Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- CHAP. I STATE OF THE ARGUMENT
- CHAP. II STATE OF THE ARGUMENT CONTINUED
- CHAP. III APPLICATION OF THE ARGUMENT
- CHAP. IV OF THE SUCCESSION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
- CHAP. V APPLICATION OF THE ARGUMENT CONTINUED
- CHAP. VI THE ARGUMENT CUMULATIVE
- CHAP. VII OF THE MECHANICAL AND IMMECHANICAL FUNCTIONS OF ANIMALS AND VEGETABLES
- CHAP. VIII OF MECHANICAL ARRANGEME'NT IN THE HUMAN FRAME—OF THE BONES
- CHAP. IX OF THE MUSCLES
- CHAP. X OF THE VESSELS OF ANIMAL BODIES
- CHAP. XI OF THE ANIMAL STRUCTURE REGARDED AS A MASS
- CHAP. XII COMPARATIVE ANATOMY
- CHAP. XIII PECULIAR ORGANIZATIONS
- CHAP. XIV PROSPECTIVE CONTRIVANCES
- CHAP. XV RELATIONS
- CHAP. XVI COMPENSATIONS
- CHAP. XVII THE RELATION OF ANIMATED BODIES TO INANIMATE NATURE
- CHAP. XVIII INSTINCTS
- CHAP. XIX OF INSECTS
- CHAP. XX OF PLANTS
- CHAP. XXI OF THE ELEMENTS
- CHAP. XXII ASTRONOMY
- CHAP. XXIII PERSONALITY OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXIV OF THE NATURAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXV OF THE UNITY OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXVI THE GOODNESS OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXVII CONCLUSION
CHAP. IV - OF THE SUCCESSION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 September 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- CHAP. I STATE OF THE ARGUMENT
- CHAP. II STATE OF THE ARGUMENT CONTINUED
- CHAP. III APPLICATION OF THE ARGUMENT
- CHAP. IV OF THE SUCCESSION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
- CHAP. V APPLICATION OF THE ARGUMENT CONTINUED
- CHAP. VI THE ARGUMENT CUMULATIVE
- CHAP. VII OF THE MECHANICAL AND IMMECHANICAL FUNCTIONS OF ANIMALS AND VEGETABLES
- CHAP. VIII OF MECHANICAL ARRANGEME'NT IN THE HUMAN FRAME—OF THE BONES
- CHAP. IX OF THE MUSCLES
- CHAP. X OF THE VESSELS OF ANIMAL BODIES
- CHAP. XI OF THE ANIMAL STRUCTURE REGARDED AS A MASS
- CHAP. XII COMPARATIVE ANATOMY
- CHAP. XIII PECULIAR ORGANIZATIONS
- CHAP. XIV PROSPECTIVE CONTRIVANCES
- CHAP. XV RELATIONS
- CHAP. XVI COMPENSATIONS
- CHAP. XVII THE RELATION OF ANIMATED BODIES TO INANIMATE NATURE
- CHAP. XVIII INSTINCTS
- CHAP. XIX OF INSECTS
- CHAP. XX OF PLANTS
- CHAP. XXI OF THE ELEMENTS
- CHAP. XXII ASTRONOMY
- CHAP. XXIII PERSONALITY OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXIV OF THE NATURAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXV OF THE UNITY OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXVI THE GOODNESS OF THE DEITY
- CHAP. XXVII CONCLUSION
Summary
The generation of the animal no more accounts for the contrivance of the eye or ear, than, upon the fuppofition ftated in a preceding chapter, the production of a watch by the motion and mechanifm of a former watch, would account for the fkill and intention evidenced in the watch fo produced; than it would account for the difpofition of the wheels, the catching of their teeth, the relation of the feveral parts of the works to one another and to their common end, for the fuitablenefs of their forms and places to their offices, for their connection, their operation, and the ufeful refult of that operation. I do infift moft ftrenuoufly upon the correctnefs of this comparifon; that it holds as to every mode of fpecific propagation; and that whatever was true of the watch, under the hypothefis above mentioned, is true of plants and animals.
I. To begin with the fructification of plants. Can it be doubted but that the feed contains a particular organization? Whether a latent plantule with the means of temporary nutrition, or whatever elfe it be, it inclofes an organization fuited to the germination of a hew plant. Has the plant which produced the feed any thing more to do with that organization, than the watch would have had to do with the ftructure of the watch which was produced in the courfe of its mechanical movement?
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- Natural TheologyOr, Evidences of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity, Collected from the Appearances of Nature, pp. 53 - 59Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009