? ANALOGIES BETWEEN 



even change their form, in order to procure 

 nourlfhment to the plant. A general diftindion, 

 therefore, between the animal and vegetable, 

 cannot be founded on their manner of feeding. 



From this inveftigation we are led to conclude, 

 that there is no ablolute and efl'ential diftindion 

 between the animal and vegetable kingdoms ; 

 but that nature proceeds by imperceptible degrees 

 from the moft perfed to the raoft imperfed ani- 

 mal, and from that to the vegetable : Hence the 

 frefh water polypus may be regarded as the laft 

 of animals, and the firft of plants. 



After examining the diftindions, we fliall now 

 inquire into the refemblances which take place 

 between animals and vegetables. The power of 

 reprodudion is common to the two kingdoms, 

 and is an analogy both univerfal and effential. 

 This mutual faculty would induce us to think 

 that animals and vegetables are beings of the fame 

 order. 



A fecond rcfemblance may be derived from 

 the expanlion of their parts, which is likewife a 

 common property; for vegetables grow as well 

 as animals ; and, though fome difference in the 

 manner of expanfion maybe remarked, it is nei- 

 ther general nor effential; fmce the growth of 

 fome confiderable parts of animals, as the bones, 

 the hairs, the nails, the horns, &c. is the effed 

 of a genuine vegetation ; and the foetus, in its 

 firft formation, may be rather faid to vegetate 

 than to live, 



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