226 Discussion between two Readers 
Art. XXII.— Discussion between two Readers of Darwin's Treatise 
on the Origin of Species, upon its Natural Theology. 
mon matter. 
Suppose, then, a square billiard table to be placed ‘with its 
corners directed to the four cardinal points. Suppose 'a player 
standing at the north corner, to strike a red ball ditectly to the 
south; his design being to lodge the ball in the south pocket; 
which design, if not interfered with, must, of course be accom 
plished. ‘Then suppose another player, standing at the east 
corner, to direct a white ball to the west corner. This desig 
also, if not interfered with, must be accomplished. Next 4 
08e both players to strike their balls at the same instant, W! 
ike forces, in the directions before given. In this case the 
would not pass as before, namely, the red ball to the south, and 
the white ball to the west, but t ey must both meet and strike 
each other in the centre of the table, and, being perfectly elastic, 
the red ball must pass to the west pocket, and the white ball to 
the south pocket. We may suppose that the players ac! 
wholly without concert with each other, indeed they may be ig 
norant of each other’s design, or even of each other's existene; 
still we know that the events must happen as herein descr! 
Now the first half of the course of these two balls is from ® 
player has the design of driving his ball across the table 1 @ ; 
agonal line to accomplish its lodgment at the opposite corner ° 
the table. Neither designed that his ball should be deflect” 
from that course and a to another corner of the table. 
in this 
case, to go back to find design in the creation of the powers ie 
laws of inertia, and peer oe after the order of which the ‘ 
llis 
created to answer this special deflexion. We are required, A 
the hypothesis, to confine attention in point of time, foe 
instant preceding the impact of the balls, to the time 
