Crooke, Helkiah (1576-1648)

ΜΙΚΡΟΚΟΣΜΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ: A Description of the Body of Man [Mikrokosmographia, Microcosmographia]

London

Printed by William Iaggard

1615

"From the brain, turn the eye of thy mind to the gates of the Sun, and Windows of the soul, I mean the eyes, and there behold the brightness of the glittering Crystal, the purity and neat cleanness of the watery and glassy humors, the delicate and fine texture of the Tunicles, and the wonderfull and admirable volubility of the Muscles, in turning and rowling of the eyes."

For his power, it is not onely visible but palpable also, in that of so small a quantitie of seede, the parts whereof seeme to be all homogenie or of one kinde; and of a few droppes of blood, he hath framed so many and so diuers particles, aboue two hundred Bones, Cartilages yet more, many more Ligaments, a number of Membranes numberlesse, the Pipes or trunkes of the Arteries, millions of veines, sinnewes more then thirty paire, Muscles almost foure hundred; and to conclude, all the bowels and inward parts. His incredible wisedome appeareth in the admirable contabulation or composition of the whole, made of so many parts, so vnlike one to another. Enter thou whosoeuer thou art (though thou be an Atheist, and acknowledgest no God at all,) enter I beseech thee, into the Sacred Tower of Pallas, I meane the braine of Man, and behold and admire the pillars and arched Cloysters of that princely pallace, the huge greatnesse of that stately building, the Pedistals or Bases, the Porches & goodly frontispice, the 4. arched Chambers, the bright and cleare Mirrour, the Labyrinthaean Mazes and web of the small arteries, the admirable trainings of the Veines, the draining furrowes and watercourses, the liuing ebullitions and springings vp of the sinnewes, and the wonderfull foecundity of that white marrow of the back, which the wiseman in the Book of the Preacher or Ecclesiastes calleth the Siluer cord. From the braine, turne the eye of thy minde to the gates of the Sun, and Windowes of the soule, I meane the eyes, and there behold the brightnesse of the glittering Cristall, the purity and neate cleannesse of the watery and glassy humors, the delicate and fine texture of the Tunicles, and the wonderfull and admirable volubility of the Muscles, in turning and rowling of the eyes. Marke and obserue also, the art and curious workmanship appearing in the inward part of the eare, how exquisitely it is made and trimmed with Labyrinths, windings, little windowes, a sounding Timpane or timbrill; three small bones, a stirrop, an anuile, and a hammer; the small Muscles, the Nerue or sinnew of hearing, and the Carteleginious or gristle passage, prepared for conueying all sounds vnto the sense. Looke vpon the vnweariable and agile motions, the conquering power, the frame and composition, the Muscles, the proper and peculiar kinde of flesh, the Membranes, the Veynes and sinnewes, and the bridle as it were, all easily distinguished within the compasse of that little body, or rather little member of the bodie, the Tongue, wherewith we blesse God, and wherewith we curse men. (I.vii, pp. 14-15)

Body::Eye Architecture::Window

Reading in EEBO

Helkiah Crooke, ΜΙΚΡΟΚΟΣΜΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ: A Description of the Body of Man (London: Printed by William Iaggard, 1615). <Link to EEBO>

Mind's Eye

09/28/2011