Galen, as a profound anatomist and physiologist, recognised final causes, a purpose in all parts of the bodies which he dissected; and it is, as Whewell points out,[498] impossible for a really great anatomist to do other than recognise these. He cannot doubt that the nerves run along the limbs, _in order_ that they may convey the impulses of the will to the muscles: he cannot doubt that the muscles are attached to the bones, _in order_ that they move and support them. The development of this conviction, that there is a purpose in the parts of animals of a function to which every organ is subservient, greatly contributed to the progress of physiology; it compelled men to work till they had discovered what the purpose is. Galen declared that it is easy to say with some impotent pretenders that Nature has worked to no purpose. He has an enthusiastic scorn of the folly of atheism.[499] “Try,” he says, “if you can imagine a shoe made with half the skill which appears in the skin of the foot.” Somebody had expressed a desire for some structure of the human body over that which Nature has provided. “See,” he exclaims, “what brutishness there is in this wish. But if I were to spend more words on such cattle, reasonable men might blame me for desecrating my work, which I regard as a religious hymn in honour of the Creator. True piety does not consist in immolating hecatombs, or in bearing a thousand delicious perfumes in His honour, but in recognising and loudly proclaiming His wisdom, almighty power, love and goodness. The Father of universal nature has proved His goodness in wisely providing for the happiness of all His creatures, in giving to each that which is most really useful for them. Let us celebrate Him then by our hymns and chants! He has shown His infinite wisdom in choosing the best means for contriving His beneficent ends; He has given proof of His omnipotence in creating everything perfectly conformable to its destination.” Anatomy must have reached a high standard before Galen’s time, as we learn from his corrections of the mistakes and defects of his predecessors. He remarks that some anatomists have made one muscle into two, from its having two heads; that they have overlooked some of the muscles in the face of an ape in consequence of not skinning the animal with their own hands. This shows that the anatomists before Galen’s time had a tolerably complete knowledge of the science. But Galen greatly advanced it. He observes that the skeleton may be compared to the pole of a tent or the walls of a house. His knowledge of the action of the muscles was anatomically and mechanically correct. His discoveries and descriptions even of the very minute parts of the muscular system are highly praised by modern anatomists.[500]