fi Al^lMALCULA OF INFUSIONS^ 265 



* Other, that an organic body entirely new, and 



* without any preformation, can never be produc- 

 ^ ed, and that we cannot entirely deftroy an ani- 



* mal not yet exifting.' From this circumftanti- 

 ate paflage, we perceive that Leibnitz not only 

 rejefts the mechanical formation of the animal,, 

 but that he admits germs or preorganization, and. 

 alfo the infinite involution of organic machines. 

 Can we believe this is aftual infinity ? Mufl not 

 every feries have an ultimate term ? Is the infi- 

 nity of geometricians real infinity ? However^ 

 this paflfage, and many others of the fame author, 

 flridly demonftrates that Mr Needham has not 

 been aware of the real fentiments of the German 

 Plato on the origin of organized beings. 



Thus, it will be important for you to fhow 

 your readers that our friend*s method is unphilo- 

 fophical. I do not defpair, however, that your 

 new experiments, and the logical dedudions 

 which youknow how to draw from them, will tri- 

 umph over his attachment to Epigenefis. It 

 fhould alfo be expeded from his love of truth. 



XVI. The plan of your DilTertation pleafes me 

 much, my dear correfpondent j and I offer up^ 

 fmcere vows for its execution. No naturalift 

 will have equally perfected this part of natural 

 hiftory, fit in itfelf to complete the logic of 

 the obferver, and to exercife his geniuso 



Ik 



