Structure and Economy of the Aunulate A?imals. 121 



Art. IV. On Structure, and its adnptedness to Economy in the 

 Annulate Animals, By il. 



The most advantageous occupation for man is the study of 

 the works of his Creator ; this study is also the most natural, 

 and consequently the most gratifying. Man delights to en- 

 quire into the means employed to accomplish appointed ends; 

 he possesses an innate desire to discover the causes of those ob- 

 vious phenomena which are continually attracting his attention. 

 It is but too frequently the aim of those who instruct youth 

 to repress this desire, this thirst for natural knowledge, sup- 

 posing it likely, if encouraged, to interfere, in after-life, with 

 the pursuit of power and riches, which are generally the only 

 desiderata held up to our youthful hopes. It should be far 

 otherwise; the expanding mind, like the growing body, 

 should be copiously supplied with wholesome nutriment, else 

 its tastes become vitiated and its power weakened. There is 

 nothing which enables an ardent and aspiring mind to form 

 so just an estimate of itself, as does an idea, however imper- 

 fect, of something greatly superior. Now, that mind must be 

 lost to the power of thinking, that cannot trace in the circu- 

 lation of the blood, in the conversion of an egg to a chicken, 

 or in the reproduction of a spider's leg or a lobster's claw, 

 the design and superintendence of an intelligence infinitely 

 above its own. Let man enquire into these things. As he 

 imbibes great and important truths in natural history, he be- 

 comes deeply imbued with a sense of his own insignificance. 

 His first safe step in knowledge is the assured feeling of his 

 own utter ignorance. 



I have long desired the opportunity now afforded me, of 

 addressing readers among whom many will be willing to 

 consider themselves learners. For the learned I have no no- 

 velties in store. I address myself more particularly to those 

 yet in the morning of life, whose enthusiasm of enquiry has 

 received no chill from the unsatisfactory sophisms and pe- 

 dantry of soQie of the self-elected dictators in natural history. 

 I am no dictator, but a fellow enquirer : my solicitation is, 

 " Come with me, a lowly and unworthy son of science ; come 

 with me, and let us together meditate on the wonderful works 

 of our Creator. Let us examine together the structure of 

 one branch of the animal kingdom. Let us trace the pecu- 

 liarities which distinguish it from the other branches. Let 

 us see how beautifully these very peculiarities are adapted to 

 the parts in the creation which these creatures are designed 

 to perform." 



