THE FUNCTIONS OF LIFE. 45 



ments, effected by the powers of vegetation, are 

 transformed in succession from one living being 

 into another, and become subservient to the 

 maintenance of a great number of different ani- 

 mals before they finally, by the process of decom- 

 position, revert to their original inorganic state. 



" See dying vegetables life sustain, 

 See life dissolving vegetate again ; 

 All forms that perish other forms supply, 

 By turns we catch the vital breath and die." POPE. 



Hence has the ordinance been issued to a large 

 portion of the animal world that they are to main- 

 tain themselves by preying upon other animals, 

 either consuming their substance when already 

 dead, or depriving them of life in order to prolong 

 their own. Such is the command given to the 

 countless hosts of living beings which people the 

 vast expanse of ocean ; to the unnumbered tribes 

 of insects which every spot of earth discloses ; to 

 the greater number of the feathered race ; and 

 also to a more restricted order of terrestrial 

 animals. To many has the commission been 

 given to ravage and to slaughter by open violence ; 

 others are taught more insidious, though no less 

 certain arts of destruction ; and some appear 

 to be created chiefly for the purpose of quickly 

 clearing the earth of all decomposing animal or 

 vegetable materials, which might otherwise have 



