PREFATORY ADDRESS. 
d 
court philosophy in common things. Some phenomena, too, maintain their teleologic power, 
in spite of the deteriorating influences of familiarity, or the materialistic tendencies — falsely 
so called, if rightly viewed — of developmental hypotheses. What theories, we ask, shall nullify 
our independent conceptions of the final cause demonstrable in an examination of the mar- 
vellous mechanism of the Camel’s stomach — associated, as it is, with other co-ordinating 
structures in the same animal, almost equally significant ? Our minds are not stultified, nor 
our reasonings fettered by the consideration that the stomachal compartments and their 
numerous water-cells are, after all, mere diverticula of the oesophagus ! On the contrary, 
these morphological variations do but serve to indicate a uniformity of plan, harmoniously 
blended with the development of other tissues, objects, and circumstances by which the 
creature is surrounded ; and, therefore, may we admit, with Lavater, that every organ is “ an 
assemblage of incomprehensible effects,” whilst, at the same time, we recognize the fact, that 
each bears a strict relation to all exterior organic and inorganic phenomena manifested 
throughout time and space ; such a persuasion, however, does not, on the other hand, weaken 
our respect, or even admiration, for the man whose imagination is excited by the sudden 
discovery of a previously unseen marvel ; and whilst history has unfolded to us many curious 
illustrations of this kind — and a very memorable one in the case of Sir Isaac Newton — we 
can, nevertheless, well afford to do homage to the words of an eminent Britisli surgeon. This 
distinguished man — unknown, we believe, in the religious world — on opening the paunch of 
a Dromedary for the first time, paused to reflect on the beautiful structure there presented to 
his gaze, and then, on bended knee, exclaimed in solemn phrase — ‘‘ 0 God ! how wonderful !” 
Such an utterance, deep and heartfelt, betokened, at all events, the moral power of the 
study of Comparative Anatomy ; and we know of nothing in the history of differentiating 
specializations, as they are pedantically termed, which can in the slightest degree invalidate 
the force of so virtual an expression of belief in tlie doctrine of final causes I 
On this delightful theme we enlarge no further. Brevity in the enunciation of our purpose 
may have failed to convey a due estimate of the scope and tendency of Natural History 
science ; yet, if haply the appetite has been augmented, the mind imbued, the desire 
enlarged, and the will provoked in the direction our arguments have tended, we fear not 
now to invite our readers to a close acquaintance with the facts set forth in the present 
volume. 
