MAMMIFBROUS ANIMALS. 403 



Paley, afford the most illustrious examples; 

 while Men of the greatest genius have employed 

 their time and their talents, in detailing the seve- 

 ral portions of nature, with an accuracy and 

 minuteness, which at once display their sense of 

 the importance of this most interesting of stu- 

 dies. 



But still, unless some accidental circumstance 

 awaken our attention, or our minds have been 

 directed to the subject, how often do we pass by, 

 unn6ticed, those wonderful Phenomena in nature, 

 by which we are in every direction surrounded 

 (for the Creation throughout is made up of won- 

 ders) and which ought to have been the first to 

 engage our most anxious enquiry. 



Thus the Mammiferous Quadrupeds, which 

 hold the most important place in the natural 

 world, next only to ourselves, we find, are made 

 up of materials similar to our own ; in their inter- 

 nal structure with some modifications, (of no 

 importance in a general view) they are exactly 

 the same ; and their external form only, has been 

 varied, because they have to perform mechanical 

 actions, of which we, in our condition, do not 

 stand in need. Their blood is of the same compo- 

 sition, temperature, and color, as our own ; and is 

 impelled by the same kind of organ, and circu- 

 lates through similar channels ; and the air, 

 ivhich is as necessary to preserve their lives, as 

 ours, is called into action by an instrument as 



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