OF NATURAL HISTORY. 209 



to the body itfelf ; and hence the fize of the body is increafed, with- 

 out any change in its figure or fubftance. The matter ejected by 

 the different excretions he confiders to be a reparation of the dead 

 from the vivifying and organic parts of nourlfhment, which are di- 

 flributed over the body by an adive power : This power, fimilar to 

 that of gravity, penetrates the internal fubftance of the body, and 

 attrafts the organic particles, which are thus pufhed on through all 

 its parts. As thefe organic .particles are fimilar to the body itfelf, 

 their union with the different parts augments its fize, without chan- 

 ging its figure. To unfold an embryo or germ, nothing more is re- 

 quifite than that it contain, in miniature, a body fimilar to the fpecies, 

 and be placed in proper circumftances for the acquifition of frefh 

 organic particles to increafe its fize and unfold its members. Hence 

 nutrition, developement, and reprodudtion, are all effeds of the fame 

 caufe. 



This account of the nutrition and growth of organic bodies has 

 tjie appearance of an ingenious theory. But an attentive reader 

 will eafiiy perceive, that it contains no other information, than that 

 animals and vegetables are nouriftied and grow by the intervention 

 of the nutritious particles of food. This is a fadt univerfally known 

 and admitted. But we are ftill as ignorant as ever of the mode by 

 which this myfterious operation is performed. 



Other authors have fuppofed that the brain is a large gland ; that 

 the nerves diftributed over the whole body are the dufts or canals 

 of this gland; and that the principal ufe of the brain is to fecrete 

 nutritious matter, and to tranfmit it by the nerves to the various 

 parts of the fyftem, in order to expand the different organs of which 

 it is compofed, or to repair the wafte they may have fuffered from 

 labour and other caufes. 



3 t D <J This 



