136 THE ORIGIN OP CREATION. 



valuable for reference. Before explaining this action let us 

 give a few facts concerning the nature and character of food. 



We explained before, that animals are formed from an excess 

 f vegetable matter. Animal and vegetable food, therefore, we 

 class as one, while mineral forms a class by itself. 



From chemical analysis, we find that mineral matter i 

 associated with all substances in their formations. 



The close connection that exists between animal and vegetable 

 substances, is shown in the following quotation from Playfair'e 

 essay : " In all kinds of vegetable food capable of affording 

 nutrition, there are certain substances which are not only alike, 

 but. essentially the same in composition, as the principles of 

 Which the animal body consists. The albumen of the white of 

 an egg, is equally found in the cabbage. The fibrin which forms 

 an important part of blood, and the chief part of flesh, abound* 

 in wheaten flour and in the cauliflower. The casein or cheese 

 which is obtained from milk, is present still more abundantly 

 in peas and beans, and from which the Chinese in reality 

 extract and make cheese for sale." " Human fat also exists in 

 palm oil ; the fat of train oil as got from the whale is also 

 found in the root of valerian ; and the fat of mutton and beef> 

 exists in cocoa beans." 



Is it any wonder then that minute animals sheuld spontan- 

 eously spring from these vegetable productions when in favour- 

 able conditions ? They all contain very little mineral matter, 

 and this accounts for what microscopists tell us of brown sugar 

 that the cheapest kinds are often a mass of living creatures. 

 As meat then is only a stronger kind of, or concentrated, 

 vegetable matter, it follows that as it is the nature of man to. 

 eat both, those who feed on animal food are likely to be the- 



