26G LECTURE VI. 



Having promised to endeavour to con- 

 firm, by additional physiological argu- 

 ments, the theory of nervous and muscular 

 actions proposed in my first lectures, I 

 proceed to redeem this pledge. That life 

 continues in detached parts of vegetables 

 and animals, seems evident, from the con- 

 tinuance of irritability ; and to this subject 

 only, I excited your attention in the intro- 

 ductory lectures. On the present occasion, 

 I wish you to consider, that all the vital 

 functions are, occasionally, equally manifest 

 in the detached part ; for when such parts 

 possess powers of supplying and distributing 

 nourishment, growth and formation will 

 continue, so that the detached part becomes 

 as perfect and complete as the body from 

 which it was removed. This happens in 

 vegetables and zoophytes. 



In animals of more complicated struc- 

 ture, also, reproduction of parts takes 

 place, to a degree that often excites won- 

 der, because we are apt to judge of other 

 things by ourselves, or by those which we 

 are most accustomed to observe. The 



