Volume 1

Paley's Natural theology / with illustrative notes, by Henry, Lord Brougham and Sir Charles Bell to which are added supplementary dissertations, by Sir Charles Bell.

  • Paley, William, 1743-1805.
Date:
1836
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Paley's Natural theology / with illustrative notes, by Henry, Lord Brougham and Sir Charles Bell to which are added supplementary dissertations, by Sir Charles Bell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

    105/484 (page 83)
    Nor are there any appearances to support an opinion, that every possible combination of vege- table or animal structure has formerly been tried. Multitudes of conformations, both of vegetables and animals, may be conceived capable of exist- ence and succession, which yet do not exist. Per- haps almost as many forms of plants might have been found in the fields as figures of plants can be delineated upon paper. A countless variety of animals might have existed which do not exist. Upon the supposition here stated, Ave should see unicorns and mermaids, sylphs and centaurs, the fancies of painters, and the fables of poets, realised by examples. Or, if it be alleged that these may transgress the bounds of possible life and propa- gation, we might at least have nations of human beings without nails upon their fingers, with more or fewer fingers and toes than ten, some with one eye, others with one ear, with one nostril, or with- out the sense of smelling at all. All these, and a thousand other imaginable varieties, might live and propagate. We may modify any one species many different ways, all consistent with life, and with the actions necessary to preservation, although affording different degrees of conve- niency and enjoyment to the animal. And if we carry these modifications through the different species which are known to subsist, their number would be incalculable. No reason can be given