FINAL CAUSES. 25 



sor Ehrenberg have brought to light the existence of 71//?- 

 nadsy which are not larger than the 24,000th of an inch, 

 and which are so thickly crowded in the fluid as to leave 

 intervals not greater tlian their own diameter. Hence, he 

 has made the computation that each cubic line, which is 

 nearly the bulk of a single drop, contains 500,000,000 of 

 these monads, a number which equals that of all the human 

 beings existing on the surface of the globe. 



Thus, if we review every region of the globe, from the 

 scorching sands of the equator to the icy realms of the poles, 

 or from the lofty mountain summits to the dark abysses of 

 the deep; if we penetrate into the shades of the forest, or 

 into the caverns a^ secret recesses of the earth; nay, if wc 

 take up the minutest portion of stagnant water, we still 

 meet with life in some new and unexpected form, yet 

 ever adapted to the circumstances of its situation. Where- 

 ver life can be sustained, we find life produced. It would 

 almost seem as if Nature^ had been thus lavish and sportive 

 in her productions with the intent to demonstrate to Man 

 the fertility of her resources, and the inexhaustible fund from 

 which she has so prodigally drawn forth the means requisite 

 for the maintenance of all these diversified combinations, 

 for their repetition in endless perpetuity, and for their su- 

 bordination to one harmonious scheme of general grood. 



The vegetable world is no less prolific in wonders than 

 the animal. In this, as in all other parts of creation, ample 

 scope is found for the exercise of the reasoning faculties; 

 and at the same time abundant sources are supplied of intel- 

 lectual enjoyment. To discriminate the different characters 

 of plants, amidst the infinite diversity of shape, of colour, and 



• In order to avoid thee too frequent, and consequently irreverent, intro- 

 duction of ihe Great Name of the Supkkxk Ukixr into familiar discourse on 

 the operations of his power, I have, throughout this Treatise, followed the 

 common usag-e of employing- the term Nature as a synonym, expressive of 

 the same power, but veiling- fromoiu* feeble sight the too dazzling- spleudom* 

 of its glory. 



Vol. I. 4 



