ANIMALS. 395 



theless, life at that period may be considered as 

 mere animal existence, and rather a preparation 

 for, than an enjoyment of those satisfactions, both 

 of mind and body, that make life of real value : 

 and hence it is more natural for mankind to de- 

 plore a fellow-creature cut off in the bloom of 

 life, than one dying in early infancy. The one, 

 by living up to youth, and thus wading through 

 the disadvantageous parts of existence, seems to 

 have earned a short continuance of its enjoy- 

 ments ; the infant, on the contrary, has served 

 but a short apprenticeship to pain ; and, when 

 taken away, may be considered as rescued from 

 a long continuance of misery. 



There is something very remarkable in the 

 growth of the human body.* The embryo in the 

 womb continues to increase still more and more, 

 till it is born. On the other hand, the child's 

 growth is less every year till the time of puberty, 

 when it seems to start up of a sudden. Thus, 

 for instance, the embryo, which is an inch long 

 in the first month, grows but one inch and a 

 quarter in the second ; it then grows one and a 

 half in the third ; two and a half in the fourth ; 

 and in this manner it keeps increasing, till, in the 

 last month of its continuance, it is actually found 

 to grow four inches ; and, in the whole, about 

 eighteen inches long. But it is otherwise with 

 the child when born : if we suppose it eighteen 

 inches at that time, it grows, in the first year, six 

 or seven inches ; in the second year, it grows but 



* Puflbn, vol. iv. p. ] 73. 



