244 OP THE PERSONALITY OF THE DEITY. 



creation from a parent form ; without necessity ; for I ap.- 

 pre hen d that it is seldom difficult to suggest methods by 

 which the eggs or spawn, or yet invisible rudiments of 

 these vermin, may have obtained a passage into the cavi- 

 ties in which they are found.* Add to this, that their con- 

 iitancij to their species^ which, I believe, is as regular in 

 these as in the other vermes, decides the question against 

 our philosopher, if, in truth, any question remained upon 

 the subject. 



Lastly ; these wonder-working instruments, these " in- 

 ternal moulds," what are they after all ? what, when exam- 

 ined, but a name without signification; unintelligible, it not 

 self-contradictory ; at the best, differing in nothing from the 

 " essential forms" of the Greek philosophy ? One short 

 sentence of BufTon's work exhibits his scheme as follows. 

 '* When this nutritious and prolific matter, which is diffus- 

 ed throughout all nature, passes through the internal mould 

 of an animal or vegetable, and finds a proper matrix or re- 

 ceptacle, it gives rise to an animal or vegetable of the same 

 species." Does any reader annex a meaning to the expres- 

 sion, "internal mould," in this sentence? Ought it then to be 

 said, that, though we have little notion of an internal mould, 

 we have not much more of a designing mind ? The very 

 contrary of this assertion is the truth. When we speak of 

 an artificer or an architect, we talk of what is comprehen- 

 sible to our understanding, and familiar to our experience. 

 W^e use no other terras than what refer us for their mean- 

 ing to our consciousness and observation, what express the 

 constant objects of both : whereas names, like that we have 

 mentioned, refer us to nothing, excite no idea, convey a 

 sound to the ear, but I think do no more. 



Another system, w^hich has lately been brought forward, 

 and with much ingenuity, is that of appetencies. The 

 principle, and the short account of the theory, is this. 

 Pieces of soft, ductile matter, being endued with propensi- 

 ties or appetencies for particular actions, would, by contin- 

 ual endeavours, carried on through a long series of genera- 

 tions, work themselves gradually into suitable forms ; and 

 at length acquire, though perhaps by obscure and almost 

 imperceptible improvements, an organization fitted to the 

 action which their respective propensities led them to exert. 



* I trust I may be excused for not citing as another fact which is to 

 confirm the hypothesis, a grave assertion of this writer, that the branch- 

 es ©f trees upon which the stag feeds, break out a^in in its hor»s. 

 Such facts merit no discussion. 



