LECTURE V. 215 



I have done, as I am convinced Mr. 

 Hunter would have done, candidly acknow- 

 ledged his opinions, and readily admit 

 them to be erroneous, if they are shown to 

 be so. I cannot, however, but imagine 

 how he would have rubbed his head, and 

 thought, and wrought, till he had satisfied 

 his mind respecting this subject ; when, if 

 he became convinced that the modern opi- 

 nions were right, we may readily suppose 

 what a train of reflections would have suc- 

 ceeded, How curious must it appear that 

 these very vivacious and powerful little 

 creatures, which also possess such a com- 

 plex apparatus of muscles, should be nou- 

 rished in a manner not unlike that of vege- 

 tables ; that the food, when digested, should 

 be absorbed from their bowels, and that the 

 absorbing system should become the distri- 

 butive one, without the aid of any pumping 

 engines or hearts to urge on the current. 



To Mr. Hunter, however, who believed 

 life to be a principle independent on struc- 

 ture, which could exercise its functions 

 with diversity of means, none of the cir- 



p 4 



