NATURAL THEOLOGY. 69 



gives rise to an animal or vegetable of the same 

 species." Does any reader annex a meaning to 

 the expression " internal mould," in this sentence ? 

 Ought it then to be said, that though w^e have little 

 notion of an internal mould, we have not much 

 more af a designing mind ? The very contrary of 

 this assertion is the truth. When we speak of an 

 artificer or an architect, we talk of what is com- 

 prehensible to our understanding, and familiar to 

 our experience. We use no other terms, than 

 what refer us for their meaning to our conscious- 

 ness and observation ; what express the constant 

 objects of both: whereas names like that we have 

 mentioned refer us to nothing ; excite no idea ; 

 convey a sound to the ear, but I think do no more. 

 Another system, which has lately been brought 

 forward, and with much ingenuity, is that of ap- 

 petencies. The principle, and the short account of 

 the theory, is this : Pieces of soft, ductile matter, 

 being endued with propensities or appetencies for 

 particular actions, would, by continual endeavours, 

 carried on through a long series of generations, 

 work themselves gradually into suitable forms; 

 and, at length, acquire, though perhaps by obscure 

 and almost imperceptible improvements, an organ- 

 ization fitted to the action which their respective 

 propensities led them to exert. A piece of ani- 

 mated matter, for example, that was endued with 

 a propensity to^y,though ever so shapeless, though 

 no other we will suppose than a round ball to be- 

 gin with, would, in a course of ages, if not in a 



