I. ANIMALCULA OF INFUSIONS. 253 



* found ill this ftate, we fhould difcover the fame 



* effential parts as organized bodies exhibit after 



* their evolution. It is neceffary to give the 



* word a more comprehenfive fignification, as is 



* manifefled by my principles themfelves. Thus, 

 ' it will not only defign a mod minute organized 

 ' body, but alfo every kind of original pixforma- 



* tion from which an organized whole may pro- 



* ceed as from its immediate principle.' In a 

 note, I have added, ' Remark, that I fay immedi- 



* ate, to diflinguifh the preformed part or parts, 

 ' in miniature, from the great whole where they 

 ' are to grow or be developed ; for that cannot 



* here be viewed as the immediate principle of re- 

 ' produ£lion ; it is only the mediate caufe' (i). 

 This is afterwards more direftly apphed to the 

 polypus (2) J and what is faid of it may extend 

 to all analogous animals. 



Before me, much has been faid on germs. 

 They are difcufled in all the good treatifes on na- 

 tural hiftory or phyfiology which appeared at the 

 end of the laft century and in this. Yet I do 

 not obferve that the authors, who have recurred 

 to che philofophical hypothefis of germs, have en- 

 tered deeply into the fubjed, or viewed it from 

 every fide, as I have endeavoured to do in the 



Corps 



(i) Tom. I. page 362. firft edition. 



