72 THE MICROSCOPE. 



of their profession, oft summon this instrument 

 to their help, and with rarest success. 



2. In reference to that great, and in our day 

 vexed, question, whence, and ivhat is the origin 

 of living beings ? the Microscope aids us at least 

 to detect and expose the fallacies, of men whose 

 solution of this question seems as unphiloso- 

 phical as it is evidently antiscriptural. The 

 Microscope gives no countenance either to a 

 generatio spontanea, or a transmutatio speciei. 

 Notwithstanding the famous experiments of 

 Mr. Crosse and Mr. Weekes, and their " Crea- 

 tion" of the " Acarus" or certain hypotheses 

 regarding the Entozoa, or recent speculations 

 regarding the primitive production of Infusoria, 

 or doctrines about " Creation by Organic 

 Law," our instrument authorizes us still to 

 maintain, that organic life can arise only from 

 organic life ; that the very lowest of plants 

 and animalcules are never produced from in- 

 organic matter by any fortuitous combination 

 of circumstances ; that while there may seem 

 to be different stages of development in the 

 same being, or in its descendants for one or 

 two generations, there is never a final passing 



