216 APPENDIX. [No. XIII. 



plant would very ill bear the shade absolutely required by this little 

 fern. 



Having thus given you a rapid and cursory sketch of the properties of 

 plants, I must now direct your attention to another division of organized 

 bodies, which we term animals. In the diagrams which cover these walls, 

 every form of animal known to Cuvier is delineated, and I have selected 

 as an illustration of a living animal, this interesting little creature, the 

 English dormouse. Here we again perceive the integral or component 

 matter to be held together by internal forces, as we have before noticed in 

 plants and vegetables. We observe, also, changes taking place in tlie 

 arrangement of the particles, through the agency of external forces, as was 

 before exemplified in the examination of the vegetable kingdom. We not 

 only observe these things, but we notice that external forces acting upon 

 the body of an animal make an impression which is not transitory, but is 

 retained to influence the result of subsequent impressions. This registra- 

 tion of impressions gives rise to the effect of memory, which influences, in 

 an important manner, the proceedings of the animal ; for when external 

 forces act upon the body, the effect of these forces is modified by ante- 

 cedent impressions. The choice of action between present and past im- 

 pressions we call volition, which is to be observed throughout the entire 

 range of animal bodies ; you may even observe it in the Hydra viridis, 

 a polyp common in the neighbourhood of London ; but an animal whose 

 structure is so simple, that it has been described as a mere fleshy bag. 



I will no longer occupy your time by narrating instances of actions 

 from past impressions, in the animal kingdom, but will simply state, as a 

 short expression of these facts, that the animal kingdom is peculiar in 

 acting, not only from present, but from registered or past impressions : 

 this property is common, not only to animals, but to man, and therefore 

 can only serve as a mark to distinguish the animal from, the plant or 

 mineral. 



I have now arrived at the more important part of my subject the 

 study of man himself and there is as much difference to be observed 

 between man and animals as between animals and plants, or even between 

 plants and minerals. On examining his structure we find a material 

 frame, the particles being aggregated together, and exhibiting form and 

 volume ; these properties are due entirely to the particles of matter being 

 held together by internal forces, as in animals, plants, or stones. We find 

 that the matter composing his body is in two physical states, the solid and 

 fluid, at the same time, and that changes are continually taking place, by 

 reason of the influence of external forces, as we have already observed, in 

 plants and animals. Man, moreover, we notice to act upon registered or 

 past impressions, as animals are known to do. Man, however, exhibits 

 higher powers, and to these powers I have now to call your attention. If 

 I take this piece of potassium and throw it into a basin of water, you 

 perceive that it inflames, which inflammation is caused by its exerting a 

 powerful attraction upon the oxygen of the water, and setting free gaseous 

 hydrogen. In this experiment I am using the power of attraction, and 

 using it to overcome other attractions. Now the employment of this 

 power is far beyond the sphere of any animal, and can only be exerted by 

 man. (Applause.) I could give you other instances of the application of 

 attraction, as the use of a weight to set in motion a clock, but one instance 



