Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-08-06
GAZETT E,
From The London Metropoi'an.
4 PEEP AT THE LITTLE WORLD
FROM THE GREAT.

Whilst the many direct tneir attention to the
,,o,t world around them, and are wholly uncon-
.cious of what is passing IN the little world at
az, sa,son of the wear, the observations OF Gu
,,o,. few nav not be altogether uninteresuns to
,s.a Nbo feel little or no intercst IN the late OF
,Sa reCnrm bill, the progress OF the cholera. the
result of the Bslsic treaty, or whether Lord Grey
and The Why's will be forced to resign Office or
continue in power.
Happily, in the present are oil invention, we
,o,srss the means Of viewing the miniature Crea-
non. a. easily rs the colossal world; and who
will deny that the affairs of the one are not to the
1il a. interesting as those OF the other, and In
the end perhaps far more satisfactory!
N,,ur, has furnished Us with two microscopes
ONO small capacity Of vision. by which we are ena-
HE'D 10 scan the dimensions OF whale and the
mite of cheese, with equal facility, and at plea
.ur. 10 alter the virtual focus, as IN moment To
take IN objects far distant or in close contact
Still, however, the largest portion OF the ANNA
ted creation is concealed from the sight OF man.
unIe,sb his limited vision is improved by the use
of GOOD microscope. Then he can bring into
view a new world, not less astonishing than that
Which once burst upon the great Columbus OF old.
and hi, enchanted crew. world containing
a larger population, and greater variety OF
forms than the new world across the Atlantic, as
AZ well species as peculiar and grotesque as are
foInd IN Australia itself.
The inhabitants Of this miniature world are
abpndantly renewed in the spring season. As
soon as the bleak March winds have yielded to
ApriI's sun and GENIAL showers. termination com
mrnces, aud mv,ilds, to each Of which grain
Of sand is an elephant to flea in proportion per-
haps are brought into state of active life in ODE
iirnce to their Creators fat Now is the time
10 watch them. and to observe their nature and
habits. Wehave it in our power to produce them
ourselves, by watery infusiOns of vegetable mat
Ter, and some portions Of animal bodies; and to
magnify them four. SIX, eight ten, or twelve, or
more Thousand times, it We employ good mi
croscope, such as that which the itali professor
Amici. exhibited in this country, aud Mr.. Lister
Of the CITY himself invented. But look not through
the microscope as a toy to play with: limit not
YOUR observation to the sports OF the beings IN
tSity under your eye, as does " the eye of child
huod;" bpt let higher objects be contemplated, So
a. to Render the pursuits worthy ut rational be-
ings attention; aud with this view, the micro
scope has been Of late years removed from the
nursery 10 the study. 4 single drop Of water
from ditch, gutter, or pond, w,Il contain as ma
rs beings perhaps, as the planet which we inha
bit: aud the inside Of a moderate fish has been
computed to contain more ova than six times the
human population of the earth, which is es;inat
cd at upwards of eight hundred milhons.-
When we view the drop Of water. and its in.
habltants swimming about IL, we may conceive
that to their perceptions the drop is As an ocean;
and that the whale, in gGing from pole to pole.
GOES no farther in Imagination than the lit,le In
u,orv being when il darts across the liquid bead.
The whole race Of these anlmalculcs is termed
infuSory. on account of their being produced BY
soaSng animal or vegetable matter In distilled or
rain water, during warm weather; a few days
often 5cias sufficient to call the into life, anL
10 mature the ephemeraI Production.
Now, chemical analysis has lang confirmed the
views, derived from the best glasses. aud the IN
4 iu>nrrp are found to be constructed upon the
same principle : other animals, reproducing IN
n their likeness; aud thus each species continues
rs characteristics periodically, and enjoys GER
tain instincts and perceptions in common with
the rest ct the animal creation Yet So prone to
think wrongly is the human mind, that certain
i philosophers, Of an age aud i country which
gave Slfth 10 the m0St extravaganza materia!lsm,
viewed those animalcul;c as examples d. their
cherished doctrines, and thew were pronounced
b constitute exceptions To the presumed uulver-
81 Axiom OF Hlrvev-'' OnlIliG G6 0r0" They
were accordingly referred TO the principle Of
eqaiyoeal generation TO explain their origin, as IT
hey sprung mo life By the casual combination
Of circumstances, aud the uuion Of certain mate
yal properties
Thus was the Creator. from whom alone is de-
'yed the breath Of lle robbed of the greatest at
7oute we ascrbe to him; aud animated beings,
loving spontaneous motion, and guided by an!
III Instincts, were referred TO senscless matter
or their formation and birth. as the mud OF the
Me was ancicntly supposed to produce living
'enss. under the influence Of the SUMS rays.
OeitcT philosophy. one founded upon facts,
Ia'adIcts this specious and degrading theory,
Stores the mOttu of our illustrious countyman,
'ai teaches that every animal, however minute,
sa't formed in an egg, and derives its origin di-
sl,Iy from parents. who transmit their likeness
"oelT offspring, until the individual species be-
~ne' extinct upon the surface of the earth, and
~ De known to US only by those monuments OF
~ ages, which, IN connexion with the organ
taalns, afford Us the best clue whereby to
~,NeI the PHYSICAL history of our Globe.
we now 10 longer doubt whether fermentive
P'''e'echye, matt or: warmed BY the suns