XII 



Preface. 



aftonimment, animals that multiply by flips and moots like a 

 plant, that may be grafted together as one tree to another, that 

 may be turned infide out like a glove, and yet live, act, and per- 

 form all the various functions of their little fpheres. As nearly 

 allied to; thefe, the chapter finifhes with an account of thofe vor- 

 ticellae which have been enumerated by Linnaeus. It has been my 

 endeavour to diifipate confufion, by the introduction of order, to 

 difpofe into method, and felect under proper heads the fubflance 

 of all that is known relative to thefe little creatures, and in the 

 compafs of a few pages to give the reader the information that is, 

 difperfed through volumes. 



From the liydrae and vorticellae it was natural to proceed to the 

 animalcula which are to be found in vegetable infufions. 

 Microfcopic beings, that feem as it were to border on the infinitely 

 fmall, that leave no fpace deflitute of inhabitants, and are of 

 greater importance in the immenfe fcale of beings than our con- 

 tracted imagination can conceive, yet fmall as they are, each of 

 them poffeffes all that beauty and proportion of organized texture 

 which is neceffary to its well being, and fuited to the happinefs it 

 is called- forth to enjoy. I have pointed out the decided 

 characters which fix them in the fcale of animal life, characters 

 that it is prefumed are a full confutation of the fanciful theories of 

 Needham and Buffon.. A fhort account of three hundred and 

 feventy-nine of thefe minute beings is then given, agreeable to the 

 fyftem of the laborious Muiler,* enlarging confiderably his des- 

 cription of thofe animalcula that are moft eafily met with, better 

 known, and confequently more interefling to the generality of 

 leaders.. 



Tke 



*'• Muller, Animalcula. Infuforia^ 



