INANIMATE SUBSTANCES, VEGETABLES, AND ANIMALS. 3 



homogeneous in its composition, and disposed to be flat and 

 angular, increases by external accretion, has an indeterminate 

 volume, and contains within itself no causes of decay. The rest 

 of the bodies in nature are animated, and are vegetables and 

 animals. 



VEGETABLES, in addition to the properties of inanimate matter, 

 possess those of LIFE, viz. sensibility (without consciousness or 

 perception) I would say excitability, for sensibility without the 

 power of sensation is nonsense, and contractility; or I would 

 rather express both by the term excitability. 6 Their structure is 

 beautifully organised, their volume is determinate, and their sur- 

 faces disposed to be curved ; they grow by interstitial deposition, 

 changing substances to their own nature, and are destined in their 

 very nature for a limited existence, a period of increase and 

 decay. They contain fluids, some of which they receive, others 

 they produce, and others they discharge. 



ANIMALS, in addition to the properties and characteristics of 

 vegetables, enjoy MIND, the indispensable attributes of which are 

 the powers of consciousness and perception, and of volition : the 

 two former, which are in truth but one, termed consciousness 

 when it takes cognisance of internal impressions, and perception 

 when of external, without the latter, would be, like vegetable 

 or organic sensibility without contractility, were this possible, 

 useless; and the latter could not exist without the^former d , any 

 more than vegetable or organic contraction could occur without 

 excitability: nor can the existence of mind be conceived without 

 the faculties of consciousness, perception, and volition, any more 

 than the existence of matter without extension and impenetra- 

 bility. The possession of mind by animals necessarily implies the 

 presence of a brain for its exertion, and of a nerve or nerves for 

 the purpose of conveying impressions to this brain, and at least 

 volitions from it to one or more voluntary muscles. A system 



:..,} US : *?>.- .:.; 1 , ;. OJW:)! M ; * CMlJ WU.' i cr-i>!ui >'} . v:;! C'i' .eviJI-'f i ' !.;Oti'*.->j '-" . 



c By their possession of the former, stimuli act upon them, and by the latter, 

 they upon stimuli : by the sensibility and contractility of the vessels, substances 

 are taken in by the roots, circulated through the system, and converted into the 

 various parts of the vegetable. Yet this does not imply perception, consciousness, 

 or will. The excitability of the absorbents and secretories of our own system car- 

 ries on absorption and secretion without our consciousness or volition. 



d " Sense" says Hamlet to his mother, " sure you have, 

 Else could you not have motion" Act iii. Sc. 4. 



B 2 



