2^i ANIMALCULA OF INI?l)SIONS. t 



It is the germs, then, that refift the heat of ebul- 

 lition, and their animalcula perilhing at 106° and 

 108°, which embarrafs you, and appear to weak- 

 en what you call the theory of germs. Perhaps 

 you may find the conjedures on this obfcure 

 fubjeft, which I have hazarded, Article 6. of 

 this letter, ailifl you in accounting for the faft, 

 at leaft in conceiving how it happens. If you 

 have any thing more probable to fuggeft, I will 

 not hefitate to give it the preference to my flen- 

 der conjectures. I have not pretended to divine 

 nature ; nor have I a better opinion of diviners in 

 natural hiftory than of thofe in politics : but yoa 

 will not be difpleafed at my communicating the 

 various reflections which your obfervations have 

 excited. Confider them only as dreams, if yoa 

 think fit : yet I muft flatter myfelf that you wi?l 

 judge them more philofophical than thofe of out 

 friend the Englifli Epigenefift. 



You fpeak of the theory of germs. It is moft 

 important to underfl:and the exaCt general mean- 

 ing conveyed by the word germ. It is frequently 

 recurred to in my two lafl: works. I have been 

 very fenfible how much the precife meaning may 

 aflfeCt all our reafonings on the material origin of 

 organized bodies. The polypus firft induced me 

 to feek for a proper definition of the word germ. 

 ' By this word is commonly underfl:ood a mofl 

 ' minute organized body 5 fo that, if it could be 



' found 



