COMPENSATION. 159 



called the eyebrows, not only closes up the apertures which 

 lead to the eyes, but presents a cushion, as it were, to- 

 any sharp or protruding substance, which might push 

 against them. This aperture even in its ordinary .state is 

 like a pin hole in a piece of velvet, scarcely pervious to- 

 loose particles of earth. 



Observe then, in this structure, that which we call re- 

 lation. There is no natural connexion between a small 

 sunk eye and a shovel palmated foot. Palmated feet might 

 have been joined with goggle eyes ; or small eyes might 

 have been joined with feet of any other form. What was 

 it therefore which brought them together in the mode? 

 That which brought together the barrel, the chain, and the 

 fusee, in a watch ; design : and design, in both cases, in- 

 ferred, from the relation which the parts bear to one an- 

 other in the prosecution of a common purpose. As hath 

 already been observed, there are different ways of stating 

 the relation, according as we set out from a different part. 

 In the instance before us, we may either consider the 

 shape of the feet, as qualifying the animal for that mode 

 of life and inhabitation, to which the structure of its eyes 

 confines it; or we may consider the structure of the eye, 

 as the only one which would have suited with the action 

 to which the feet are adapted. The relation is manifest, 

 whichever of the parts related we place first in the order 

 cf our consideration. In a word ; the feet of the mole are 

 inade for digging ; the neck, nose, eyes, ears and skin, are 

 peculiarly adapted to an underground life ; and this is 

 y-hat I call relation. (PI. XXX. fig. 1.) 



CHAR XVI. 



COMPENSATION. 



Compensation is a species of relation. It is relation^, 

 v/hen the defects of one part, or of one organ, are supplied 

 by the structure of another part, or of another organ. 

 Thus, 



1. The short, unbending neck of the elephant ^ is com- 

 pensated by the length and flexibility of his proboscis. He 

 could not have reached the ground without it ; or, if it be 

 supposed that he might have fed upon the fruit, leaves, or 

 branches of trees, how was he to drink 1 Should it be 



