s.
435 Volition distinguishes Mankind.
456 If Knowledge produces Happiness.
466 Sympathy the source of Virtue.
485 Maxim of Socrates.

CANTO IV.

29 Oestrus or Gadfly.
33 Ichneumon fly.
37 Libellula.
39 Bees.
57 Shark.
59 Crocodile
66 Animals prey on Vegetables.
71 Defect of Stimulus.
87 Theatric Preachers.
93 Pleasure of Life, Ennui.
94 Of Tooth-edge.
119 Epidemic Complaints.
130 Compassion may be too great.
147 Doctrine of Atoms.
160 Pleasure of viewing a Landscape.
178 Pleasure from Music.
242 Ancient Orators spoke disrespectfully of the mechanic
Philosophers.
270 Influence of Printing.
299 Associated ideas of three Classes.
309 Wit defined.
349 Surprising number of Seeds.
351 Of the Aphis, its Numbers.
352 Aphis drinks the Sap-juice.
359 The Mutation of the Tadpole.
387 Animation near the Surface of the Earth.
387 All dead animal and vegetable Bodies become animated.
403 Doctrine of St. Paul.
411 Happiness increased.
417 Doctrine of Pythagoras.
431 Geology.
450 Method of investigation of Organic happiness.
453 Organic Life increases.

ADDITIONAL NOTES.

ADDITIONAL NOTES.

SPONTANEOUS VITALITY OF MICROSCOPIC ANIMALS.

Hence without parent by spontaneous birth
Rise the first specks of animated earth.
CANTO I. l. 227.

_Prejudices against this doctrine._

I. From the misconception of the ignorant or superstitious, it has
been thought somewhat profane to speak in favour of spontaneous vital
production, as if it contradicted holy writ; which says, that God
created animals and vegetables. They do not recollect that God created
all things which exist, and that these have been from the beginning in
a perpetual state of improvement; which appears from the globe itself,
as well as from the animals and vegetables, which possess it. And
lastly, that there is more dignity in our idea of the supreme author
of all things, when we conceive him to be the cause of causes, than
the cause simply of the events, which we see; if there can be any
difference in infinity of power!

Another prejudice which has prevailed against the spontaneous production
of vitality, seems to have arisen from the misrepresentation of this
doctrine, as if the larger animals had been thus produced; as Ovid
supposes after the deluge of Deucalion, that lions were seen rising out
of t