330 LECTURE VII. 



doubt. It is absurd to expect mathema- 

 tical demonstration in subjects which do 

 not admit of it, and the absurdities of de- 

 termined doubters have been exposed by 

 writers both of a serious and satirical 

 cast. 



Now, though the changes occurring in 

 common matter are extremely diversified, 

 and highly contributory to all the wants of 

 living creatures, they are still so uniform as 

 to afford a plea for maintaining, that they 

 may be the effect of inherent propensities 

 in the atoms of which this matter is com- 

 posed. But to suppose that all the varieties 

 of vital action and other facts belonging 

 to the structure and economy of living 

 beings, which we have been lately consider- 

 ing, are the results of inherent propensities 

 in the atoms of matter, unassigned and un- 

 supported by intelligence, seems to me too 

 absurd to require any attempt at serious 

 or formal refutation. I have therefore, 

 never, except in one instance, paused to 

 make those reflections which the subject so 

 constantly and naturally excite, and now. 



