152 RELATIONS. 



termines the rate of going. Referring the balance to the 

 rest of the works, he saw, w^hen he came to understand its 

 action, that which rendered their motions equable. Lastly, 

 in looking upon the index and face of the watch, he saw 

 the use and conclusion of the mechanism, viz. marking the 

 succession of minutes and hours ; but all depending upon 

 the motions within, all upon the system of intermediate ac- 

 tions between the spring and the pointer. What thus 

 struck his attention in the several parts of the watch he 

 might probably designate by one general name of " rela- 

 tion ;" and observing, with respect to all cases what- 

 ever, in which the origin and formation of a thing could be 

 ascertained by evidence, that these relations were found in 

 things produced by art and design, and in no other things, 

 he would rightly deem of them as characteristic of such 

 productions. To apply the reasoning here described to the 

 works of nature. 



The animal economy is full ; is made up of these rela-' 

 tions. 



I. There are first, what, in one form or other, belong to all 

 animals, the parts and powers which successively act upon 

 their food. Compare this action with the process of a 

 manufactory. In men and quadrupeds, the aliment is, 

 first, broken and bruised by mechanical instruments of 

 mastication, viz. sharp spikes or hard knobs, pressing 

 against, or rubbing upon one another; thus ground and 

 comminuted, it is carried by a pipe into the stomach, where 

 it waits to undergo a great chemical action, which we call 

 digestion ; when digested, it is delivered through an orifice, 

 which opens and shuts as there is occasion, into the first 

 intestine; there, after being mixed with certain proper in- 

 gredients, poured through a hole in the side of the vessel, 

 it is further dissolved ; in this state, the milk, chyle, or 

 part which is wanted, and which is suited for animal nour- 

 ishment, is strained off by the mouths of very small tubes, 

 opening into the cavity of the intestines; thus freed from 

 its grosser parts» the percolated fluid is carried by a long, 

 winding, but traceable course, into the main stream of the 

 old circulation ; which conveys it, in its progress, to every 

 part of the body. Now, I say again, compare this with the 

 process of a manufactory ; with the making of cider, for ex- 

 ample, with the bruising of the apples in the mill, the squeez- 

 ing of them when so bruised in the press, the fermentation 

 in the vat, the bestowing of the liquor thus fermented in the 

 hogsheads, the drawing off into bottles^ the pouring out for 



