I325

Every Figure, in sustaining any foreign Weight out of the Central Line of its own Magnitude, casts so much of its own, or of the foreign Weight on the opposite side, as serves to make a perfect Equilibrium about the Central Line, which passes through the whole Mass, and terminates, on that Foot set on the Ground. Thus, in bearing a Burthen with one Arm, we see a Man naturally stretch out the other from him; and that, not proving a Counterpoise, he further bends his Body the same way, till he has cast so much new Weight on that side, as suffices to resist the Load imposed on the other. We further observe, that a Man ready to fall on one side, never fails to stretch out the other to recover himself.