NOTI CE.
The series of Treatises, of which the present is one, is
published under the following circumstances :
I h e R ig h t H o n o u r a b l e and R e v e r e n d F r a n c i s
H e n r y , E a r l o f B r i d g e w a t e r , died in the month o f
February, 1 8 29; and by his last Will and Testament, bearin
g date the 25th o f February, 1825, he directed certain
Trustees therein named to invest in the public funds the
sum o f E igh t thousand pounds sterling; this sum, with
the accruing dividends thereon, to be held at the disposal
o f the President, for the time being, o f the Royal Society
o f London, to be paid to the person or persons nominated
by him. The Testator further directed, that the person or
persons selected by the said President should be appointed
to write, print, and publish one thousand copies o f a work
On the Power, Wisdom, and Goodness o f God, as manife
sted in the Creation; illustrating such work by a ll reasonable
arguments, as f o r instance the variety and formation o f
God’s creatures in the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms
; the effect o f digestion, and thereby o f conversion;
the construction o f the hand o f man, and an infinite variety
o f other arguments; as also by discoveries ancient and
modern, in arts, sciences, and the whole extent o f literature.
He desired, moreover, that the profits arising from the sale
o f the works so published should be paid to the authors o f
the works.
The late President o f the Royal Society, Davies Gilbert,
Esq. requested the assistance o f his Grace the Archbishop
o f Canterbury and o f the Bishop o f London, in determining
upon the best mode o f carrying into effect the intentions of
the Testator. Acting with their advice, and with the concurrence
o f a nobleman immediately connected with the
deceased, Mr, Davies Gilbert appointed the following eight
gentlemen to write separate Treatises on the different
branches o f the subject as here stated :
T H E R E V . TH OM A S C H A LM E R S , D .D .
PROFESSOR OF D IV IN ITY IN TH E UNIVERS ITY OF ED IN BU R GH .
ON THE POWER, WISDOM, AND GOODNESS OF GOD
AS MANIFESTED IN THE ADAPTATION
OF EXTERNAL NATURE TO THE MORAL AND
INTELLECTUAL CONSTITUTION OF MAN.
JO H N K ID D , M .D . E .R . S.
REGIUS PROFESSOR O F M EDIC INE IN T H E UNIVERS ITY OF OXFORD.
ON THE ADAPTATION OF EXTERNAL NATURE TO THE
PHYSICAL CONDITION OF MAN.
T H E R E V . W IL L IAM W H EW E L L , M .A . F .R .S .
FE L LOW OF T R IN IT Y COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.
ASTRONOMY AND GENERAL PHYSICS CONSIDERED WITH
REFERENCE TO NATURAL THEOLOGY.
S IR C H A R L E S B E L L , K. G. H . F .R .S . L. & E .
THE HAND : ITS MECHANISM AND VITAL ENDOWMENTS
AS EVINCING DESIGN.
P E T E R M A R K R O G E T , M .D .
FE L LOW OF AND SECRETARY TO TH E ROYAL SOCIETY.
ON ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY.