An essay on generation / Translated from the German [by A. Crichton].

  • Blumenbach, Johann Friedrich, 1752-1840
Date:
1792?]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on generation / Translated from the German [by A. Crichton]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    640s) r I am well aware, that the advocates for the theory of Evolution, will, in order to help themfelves out of this difficulty, have recourfe to an hypothefis, which of all~im~- probable ones, may be ftiled the moft ro- mantic, and improbable} and according to which it is fuppofed, ‘* ‘That in every part of “ the polypus, there exifts innumerable germs: _ « enveloped, and torpid as it were, which’ «lie like a hidden ftore, untill it fhall pleafe “ the fancy of a naturalift to roufe them “ into action, and free them from their ftate “ of imprifonment, by the enlivening cut of “ 4 pair of f{ciilars.” Now, let any one compare this expla- nation with the naked appearances which take place in the above, and many other experi- ments on the armed polypus, the procefs of which are fo eafy to be difcovered.—I thall at prefent content myfelf with relating two of thefe experiments. When we take the half of two polypi of different kinds, for inftance, . the