216 
LECTURE XII. 
and innumerable substances were supposed to 
swarm with these minute beings, which later and 
more accurate observations have proved to be 
totally free from them. Thus, the blueish or 
bloomy appearance on the surface of several sorts 
of plums, grapes, and many other fruits, has 
been supposed owing to innumerable legions of 
animalcules on the surface of the fruit: but this 
idea is entirely erroneous. It happens, a little 
unfortunately, that Mr. Pope has introduced it 
into his celebrated poem the Essay on Man, which 
still continues to propagate the mistake amongst 
those who are not scientifically conversant in such, 
subjects. 
** Ev’n the blue down the purple Plum surrounds, 
A living World, thy failing sight confounds.” 
The blueish appearance above-mentioned is a 
mere vegetable efflorescence, which regularly takes 
place on such kind of fruit, and consists of particles 
of no determinate shape, and has not the least ap- 
pearance that could lead to a supposition of its 
being of an animal nature. 
To attempt a methodical enumeration of Ani- 
