34 SENSES. 



example ; that is, of being compelled to look in one 

 direction and walk in another. The senses of sight 

 and hearing are given us in pairs ; so that if one eye, 

 or one ear should fail us, the duplicate may still an- 

 swer our purpose. None of the senses are single. 

 None of them are confined to one solitary spot of the 

 body, so as to be made dependent upon the safety of 

 that particular spot. 



T. Does not the same wise arrangement appear 

 in the situation of the other senses ? 



A. The situation of each is adapted to its use. 

 The sense of smell, which makes us acquainted with 

 the presence of odors, of which the air is the vehicle, 

 is placed in a continual current of air ; that is, in the 

 nostrils. In this situation, it not only best enjoys 

 what is agreeable to it, but by thus occupying one of 

 the main passages of the breath, it is enabled to per- 

 form the important office of apprizing us of the en- 

 trance of any unwholesome effluvia into the lungs ; 

 air unfit for respiration being usually offensive to this 

 sense. As most substances are also distinguishable 

 by their odor as to their being fit or unsuitable for 

 food, especially, it is said, in dumb animals, it is 

 striking to observe that the position of the smell is 

 immediately over the passage where every thing 

 must enter that we eat. The sense of taste, discov- 

 ers the same evidence of design. We can assign no 

 reason why it is placed within the cavity of the 

 mouth, except, that to enjoy our food, the faculty of 

 tasting it must be situated where the food is broken ; 

 and not only so, but where the food is received, and 



