LECTURE IV 165 



repetition of similar experiments. Having 

 resolved publicly to express my own opi- 

 nions with respect to this subject, I choose 

 the present opportunity to do it, because 

 I believe Spalanzani to have been one of 

 those who have tortured and destroyed ani- 

 mals in vain. I do not perceive that in the 

 two principal subjects which he sought to 

 elucidate, he has added any important fact 

 to our stock of knowledge : besides, some 

 of his experiments are of a nature that a 

 good man would have blushed to think of, 

 and a wise man would have been ashamed 

 to publish ; for they prove no fact requiring 

 to be proved, and only show that the afore- 

 said Abbe was a filthy-minded fellow. 



The design of experiments is to interro- 

 gate nature ; and surely the enquirer ought 

 to make himself acquainted with the lan- 

 guage of nature, and take care to propose 

 pertinent questions ; he ought further to 

 consider the probable kind of replies that 

 may be made to his enquiries, and the in- 

 ferences that he may be warranted in draw- 

 ing from different responses; so as to be 



M 3 



