiam excogitata exhibet ; nec tam ad oculum
artificis, quam ad ingenium memoriamque accommodatur. Prioris
generis exempla apud Bidloo extant ; pofteriori s apud Eußachium.
Fieri non poteft, quin figura ifta, qua: fit ex fideli natura: imitation
e , et ex rei unius contemplatione enafcitur, in quibufdam fepe partibus
indiftincfèa ant minus perfecSa eife videatur. Altera autem, ex
i n g e n i o nata, qua: autem non fit, nifi per laborcm, et obfervationem
et experientiam multiplicem, id u n o intuitu videndum exhibet, quod
fortaffe non nifi ex rerum varietale colligendum fiierat. Porro h s c
eft ea, quie et meliorein ordinem, et compendium faeilius, et majorem
p e r f p i c a c i t a t em admittit. Alteram quidem contemplans oculus, elegantia
ac eoncinnitate natura: obledatur: in altera, geometrici cujufd
am diagrammatis, accurati quidem exatìique, fed nudi , fed ¡nomati
fimilitudinem agnofcit. Illa r em quamlibet fpeäator i , tanquam pra:-
fentem, fubjicit, et ùit percipers: ha:c tantummodo defcribentis vice
fiingitur, remque dehneatam in animi confpeclu ponit. Prior autem
p o f t e r i o r i in hocpncf tat maxime, quod ea, qua: revera vifa funt , exhibens,
fpeciem quandam veritatis pra; fe fert ; et fit propemodum
a;que nefeia fallerc, ac illud ipfum quod affimulatur.
D e hoc opere, quod naturae ipfius fpeciem proponi t , alii fortaffe
ahud judicium ferent. Nifi enim auflorem fallat vana fpes fua atque
opimo, multi funt apud quos ille nec eenfebitur operam inutilem
pofuiffe, nec mepte erogaffe pecuniam; apud quos fcilicet figurarum
magnitudo, elegantia, ac varietas aliqna in laude ponentur. Contra,
n o n deerunt, quibus magna pars fumptus fupervacanea omnino atque
infrafluola fuilfe videbitur, Contendent fcilicet opcris hujus
u t d . t a t em ad plures potuifl-e pertingere, fi figura: omnes in formam
a r i t i o r em contrafla: fuiffent; ii Iculptura manu minus delicata fuifiet
e l a b o r a t a ; fi aliquot etiam figura:, utpote aliis non abfimiles, omn
i n o omiffa:.
C u m autem figura:, de quibus agitur, ea mente atque confilio
tingi loleant, ut ab lis, quantum fieri poteft, explicetur tam vera
n a t u r a partium (nempe earum habitudo et ílruítura) quam Ibrma
externa pofitura, ac nexus ; magnitudo illis aliqua eoncedatur neceffe
eft ; aliter enim partes, ut aiunt, componentes haud fatis diftinfle
d e l i n e a n poffunt, Q,uod fi magnitudo rei propria fculptura: quodammodo
apta fit ac conveniens, ea ipfa, utpote qua: obfervatu dignillima
eft, haud dubio eligenda cft pra:cipue. His de caufis figurie
omnes, quotquot hic p rof e runtur , adjuftum natura: modum perfcda:
l u n t , paucis tantum exceptis, qua: in formam naturali anguftiorem
c o g u n t u r .
P R E F A C E .
that, in the courje offome years, by diligence he might procure in this great
city, Jo many opportunities of Jludying the gravid uterus, as to be enabled
to make up a tolerable JyJlem ; and to exhibit, by figures, all the principal
changes that happen in the riine^ months of utero-gejlation. Such is the
work which, at length, is ojered to the public. The execution of it has
indeed taken up more time, than what mas atfirjl expelled: but it gives the
author no fmall Jatisfailion to rejie£i, that the delay of publication has contributed
not a little to the value of the work.
That one perfonfhmld have had fo many opportunities of illußraling this
fubjeä, has been owing to fortunate circumßances, as well as to the aßßance
of many friends. Even fmce the laß plate was finifhed, he had an opportunity
of making a drawing of a younger embryo than he had before feen;
and he has likewife made fome figures from a very curious cafe, which ht
lately met with, namely a conception in the fallopian tube. Thefe, and whatever
may hereafter occur, he will offer to the public upon fome future occafwn;
probably in the way of a fupplementalplate, or with the anatomical
defcription of the gravid uterus, which he propofes to puhlfh at full length.
He has not hitherto had leifure tofinijh that part of the work. But ij he
fhould be prevented from doing it, by any uriforefeen accident, it will be in
the power of many gentlemen of the profeßon to do it for him, as he has
conßantly explained his obfervations on this fubjeSl in his public leäures.
A NA TO MICA L figures are made in two very different ways; one is
the fimple portrait, in which the objeH is reprefented exaBly as it was feen ;
the other is a reprefentation of the obfeS under fuch circumflances as were
not aiiually feen, but conceived in the imagination. Bidloo has given us
fpecimens of the firfi kind; Euftachius of the latter.
That figure which is a clofe reprefentation of nature, and which is finifhed
from a view of onefubJeSl, will often be, unavoidably, fomewhat indiftinS
or defeSlive in fome parts: the other, being a figure offancy, made up per^
haps from a variety offiudies after NATURE, may exhibit in one view, what
could only be feen in Jeveral objeSs ; and it admits of a better arrangement,
of abridgement, and of greater precifion. The one may have the elegance and
harmony of the natural obfeS; the other has commonly the hardnefs of a geometrical
diagram: the onefhews the obfeSl, or gives perception; the other only
defcribes, or gives an idea of it. A very ejfential advantage of the firjl is,
that as it reprefents what was aSlually feen, it carries the mark ojtruth, and
becomes almofi as infallible as the obJeCl itfelf.
With regard to this work, which is a faithful reprefentation of what was
aBuallyfeen, the judgement of the public will probably be divided. Many will
approve of the labour and expenfe which have been befiowed upon it, and
commend the largenefs, elegance, and variety of the figures. Others will
think that a great part of the expenfe might have been fpared, and the work
thereby rendered of more general ufe, if the figures had been made to a fmaller
fcale, if the eng raving had been lefs finifhed, and if fome of the figures,
which are veryJimilar to others, had been omitted.
Analomicalfigures being intended toßiew, as much aspoßble, the true nature,
that is, the peculiar habit and compofition of parts, as well as the outward
form, fituation and conneClion of lhem,ßiould certainly be large; otherwife
the fmaller component parts can not be dißinäly reprefented; and if the
natural fue of the objeB be tolerably fit for an engraving, that muß be of all
others the very heß, as it has the advantage ofßiewing fuch an important circumßance.
Upon thefe confiderations, all the figures in this work were made
of the natural fae, except afew which were reduced in fize, and e-'
of minute objeäs which, on that account, l
P R O OE M I U M.
c o g u n t u r , nec non una atque altera ex rebus minutiffimis, quas
a u f ì o r idcirco ampliandas curavit.
l i f d e i n etiam de caufis conftat hujufcemüdi figuris dcberi accurationeni
quandam atque elegantiam. Profeflo in piflura fa:pe fit, ut
oculi leviftima adumbrat ione obleflentur; maxime ubi vel ipfum'tab
u l a argumentum adeo pervulgatum eft, ut vis imaginandi facile
excitetur, id, quodcunqiie defuerit, ftatim adimpletura (ficuti iis in
tabulis, ubi hominum effigies, autalia: res, pariter nota:, exhibentur)
vel ubi partes rerum minutiores aciem pene oculorum fugiunt, ut ea
in tabula chorographica, qua:, propter diftantiam fuam, parmn cern
u n t u r . Sed in anatomia, ut et in rei naturalis hiftoria, argumentum
tabula: fpeflatori vel omnino effe incogni t i im ponitur, vel non fatis
e x p l o r a t u m ; partefque minima:, pariter cum majoribus, ftudium dih
g e n t i a m q u e requirunt. Operam quideni dare, ut fumnia arte elab
o r e n t u r ea: figurarum partes, per quas nihil, aut parum exprimitur,
nifi quod prius fit c.xpreffum, hominis effet vehementer et opera fua
e t pecunia abutentis. Harum igitur figurarum pars maxima ultra
m e d i o c r i t a t e m p e r l e f l a eft; aliquot fumma expolitione atque ardficio
o r n a t a : ; leviora, vel ea qua: prius fuerant aiiqua ex parte illuftrata,
leviter taña; ea vero qua: fecunda vice proferuntur, lineis fere exterioribus
adumbrata.
Cuilibet homini, cui judicium fit paulo feverius, in proclivi crit
id auñori vitio dare, quod opus hoc haud fatis j u f t o ordine proccff
e r i t, n e c formam preffam Eitis atque concinnam induat. Ouod fi ille
difiicultatcs, quotquot auflorem c i rcumvener int , contempl i ione fiier
i t c o n i p l e , x u s , c o n a m i n a h a : c e e , q u a l i a c u n q u e fint, animo magis Kquo
cxcipiet. ^ In plurimis aliis operibus, ad rem anatomicam qua: fpect
a n t , veniam fibi haud facile impetrat vel dcfe(5i.us aliqua ex parte,
vel materies confufe permifteque difpofita. Oiiivis enim, fi modo
laboren! pati decrcverit, pri.-.jum quidem exercitltione et experientia
i n t i m am argumenti fui cognitionem adipifci poterit ; deinde autem
operis cujul'dam, per feai undique omnibufque numeris abfoluti, formam
atque imaginem animo effingere ; et denique ex variorum cadav
e r um contemplatione rem inllitutam pro arbitrio fuo ad exitum perducere.
Humani autem corporis uterum gravidum otiofe feeare paucis dat
um eft. Fauci funt, quibus, in omni vita: Ipatio, nifi femel, aut etiam
fortalfis i terum hoc fuerit indultum. Ponamus quidem talem occafionem,
fauftam omnino atque feheem, cultori cuipiam anatomia:
effe oblatam ; necelfe eft ut continuo et fine mora de rationc illc inftituti
fixum aliquod certumque deftinet; et uno eodemque tempore
d u o eonfilia, inter fe n on bene convenientia, profequatur. Primum
enim, ut ipfe rem penitus perfpeftam habeat , cadaver fua manu fecet
necefte eft ; ita tamen inftituenda eft invef t igat io, ut artifici finiul adftanti,
praccipuas partes commode delineandi plena fit copia. Prolude
vix fieri poteft, quin confilium, optime fufceptum, inimutari
o p o r t e a t , variifque rebus acconiodari qua: de improvifo etpra:ter exp
c f l a t i o n em poffint occurrere. Ut autem id rite perfici poftit, opus
cft longi tempori s mora ; par tes interea aëri externo, inter pingendum,
expofitie plurimum detrimenti eapient ; pnccipue fi vir talis negotio
o b e u n d o prfefit cui cura: eft, ne lieti quidpiam, aut ex memoria dep
r o m p t i , ipfi rei veritati inducatur, et ut nihil ibi locum haboat, nifi
quod ex natur x ipfius obfervatione, re alia nulla intercedente, arr
e p t um fuerit.
Si auf lor tot opportuni tates, hane ornandi provinciam, fibi profpexiffet
futuras , quot ipfi bona fua fortuna indullerit , figuras iUe quidem
aliquas emendatiores rcddere potuiffet; alias aliis melius aceommod
a r e , et ita earum ferieni in minorem nnmerum cogere. Figuras quid
em nonnullas, jam dehneatas, duafque tabulas, a fculptore prorfus
p e r f e f l a s , apud le p rudens detinuit ; ne operi s fcilicet moles atqueimp
e n d i um plus a:quo increfcerent. Et profeflo plures, eadem ration
e induflus, detinuiffet, nifi ipfi menteni fiibiilfet, longum fortaffe
fore tempus, priulciuam aliquod figurarum fyftenia, hoc fuo minus
impcrl(;fluni, in lucem fit exiturum. Potius igitur duxit culpa: in per
i c u h im ineurrere, co quod rem nimis copiolc, quam quod pareius
a c negligenter tradaverit.
O p e r i , nimia: j am magnitudinis, nimi iquc fumptus, internam foetus
a n a t o m i am adjicere, lupervacaneiini fore vifum eft ; proefcrtim cum
alii ifto muñere funt íuiiííli ; et cuilibet, id qui de integro meditatur,
ha;c omni a cognofcendi a tque tracSandi hand liicile d e f u t u r a eft oceaf io.
I n
P R E F A C E .
For the reafon already given it Jhould Jam obvious that anatomical figures
ought to be likewife well finifhed. In many fubjeHs of painting, indeed, the
fight manner of producing an effeCl, without labour, is very agreeable; particularly
when, either the fubfek is Jo well known, that a mere hint is enough
to the imagination, which eafily fupplies all that is wanting; as, in defigns
where human figures, and other well known objeCls are introduced; or, when
the fmaller parts of obfeAs are not to be feen dijlinay, as the objeHi, ejpecially
the more dijlant ones, in a landfcape. But in anatomy, as in natural
hiflory, Ihefubfea is fuppofed to be new, or only imperfeaiy known; and the
fmaller parts are to be fludied with care, as well as the larger maffes. In
thofe parts of analomicalfigures, indeed, which are mere repetitions, or nearly
fo, the labour and expence of flnif ling may well be faved. Accordingly in
this work the greater part is tolerably wellfinifhed, fome very highly and delicately
; matters of lefs moment, or approaching to repetitions are executed in
a flight manner; and what is merely a repetition, is commonly put down in
bare out-lines.
Any judicious perfon, who examines this work with care, mill naturally
think that the plan might have been more regular and more compaä: but it
is prefumed that he will be lefs dijfalisfied with the authors beß endeavours
when heßiall confider the difficulties which lie in the way, and render the
fubjeä almoß unmanageable. In many other works of anatomy, imperfections,
and particularly a xoant of method, are not readily excufed. For, if the
author will but take the pains, he may firfi of all make himfelf maßer of his
fubjeä by repealed dijeäions and experiments; he may, al his leifure, lay
down aßudied plan for a compleat and regular work; and with his own convenience
he may execute his plan from a variety of dead bodies.
But, opportunities of diffeHing the human pregnant uterus at leifure, very
rarely occur. Indeed, to moß anatomißs, tf they have happened at all, it
has been but once or twice in their whole lives. Upon fuch occafions therefore,
even when attended with the moß favourable circumßances, the analomß
muß fix upon a plan, without lofs of time, and at once carry on two
fchemes which are hardly compatible; that is to fay, he muß diffecl for his
own information, in the firß place, and yet conduS the inquiry fo as to have
good drawings made of the principal appearances: and it is more than probable
that he muß alter any plan that he might have propofed, and adapt it
to a variety of circumßances in the fubjeä that could not be forefeen ; and
much time muß be loft, and the parts muß be confiderably injured by long expofure
to the air before the painter; efpecially if the work be conduäed by an
anatomift who will not allow the artifi to paint from memory or imagination,
but only from immediate obfervation.
I f the author could have forefeen the numerous opportunities which have
fallen to his ftiare, he might have eafily improved fome of the figures ; and
by adapting them better to one another he might have comjyleated the feries
in a fmaller number. He has aäually kept back feveral drawings which had
been made, and two plates which had been engraved, that the work might
not be overcharged; and would have withheld more, for that reafon, if he
had not thought that it would probably be long before a more perfeä fyfiem of
figures would be offered to the public. This confideration induced him to
riß the being cenfured rather for having done too much, than too little.
In a work lohich was already become too large and expenfive, it was thought
proper to omit the internal anatomy of the child, efpecially as that part has
been executed by others, and opportunities of Jludying it may be eafily procured.
The