160 PERFECTIONS OF GOD. 



plant as a species is secured. But it may be, that 

 the egg of the hydatid, when not developed in an 

 animal body, becomes so under other circumstances, 

 and presents such a modification of form and gene- 

 ral appearance, as not to be then recognised; its 

 growth and characters as a hydatid may depend 

 entirely upon the supply of animalized food within 

 its power of absorption ; in the water it may be 

 one of the myriads of strange animalcules of which 

 we only know that " little is known." We do not 

 say that this is the case, we merely suggest a pos- 

 sibility, perhaps even a probability ; for the more 

 we become acquainted with the lower orders of the 

 animal creation, the more are we convinced that the 

 laws applicable to the vertebrate classes, mammalia, 

 birds, reptiles, and fishes, do not apply to them. Who 

 would expect to find the gemmules of a sponge 

 active locomotive beings, or to see the young of a 

 barnacle swimming about ? Let not the philo- 

 sophic mind be startled, then, because difficulties 

 are around us ; nor run into theories bordering both 

 on the absurd and the impious, because links in a 

 chain of causes and effects are not obvious to our 

 researches. 



It has been asked, What objects are these hydatids 

 accomplishing in their strange abode ? We cannot 

 tell ; but we know that the same question is appli- 

 cable to a great extent of animated nature. What 

 object is accomplished by the existence of the ani- 

 malcules revelling by thousands in a drop of water? 



