LECTURE XII. 215 



and regular structure of their bodies; and their 

 whole appearance, form the most convincing 

 proofs of their real animal nature and life- 

 Animalcules, as I before observed, are most 

 frequently found in fluids; but this is a doctrine 

 that has not always been clearly understood, and 

 has been productive of some erroneous ideas in 

 natural history. Some writers, for instance, have 

 asserted that almost every kind of fluid abounded 

 with animalcules; and that wines, and spirits, ex- 

 hibited legions of them. This, however, is so very 

 far from the truth, that none are ever to be dis- 

 covered in inflammable spirits, or in any fermented 

 liquor that has not passed either into the state of 

 vinegar, or that is not grown completely vapid. 

 As almost all extraordinary discoveries are liable, 

 when related by unskilful persons, to have their 

 circumstances exaggerated by additional orna- 

 ments, we need not be surprized that this has 

 been the case relative to the History of Microsco- 

 pic Animalcules. No sooner did the microsco- 

 pical observations of Leewenhoeck and a few 

 others become pretty generally known, than im- 

 mediately, as if by a kind of fatality, the animal- 

 cular doctrine was carried a great deal too far; 



