NATURAL THEOLOGY. 67 



however, our philosopher has an answer. Whilst 

 so many forms of plants and animals are already 

 in existence, and consequently, so many " internal 

 moulds," as he calls them, are prepared and at 

 hand, the organic particles run into these moulds, 

 and are employed in supplying an accession of 

 substance to them, as well for their growth, as for 

 their propagation. By which means, things keep 

 their ancient course. But, says the same philoso- 

 pher, should any general loss or destruction of the 

 present constitution of organized bodies take place, 

 the particles, for want of "moulds" into which 

 they might enter, would run into different combi- 

 nations, and replenish the waste with new species 

 of organized substances. 



Is there any history to countenance this notion ? 

 Is it known that any destruction has been so re- 

 paired? any desert thus re-peopled? 



So far as I remember, the only natural appear- 

 ance mentioned by our author, by way of fact 

 whereon to build his hypothesis, is the formation 

 of worms in the intestines of animals, which is here 

 ascribed to the coalition of superabundant organic 

 particles, floating about in the first passages ; and 

 which have combined themselves into these simple 

 animal forms, for want of internal moulds, or of 

 vacancies in those moulds, into which they might 

 be received. The thing referred to is rather a 

 species of facts, than a single fact; as some other 

 cases may, with equal reason, be included under 

 it. But to make it a fact at all, or, in any sort. 



