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THE WONDERS OF GEOLOGY. Lect. VI. 



particles, and preserves them in their new situations, but is 

 continually engaged in removing those which might by their 

 presence prevent or derange its operations ; and, on the 

 other hand, so soon as the vital principle deserts the body 

 which it has animated, the latter immediately becomes 

 subjected to the agencies which act on inorganic matter : " in 

 obedience to the power of gravitation the bough hangs 

 down, and the slender stem bends towards the earth, — the 

 animal falls to the ground, — the pressure of the upper parts 

 flattens those on which they rest, — the skin becomes dis- 

 tended, and the graceful outlines of life are changed for the 

 oblateness of death ;" * — the laws of chemistry then begin 

 to operate, — putrefaction takes place, — and, finally, dust 

 returns to dust, and the spirit of Man to Him who gave it. 



3. Distinction between Animals and Vegetables. — 

 I have thus briefly described a few of the phenomena pe- 

 culiar to organic existence; it will now be necessary to 

 offer some remarks on the distinguishing characters of 

 animals and vegetables, for unless we have a clear percep- 

 tion of the phenomena peculiar to each, we shall not obtain 

 correct ideas of the nature of zoophytal organization. 



When we compare together those animals and vegetables 

 which are considered as occupying the highest stations in 

 each kingdom, we perceive that they differ from each other 

 in particulars so obvious and striking, as not to admit of 

 question. The horse, and the grass upon which it feeds, 

 — the bird, and the tree in which it builds its nest, — are 

 so essentially distinct from each other, that we perceive 

 at once that they belong to distinct classes of organic 

 nature. But it is far otherwise when we descend to those 

 animals and plants which occupy the lowest stations in 

 vitality : here the functions to be performed are but few, 

 the points of difference obscure, and it requires a correct 

 knowledge of the laws of organization to enable us to 

 * Dr. Fleming ; Philosophy of Zoology. 



