67 



maintain the connection of an homogeneous structure. As we 

 ascend in the scale of the animal creation, the complexity of the 

 spirit increases, though not in the same ratio as the complexity of 

 the animal and intellectual faculties increases; for the organic spirit 

 of a horse exhibits in its effects as great a complexity, or as many 

 properties, as that of a man. 



19. On account of the irregularity adverted to, the laws of the 

 organic spirit cannot be generalized, except in some few points of 

 agreement, and they therefore require to be considered specifically 

 in the several examples. The life of man is the example here 

 chosen, and the only general laws to which it is necessary to remark 

 its subserviency are those universal ones of causation before 

 spoken of. 



20. The first sensible origin of man is his existence in the 

 ovum; and it it here that the history of his perpetuation must 

 commence. 



21, The organic particles of the ovum, life being extinct, fol- 

 low the fate of those of the other textures; that is, they become 

 separated from each other. The tendency then of the organic 

 particles of the ovum is not to aggregation, but to decomposition: 

 their aggregation is maintained by life: without life their union can- 

 not be preserved: but for life, their union would not have taken 

 place, they separating when life has ceased. 



22. The organic spirit of the ovum has then this property of 

 life, viz. to be competent to produce and maintain the union of ils 

 organic particles. It has also other properties of life, although it 

 wants those which are subservient to growth. 



23. If the organic particles, which this spirit forms and unites, 

 are homogeneous; or if it performs only one action; then the 

 organic spirit is an identity which has only one relation, and this a 

 mediate relation with our faculties of perception. But if it pro- 

 duces particles which are not homogeneous, and if their arrange- 

 ment is diversified, then the properties concerned in the formation 

 of this spiritual identity have several relations with our faculties. 

 This is a common distinction in the relations of causes, and it has 

 been before explained. To give a familiar example of it: thus a 

 chymical substance in its state of combination appears to be but one 

 nature; in the state of analysis it exhibits different natures, these 

 were contained in the homogeneous body, but in that state they had 

 no relation direct or mediate with our faculties of perception. 



24. The organic spirit of the ovum produces the sensible effects 

 of but few properties, but it has many properties which are latent^ 

 perhaps tending to influence the organic particles: of these we are 

 imperfectly instructed by facts of the description which follows. 



25. An ovum, which at first displays only the property of life, 

 of preserving the integrity of its material alliances, is capable of 

 running through a series of changes, by which the character of its 

 material aggregation is changed; numerous combinations take 

 place, parts become distinct, their arrangement is determined, finally 



