"jl^ ANIMALCULA OF INFUSIONS, J^JJ 



CHAP. IX. 



ANIMALCULA POSSESS THE REAL AND CHARACTER. 

 ISTIC MARKS OF ANIMALITY. 



1 HE exiflence of an immaterial and fentient 

 principle in animals, refts on the analogy between, 

 their organization and operations compared with 

 the organization ana operations of man. Many 

 who haven ad recourfe to this kind of analogy, 

 though profound metaphyficians, have not been, 

 naturahfts enough to examine it as it ought to 

 be. Surely they havf; not taken the animal pro- 

 greffion in its full extent, nor defcended to a juft 

 and rigorous analyfis, which Vvouid have demon- 

 ftrated the inefficacy of analogical reafoniiig in 

 many links of the animal chain. Wkhout 

 any intention of combating their laudable ideas, 

 let us take a view of them ; and firfl of the animal 

 organization. It cannot be denied, that the me- 

 chanical ftrufture of numberlefs animals corref- 

 ponds entirely or in the greater part with that of 

 man. Not to name the oran-outang fo fimilar 

 to us, as differing only in the privation of reafon, 

 quadrupeds and birds in this refpe£t could not ap- 

 proach nearer to the human fpecies. The fame 

 organs for digeftion, refpiration, circulation, fc- 



cretion 2 



