Chemistry, meteorology and the function of digestion considered with reference to natural theology / By William Prout.

  • William Prout
Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Chemistry, meteorology and the function of digestion considered with reference to natural theology / By William Prout. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/586
    [SECOND EDITION,] The Author in certain parts of this treatise, having- been misunderstood, is anxious to state more prominently than in the first edition, that no argument illustrative of design has been founded on the supposed molecular ar¬ rangements which he has given ; and that the reality of design in the phenomena of chemistry is no more affected by the truth or falsehood of his theory, than the moral of a fable is affected by the truth or falsehood of its imaginary incidents. The phenomena of chemistry can neither be repre¬ sented by figures, nor adequately described to the in¬ experienced by words. The consideration of chemistry, therefore, with reference to the argument of design, pre¬ sents peculiar difficulties. After much reflection, the author has omitted details which every treatise on the subject will furnish, and has endeavoured to convey some notion of the wonders of molecular action. As the best suited to his purpose, a sketch of his own views is given: and if the uninformed reader