22 OF REPRODUCTION 



attempt to reduce all bodies into elements of a 

 cubical, prifmatic, globular, or any other regular 

 figure, we fubftitute our own imaginations in 

 oppofition to real exiftences ; and that the forms 

 of the conftituent particles of different bodies 

 are abfolutely unknown to us; and, of courfe, we 

 may believe or fuppofe that organized beings 

 ^•^are compofed of fimilar organic particles, as weir 

 ■ as that a cube confifts of other cubes. We have 

 no other method of judging but by experience. 

 We know that a cube of fea-falt is compofed 

 of many lefTer cubes, and that an elm confifts of 

 a great number of minute elms ; becaufe if we 

 take a piece of a branch, of a root, of the wood 

 feparated from the trunk, or a feed, from all 

 thefe a nev/ tree is produced. The polypus, 

 and fome other fpecies of animals, may likewife 

 be multiplied by cuttings feparated from any 

 part of their bodies ; and, as our rule of judging 

 in both cafes is the fame, vvhy lliould we form 

 a different opinion concerning them ? 



The above reafoning renders it extremely 

 probable, that there really exifls in Nature an 

 infinite number of fmall organized beings, every 

 way fimilar to thofe large organized bodies 

 which make fiicli a confpicuous figure in this 

 world ; that thefe fmall organized beings are 

 compofed of living organic particles, which are 

 common hotli to animals and vegetables, and are 

 their primary and incorruptible elements; that 

 a|i ailemblage of tliele particles conftitutes an 



animal 



