OF ORGANIZED BEINGS. 423 



of the senses ; but the question would then arise, how 

 do those animals hear that have no antennae 1 Spiders 

 hear, or at least we have conclusive evidence of this 

 fact, and yet they have no antennae. 



' Hearing enables us to perceive all the agreeable sen- 

 sations conveyed to our minds by the melody and harmo- 

 ny of sounds. This to men at least is a great source of 

 pleasure as well as of innocent amusement. Some men 

 are, however, almost destitute of the faculty of distin- 

 guishing musical sounds, and of perceiving those delightful 

 and diversified feelings excited "by the various combina- 

 tions of musical tones. An ear for music, however, though 

 not to be organized by study when the faculty is wanting, 

 may be highly improved by habit and culture. Buffon, 

 after examining a number of persons who had no ear for 

 music, says that every one of them heard worse in one 

 ear than in the other, and ascribes their inability of dis- 

 tinguishing expressions to that defect. But a musical ear 

 seems to have no dependence on acuteness or bluntness 

 of hearing whether in one or in both. There are exam- 

 ples of people who may be said to be half deaf, and yet 

 are both fond of music, and skilful practitioners.' For a 

 full and scientific description of the organs of vision, see 

 No. V. on the mechanism of the eye, by Dr Smith. 



We have thus taken a general survey of the properties 

 and functions which belong to all organized beings. 



It may serve to enlighten those who have but little time 

 and less means to attend to scientific pursuits, or stimulate 

 those who have to a closer examination of the subject. If 

 either of these purposes are effected, the writer will feel 

 himself happy, and will rejoice at the opportunity which 

 has thus been given for the effort of his feeble talents. 



