196 NATURAL THEOLOGY. 



CHAPTER XI. 



OF THE ANIMAL STRUCTURE REGARDED AS A MASS. 



CoNTE3iPLATiNG an animal body in its collective 

 capacity, we cannot forget to notice what a num- 

 ber of instruments are brought together, and 

 often within how small a compass. It is a cluster 

 of contrivances. In a canary-bird, for instance, 

 and in the single ounce of matter which composes 

 his body, (but which seems to be all employed,) 

 we have instruments for eating, for digesting, for 

 nourishment, for breathing, for generation, for 

 running, for flying, for seeing, for hearing, for 

 smelling : each appropriate — each entirely differ- 

 ent from all the rest. 



The human or indeed the animal frame, con- 

 sidered as a mass or assemblage, exhibits in its 

 composition three properties, which have long 

 struck my mind as indubitable evidences not only 

 of design, but of a great deal of attention and 

 accuracy in prosecuting the design. 



I. The first is, the exact correspondency of the 

 two sides of the same animal : the right hand 

 answering to the left, leg to leg, eye to eye, one 

 side of the countenance to the other ; and with a 

 precision, to imitate which in any tolerable de- 



