108 THE REIGN OF LAW. 



servient to a very definite and very peculiar Pur- 

 pose. The paramount facts disclosed by Science, 

 however, in this case, are these : — first, the adapta- 

 tion of the animal tissues to form a battery ; and 

 secondly, the Purpose or function of the apparatus 

 when made, to discharge electric shocks. 



It is very difficult to divest ourselves of the 

 notion, that whatever happens by way of natural 

 consequence is thereby removed, at least by one 

 degree, from being the expression of Will and the 

 effect of Purpose. We forget that all our own 

 works, not less than the works of Nature, are works 

 done through the means and instrumentality of 

 Law. All that we can effect, is brought about by 

 way of natural consequence. All our machines 

 are simply contrivances for bringing natural Forces 

 into operation ; and these machines themselves we 

 are able to construct, only out of the materials and 

 by application of the laws of Nature. The Steam- 

 engine works by way of natural consequence ; 

 so does Mr Babbage's Calculating Machine; so 

 does the Electric Telegraph ; so does the Solar 

 System. It is true, indeed, that in all human 

 machinery we know by the evidence of sight the 



