aftonifiiment, animals that multiply by flips and (hoots like a
plant, that may be grafted together as one tree to another, that
may be turned iniide out like a glove, and yet live, aft, and perform
all the various functions of their little fpheres. As nearly
allied to thefe, the chapter finifhes with an account o f thofe vor-
ticellse which have been enumerated by Linnaeus. It has been my
endeavour to diflipate confufion, by the introduction o f order, to
difpofe into method, and (elect under proper heads the fubftance
o f 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 hydrae 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 o f
greater importance in the immenfe fcale o f beings than our con-
traded imagination can conceive, yet fmall as they are, each of
them poffefles all that beauty and proportion of organized texture
which is neceflary to it's 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 o f animal life, characters
that it is prefumed are a full confutation o f the fanciful theories of
Needham and Buffon. A (hort account o f three hundred and
feventy-nine o f thefe minute beings is then given, agreeable to the
fyftem of the laborious Muller,* enlarging confiderably his def-
cription o f thofe animalcula that are mod eafily met with, better
known, and confequently more interefting to the generality of
readers.
The
* Muller, Animalcula Infufotia.
The conftruCtion of timber, and the difpofition of it’s component
parts, as keen by the microfcope, is the fubjeft of the next
chapter- a fubjeCt confeffedly obfcure. With what .degree of
fuccefs this attempt has been profecuted, mud be left to the
judgment I the reader. The bell treat i!e on this part of vegeta-
ion is that of Mr. Duhamel du Moneeaus “ fur la Fhyfique des
! ■ either imp rime, or M . » «=• would have permitted
it I ihould have followed hi, p l.n , but he,ng confined ,Q
bufmefs and to London, I can only recommend it to thofe
tovers of the works of the Almighty, who live in thexountry, to
purfiie thid important branch of natural hidory. There is no
doubt but that new views of the operations m nature, and o f the
wifdom with which all things are contrived, would amply repay
C • Every part of the vegetable ktngf
l labour of Pfrom the flatelied tree of the
dom is rich in micr 1 tQ the lowlieft mofs, and the
y, ! h s hid from the natural fight o1f m Ian,S howl lititlef acya nh °bbWee
^ m t r e c e i v e s a f l i d a n c e , and is benefited by adventitious
aid.
From the wonderful organization of .» im * , » 4
T ' e S - o n ^ h ? c ^ r n “ : K r f n b -
l o S , S L " a f i « , - m .«ery fpeci« worhing - h were »po"