Natural Theology, Or, Evidences of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity,: Collected from the Appearances of Nature |
Common terms and phrases
action adapted admissible laws aliment amongst Anat animal bodies answer appears arteries birds blood bones brane called carried cartilage cause cavity chyle constitution contraction contrivance Creator degree Deity digestion direction distinct duodenum earth effect eustachian tube evident existence experience feather fibres fish fluid gastric juice gizzard gland head heart hinge-joint human insects instance instruments intelligence intestines joint lacteals larynx laws legs less ligament limbs lungs mastication means mecha mechanism membrane ment mesentery motion mouth mucilage muscles muscular nature necessary neck object observed operation organ oviparous particular pectoral fin perceive perhaps pipe plants principle proboscis produced properties purpose quadrupeds reason relation respect seed sense shell side species spissitude stomach structure substance suppose surface teeth tendons terrestrial animals thing tion tube valves variety vertebræ vessels wanted watch whilst wings
Popular passages
Page 482 - If he had been indifferent about our happiness or misery, we must impute to our good fortune (as all design by this supposition is excluded) both the capacity of our senses to receive pleasure, and the supply of external objects fitted to produce it.
Page 452 - Swarms of new-born flies are trying their pinions in the air. Their sportive motions, their wanton mazes, their gratuitous activity, their continual change of place without use or purpose, testify their joy, and the exultation which they feel in their lately discovered faculties.
Page 18 - I mean that the contrivances of nature surpass the contrivances of art in the complexity, subtilty, and curiosity of the mechanism ; and still more, if possible, do they go beyond them in number and variety : yet, in a multitude of cases, are not less evidently mechanical, not less evidently contrivances, not less evidently accommodated to their end, or suited to their office, than are the most perfect productions of human ingenuity.
Page 464 - ... this is to irritate; this to inflame; this duct is to convey the gravel to the kidneys; this gland to secrete the humor which forms the gout.
Page 1 - In crossing a heath, suppose I pitched my foot against a stone, and were asked how the stone came to be there ; I might possibly answer that, for anything I knew to the contrary, it had lain there for ever ; nor would it perhaps be very easy to show the absurdity of this answer.
Page 1 - I knew to the contrary, it had lain there for ever: nor would it perhaps be very easy to show the absurdity of this answer. But suppose I had found a watch upon the ground, and it should be inquired how the watch happened to be in that place; I should hardly think of the answer which...
Page 462 - He might have made, for example, every thing we tasted, bitter; every thing we saw, loathsome ; every thing we touched, a sting: every smell, a stench; and every sound, a discord.
Page 154 - The aorta of a whale is larger in the bore than the main pipe of the water-works at London Bridge ; and the water roaring in its passage through that pipe is inferior, in impetus and velocity, to the blood gushing from the whale's heart.
Page 7 - And not less surprised to be informed that the watch in his hand was nothing more than the result of the laws of metallic nature.
Page 7 - A law presupposes an agent ; for it is only the mode, according .to which an agent proceeds : it implies a power ; for it is the order, according to which that power acts. Without this agent, without this power, which are both distinct from itself, the hue does nothing, is nothing. The expression, " the law of metallic nature...