The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-10-23
FINN Tie lNep York 7'ibtAs,
THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.
second Leeture--By Professor Agassiu.

.. ~SSAAu A<ecture--by n asSAA'
Infinite Wisdom displayed in the Animal Creation. The
Structure OF Radaed Animals General Division OF this
Type.-The PoIyps-Their Mode Of Subsistence and Di
geston-Mode Of Reproduction, the Polyps a
Nervous System Coral Reefs
The Hall of the College of Physician and Surgeons
was again completely filled by the audience assem-
bed to hcar Professor Agassiz. II was indeed graf
flying 10 find such brilliant and crowded assem-
blage collected on silchan occasion.
Al hnlf- past o'clock the Professor entered the
hail. and was greeted with cordial applause. On its
subsistence he proceeded deliver the following lee
ture tytTU TnIfGg ii.E}iB9
Ladies' and Gentlemen: In beginning these lec-
lures endeavored 10 show that the student OF Nat
ural History should aim at higher object than the
mere knowledge Of isolated phenomena- even
the study of an accurate classification is not the
highest point to which our effort can arrive There
is more elevated view of the study of Nature than
that which we should always keep in sight when We
enter on such field of investigation II is to con-
slider Nature development of the thoughts Of the
Creator. Regarded in that aspect, every object at
once assumes greater importance, and becomes in
vested with new and superior value in our eyes. Y
There was another point which touched, but oh
II shall not now dwell, as shnll repeatedly have
occasion 70 show that Il is the true view in which
we should prosecute these studies, and that was
that there is PLAN general plan, iii the works Of
creation We will be able to show that even isolat
classes ARE nude according 10 one precise par, yea
that we must refer al once the creation of these
things 70 the understanding of a higher Power. a
greater Wisdom, than mans power or mans wis
dom III ePE 4
u. After these preliminary remarks proceed 10 show
that the animal kingdom is constructed according
10 four different notifications Of the arrangement of
the parts. ,i FIX gfttsetac3
What naturnlists intend when they speak Of what
they call types" of the animal kingdom may be ca
silly understood BY comparison, We all know that
architects construct our dwellings according plans
conceived by them before the erection Of the edce
and II we take general view OF the works Of domes
tic architecture we shall that they all agree in one
respect They are spaces circnmscribed BY walls
covered BY roof and designed to aionl shelter
comfort, end even all the llxires of life All these
structures, from the hunibles hut to the proudest
palace agree in This general object and we say that
they are all constructed according to one plan,
though It may be subjected to endless variery OF
nouihcauon,1 li,%EW GiWJH 'd3H lt EN8
Again, those who have studied and practised m,-
sic know very well thai they can, from fundamental
harmony, producer great many variations, and yet
among these they viii yeryfndily recog-
mise the principal tune Well in nature we will rea-
Oily discover one fundamental harmony throughout
variations of Tho aiferen, ,yn n MI, IN ~ =,
that general principle. Nay, we can go farther and
recognise in these four types a fundamental idea
which is common to ALL The fundamental tune in
the animal kingdom is life while the endless yarie-
ties are the thoughts of tile creator diversified in an
infinite degree, and oil in such way us altogether
transcends the intelligence even the fancy of man.
contemn,tions INNS, ov,,s ~ M, g.. j., H.
Architect Of the IIniyerse' 77f
These four plans ar,r os i r,e,,ored. go, ~.
pertebrak, 10 which man halong. mi ~. h;oh.s
animals ne wa call them 'the ,namm.lia Ma ~,
tiles and fishes They o aoree n ana rosnoci M
thew have M internal franz. of bones .r,onndaa H.
flesh md ,hnt upder ,b;s coyer;,,, ne b,rd ana 80,
parts there are cayities con,nin;,g the viscer,,h
different oyunns bv which We digest o,,r snoa az,
breathe and by which the blood d circulated and
another eayi,y above that containing The ORGANS of
the higher functions Of animal life the brain and
spinal' marrow. Ire organs Of sense. the nerves.
This type has an arrangement Of parts which may
be expressed by very simple formuIa and us che
mists have adopted fornlule to express the compo-
sition of inorganic bodies, we may adopt formula
to express the general structure Of organized beings
figure them like the nuine eight [Sl would express
the general arrangement OF parts in all yertebraied
animals The centre Of the two bodies~being the
body Of the yertebral column; the upper arch, or ca
yity. representing the cavity containing the BRAIN
and forming the upper region Of the animal and this
lower cavity containing the vscera ali surrounded
nv tleshy pnrts from which sone abpendores in the
higher animals proceed 10 form the limbs. shall
have occasion to show how the arms and legs all
conform TO The different arrangements of the perie
br,,, wa c.n traca ,b.. ,,,od;f c,,;ona fro,, IN.
lower tyne Of fishes where the arms continue nj
tached in continuous form--or snakes where there
are, no externnl Jees nevertheless there arc some
such organs Of Iocomoton connected with the walls
of the body. All these analogies may be traced and
be actually shown by direct demonstration. Xxx v,
The next type is that Of the artcuata. then there
is the D,oi,.sc the third and the radiat the fourth
tyne Al these three types agree in one respect that
their organs are contained In one and the same en-
yity. There is but one CAVITY. But the nervous
system, as showed differs in its general arrange
nent and all iitIan in another essential point-in
the mode in which they are found. i When speaking
Of the formation Of animals within the egg shall