OF ANIMALCULES. 29 



and suppose them to be arranged in a line of only one 

 inch in length, it will require 9600 to form it; so 

 that a cubic inch would contain 884,736 millions ; — an 

 ocular demonstration, it would seem, of the divisibility 

 of animal matter. And if we investigate the thickness 

 of their skins, or of the tissue which incloses the coloured 

 particles, it will be found to be less than any substance 

 we are acquainted with in inorganic matter ; and will 

 afford at the same time a better idea of the minuteness of 

 the particles of vegetable colouring matter than any other 

 method we can devise. Thus, for instance, presuming 

 there are only four particles of colouring matter in each 

 cavity or stomach, and four sacs or cavities in each ani- 

 malcule, the said cubic inch of animalcules will contain 

 the immense number of 14,155,776 millions of particles ; 

 and if the solid matter of the animalcules be supposed to 

 occupy only one half of the space, a solid inch of indigo 

 would contain twice that number of particles. 



It may here be noticed that the " active molecules," 

 described by Mr. R. Brown, are, according to that acute 

 botanist's measurement, from 1 -20,000th to 1 -30,000th 

 of an inch in diameter ; and although I have examined 

 them under a magnifying power of 3000 times linear, 

 nothing like a vital principle, such as is exhibited by the 

 monads, could be recognized. 



2. MoNAS alomus et lens. The Atom Monad.— This 

 animalcule is defined by Muller to be a white monad 

 with a variable point; while the Monas lens he defines to 

 be a transparent monad of a shining talc- like appear- 



