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VIEW OF NATURE. 



us in what this internal power, or life consists. God permits 

 us to know much, in order to lead us to industry in the attain- 

 ment of knowledge ; but he places boundaries beyond which 

 we may not pass, that we may be humble. 



Comparison of the Organic and Inorganic Kingdoms. 



INORGANIC BODIES. 



ORGANIC BODIES. 



Structure. 



Their parts always analo- 

 gous to, and not depending on 

 each other ; thus a fragment 

 of stone, is as much a stone 

 as the block or rock to which 

 it belonged. 



Their parts are mutually 

 dependent; thus a stetn, leaf, 

 flower, &c. do not constitute 

 a vegetable being, except as 

 they are united ; it is the same 

 with the different parts of an 

 animal. 



Origin. 



Molecular attraction, mod- 

 ified by time and space, or 

 by the art of man (as in 

 chemistry) ; they are made. 



Owe their existence to be- 

 ings similar to themselves, 

 produced either from eggs, or 

 brought into existence in a 

 living state ; they are hatched 

 or born. 



Developement. 



They grow by the addition 

 of new particles; they are 

 hence said to increase by 

 juxtaposition or accretion. 



They develope by assimila- 

 ting to their nature, or con- 

 verting to their sustenance, 

 foreign substances which they 

 absorb, or receive internally ; 

 they increase by nourishment. 



Termination. 



They have a determinate 

 form, and duration ; their ex- 

 istence terminates either by 

 old age, or disease ; they die. 



They are limited to no par- 

 ticular form (except in the 

 case of crystals), they have 

 no life, and are not subject to 

 death ; they decompose. 



Having considered the distinction between inorganic and 

 organic substances, we will proceed to a division which may 



Structure of inorganic bodies Of organic bodies Origin of inorganic 

 bodies Of organic bodies Developement of inorganic bodies Of organic 

 bodies Termination of inorganic bodies Of organic bodies. 



