j<i GENERATION. SECT. XXXIX. 4. 



and a probofcis of admirable ftruc~lure has been 

 acquired by the bee, the moth, and the humming 

 bird, for the purpofe of plundering the nedlaries of 

 flowers. All which feern to have been formed by 

 the original living filament, cxciied into aclion by 

 the neceflhies of the creattfres f , which poflefs them, 

 and on whicH their eXiilence depends. 



From thus meditating on the great fimilarity of 

 the flrudure of 'the warm-blocdcd animals, and at 

 tfte fame time of the 'great changes they undergo 

 both before and after their nativity ; and by conii- 

 dering in htMv'rninme a portion of time many of 

 the changes of animals above described have been 

 produced;, would it be too bold to imagine, that in 

 the great, length of time, fincc the earth began to 

 exift, perhaps miHions of ages before the commence- 

 ment of the hiflory of -mankind, would it be too 

 bofd to imagine, that all warm-blooded animals have 

 arifen from one living filament, which the GREAT 

 FIRST CAUSE endued with animality, with the pow- 

 er of acquiring new pahs, attended with new pro- 

 penfities, directed by irritations, fenfations, voliti- 

 ons, and affociations ; and thus pofieffing the faculty 

 of ecJiitinuinf t6 improve by its own inherent acli- 

 vity, and of deliTc : ri-ng down thofe improvements by- 

 generation to its pofterity, world without end ! 



Sixthly, The cold-blooded animals, as the fifh- 

 tribes, which are furnifhcd with but one ventricle 

 of the heart, and with gills inftead of lungs, and 

 with fins inftead of feet or wings, bear a great fimi- 

 larity to ea ( ch other ; but tfiey differ, fteverthelcfs, 

 fo Hiuch in their general ft r.u 61 u re from the warm- 

 blooded animals, that it may not feem probable at 

 firfl view, that the fame living filament could have 

 given origin to this kingdom of animals, as to the 

 former. Yet are there fome creatures, which unite 

 or partake of both thefe orders of animation,. as the 

 whales and feals ; and more particularly the frog, 



' ^mo 



