Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-11-11

: IT Y. TTFy
such herhvorons granisorous; and ifa nv
2 species can be designated constituting excep-
|, ton 10 lhis rule, II will be found, on examination.
that II does not 10 reality affect the universally al
our general proposition but only places that par
icular species Que remove frther from The ve2ets-
bio lnsdOm. tho great original source Of support
all
But do the inferior orders of animal hfe insects.
reptiles bugs Il worms, derive their subsistence from
the same vegetable source The apriculurasrs ia
this section Of country. lately suffering on the
iavages Of the fly and chnoh-bug, will be prepared
at least TO entertain the enquiry, and moi reject
abruptly as pr,pta fdcie absurd. Aud WHEN hev
collect the ,njnrlts they have sustained in lheu
wheat stacks from the wrsvil-n their plant. beds
from the hy,-in Their tobacco fields from Tho cut
worm and hoin.w ofm.-and IN Their orchards and
| gardens from nameess multitude of iona
BILE le plundere,s, they will bt ready to Conclude
thai the subsistence oflhese, rs well as thai Of tho
larger species of animals. entirely of vegetable
origin. Nor will this conclusion be AT all disturbed
by the blood .hrsiy yellow flies that swarm around
our house,, ears whenever We ride out for II will al
once occur that the yeiy blood for which they 81
a'den,ly ihirs has been elaborated ool Of the vrge-
table n alerIas ON which tho horse subssts.
| Indeed ihete IL scarcely blade Of grass in tho
field 81 leaf IN the forest, Il have never Yet exani-
ed one) on which may not be perceived the nnpres-
sion OF tie tooth o. pfobuseis Of some insect.
Whethcr the countless nIynads OF living crea-
tunes. that lnhabil the waters OF our globe, also
indebted 10 vegetation lor tbcif support, may appear
more doubtful. Concealed IN a great degree from
human observation by the element III which they re-
SIDE bat c il known Of iheir habits aud mode of
life; but from analogy and HE ltule knowledge we
do possess tic sub eel. there is believe
that their nonfishmen well Ms that Of land ami
mails, ~ OF vegetable origin. This dllleien how
ever, IN the Two cases IS worthy OF remark that tho
latter general, subsIsi organic matter in its en-
TIE state the former on ITS results, alter having
undergone decomposition. il is by no means al
drmed that every species OF fish subssts in ihls MAN.
Will al,
habits prevalent (perlaps sol in waite, rs
on land Butn appears highly probable that The
less perfect aud by lai the most numerals classes OF
water animals. like several species al thar TO-
side IN The soil, and also like the While OF the ,eee-
table kingdom, subslst on the decomposed remains
Of formerly organized and living matter; ana il.n
these nuttive principles, being soluble or suspen-
slble IN wafer, washed by rains ard melted snows
from the whole surface OF the earth, aud conveyed
TO the very mouths by The thousands OF Waier eour-
scs, which have been disehatgng their eonienis Tor
thousand Of years into the Is II 10 be supposed
thai these principles OF vitality. the rich product ot
! Natures most elaborate processes, when mingled
wilh the waters Of The great d,ep, wasted. md
forever lost Such snpposiuon would be utter
! " incompatible with our knowledge Of the economy
which eharactclizcs her operations and oldnnlnens.
i, is much more probable that the lblefioi aOa
more imperfect species OF marine ANIMALS insects,
worms aud sbell-fsh, together unllihe numerous
ttbes that destitute oiteeih, sue shads. et-
rings. piitlafds winnings, Nc. live on the nulrrvs
principles with which The water is impregoated, as
above explained, from the nashings o the iand; aud
that they all together constitute the substritum oG
aquaic life, on which ,he snreriaeonbenI layers res,
aud are supported
Could we suddcn'y draw aside the veil which
conceals from unaided sight the wonders Of tho
misc,oscop,c world, should ~ once mud our
selves IN the midst Of .'ncw heavens and new
cats0, surrounded hy numberless millions Of living
creatures, OF forms aud habits before unknown; bat
after having recovered from the astounding enects of
a. -.
of gained IN force here in regions
with which We bad been conveisani that the con-
seiyaire principle Of VITALITY, is derived IRON tho
processes Of veg laon. was the same; that these
new aud wondef-excnlng foinS of animal life chiefly
abounded in situations either nuld or solid, where
tins all SUSTAINING prnclple existed. and in PROF ora
ton 10 its degree oI concentration and that We
were therefore still within the doninions Of The uni.
vclsa Sovereign,
Who sees. with equal eye, as God Of all, =
An anna cnl9 or heio fall.
From the preceding considerations IL appears tint
every province and department, OF tie annual is 20
pendent Tor support on the vegetable klnedom hd
his conclu &c cords well nh the Mosaic nc cnnt
OF creau'n. According To thai account, vegetables
(grass, herbs and iuis being expressly NEE iiojedl
were created on The third animals nor until ibe txfh
day. The necessity Tor lood, be IL berdl, Is
coeyal with fe, and accordingly The laucr. rs soon
called into existence, found The whole surace of
the earth, like vide table spread before III, r. and
covered with every thiug Lecessary iof hei sup
port
Although vegetables in iheir entire state nc gem
orally made OF for food by animals, vt their
uuttnlye qualities are fund by experience y reside
IN only few Of lhcr constituent parts AMI It is an
interesting fact, that although chemists hate ascer-
tanned, by the most accurate analysis the elemenia- Z
~ principles which compose ihose nuir,ive parts.
aud The exact proportion tley bear 10 och other.
yet have they never been able combine the for
mer as 10 produce any one OF the later. Ii is well
known, for instance, that sugar, oflhJse nutr-
nous rfincip es, consists Of equal parts Of oxyger.
hydrogen aud carbon yel the AIT If man has never
been able so II combine ,hrse clencnslas to make
It single ounce OF sugar. Aud the SANS with respect
! 10 OIL, iarlua, gum, &c. he vegetable kagdom
may Therefore be considered Natures greatlabora-
tory, in Which, aud IN which exclusively are formed
HE articles iecessaiy 10 the support II animal lie:
nay, OF all org lnc life. vegetable as nell as aulnai
iof The i0lmer 10 which topd is as absolutely neces-
safy rs to the latter. subsis FAR As they are in-
debed the sell Cor subsistence, out re decomrosed
results of organ zed matter, all oil mich is eher
vegetable IN ipso. has been slown fvegeta-
BILE origin. II. therefore, recourse law were
established and ali conuu,icaiio3 entirely and for
ever off between these Two great coterininoua
kingdoms vegetables aud onnpals. the latter would
immediately begln,o declines and would soon perish;
whilst The former, sell SUI polTd. would commune tn
stand and Il utisIi on its own tesoufces-'ash l'e
generation subsisiing he deco npsed ioinains o'
preceding generations, which g,ew aud noulsheu IL.
their llme, subsSlin, IN like manner on thei pieue
oessurs.
n On an expansive view Of Natures nrrapeemeh'a