The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-05-09
From Drummond's Letters to Young Nat
urdlist.
RTR AS, ECC
BIRDS EGG.

An egg is one of the most SURPRISING
productions IN the world. Suppose an
egg were put into the hand of a person who
never had known or heard of such thing,
and the question were put to him to what
good purposes could it be applied He
would, OF course, ascertain what were its
contents and what would he find them 10
be? A glairy, colorless liquid surround
ing another liquid of an orange or yellow
color. You might let him make thousands
of conjectures; but could it ever enter into
mind that such a substance would produce
sparrow, thrush, swan, or an eagle 4?
But give him hint OH the subject; give
him an egg, and let him know that it will
bring forth dove. After this advance in
a knowledge of the thing, put him in pos
session of another egg. He may see, of
course, that its color and size are different
from the one that produced the dove but
the contents are exactly similar, So far, at
least, as human perception can ascertain ;
and what would then be his conjecture !?
Could his imagination ever conure up. even
IN the brightest moments of inspired genius.
the idea of peacock? Yet the peacock
in all its glory of dazzling colors, is the
product of little glairy fluid contained in
a capsule of chalk, and in nowise different,
so far as we can perceive, from barn-door
fowl.
Has not the hand of Divinity here writ.
ten, almost without metaphor, in letters
OF gold, the wonders of its creative power ?
Look ut single feather of the peacock
consider that its shining metallic barbs. its
superlatively beautiful eye, and all the won
ders it exhibits of irridescent. rich, and
changeable hnes, according to the angle in
which 1t lies to the light; that its form. its
fiexiblity, its strength, lightness. and ali its
wonders flor in the eye Of intelligence ey-
cry part OF 1t is a wonder) had their origin
IN little muclllage; and then consider,
whether, in looking on such an object,
we should be content with thinking no more
ABOUT 1t than, simply, that it is n peacock's
leather. Yet this is too much the practice
above us and below, on the right side and
on the left, in every element, in every stu
alton. the works Of Almighty Power are
present, and all Astounding in instruction of
the highest kind and that they make not
the Impressions that they should do upon US
Is chiefly owing to the extraordinary anoma-
~ that natural history forms no necessary
part OF the education of young or old. But,
IT single feather he so wonderful a pro-
ductien, what ale we to think of the entire
bird Those who are unacquainted with
the animal economy have little idea of the
mysterious operations which are constantly
IN action in a being possessed of life
The circulation of the blood, the process
es OF respiration, digestion, classification,
ABSORPTION, nutrition the contraction of
the muscles to perform motion the dlstri-
button of the nerves for conveying sensa-
ton the organs of the senses, the brain,
and all Its inscrutable connection with in
teliigence, instinct and perception these
and many other things in the animal econo.
my, are SO wonderful, that could they be
attended to, they must excite establishment
IN the coolest bosoms, and yet all these are
the produce OF an egg.