268 NATURAL THEOLOGY. 



protrusion would interfere with the office to which 

 the mouth is destined. Nature, namely, that in- 

 telligence which was employed in creation, looked 

 beyond the first year of the infant's life : yet, 

 whilst she was providing for functions which were 

 after that term to become necessary, was careful 

 not to incommode those which preceded them. 

 What renders it more probable that this is the ef- 

 fect of design, is, that the teeth are imperfect, 

 whilst all other parts of the mouth are perfect. 

 The lips are perfect, the tongue is perfect ; the 

 cheeks, the jaws, the palate, the pharynx, the la- 

 rynx, are all perfect : the teeth alone are not so. 

 This is the fact with respect to the human mouth : 

 the fact also is, that the parts above enumerated 

 are called into use from the beginning ; whereas 

 the teeth would be only so many obstacles and an- 

 noyances, if they were there. When a contrary 

 order is necessary, a contrary order prevails. In 

 the worm of the beetle, as hatched from the egg, 

 the teeth are the first things which arrive at per- 

 fection. The insect begins to gnaw as soon as it 

 escapes from the shell, though its other parts be 

 only gradually advancing to their maturity." 



What has been observed of the teeth, is true 

 of the horns of animals ; and for the same reason. 

 The horn of a calf or a lamb does not bud, or at 

 least does not sprout to any considerable length, 

 until the animal be capable of browsing upon its 



<*' See the note upon the teeth in the Appendix. The subject is 

 full of interest. 



