THE

SUBSTANCE

OF

AN ADDRESS

то

THE STUDENTS AT GUY'S HOSPITAL,

AT THE CLOSE OF THE

LECTURES ON EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHY.

BY

WILLIAM ALLEN,

FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, OF THE LINNEAN
SOCIETY, OF THE IMPERIAL SOCIETY DE BIENFAISANCE"

દ

OF PETERSBURG, OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY
OF PETERSBURG, AND OF THE GEORGOFILI
SOCIETY OF FLORENCE, &c. &c.

LONDON:

PUBLISHED BY LONGMAN, REES, ORME, BROWN, AND GREEN;

J. AND A. ARCH; HARVEY AND DARTON;

J. HATCHARD; W. PHILLIPS; AND E. COX AND SON,
ST. THOMAS'S STREET, BORough.

THE

SUBSTANCE

OF

AN ADDRESS

TO THE

STUDENTS AT GUY'S HOSPITAL.

N

In the course of lectures delivered on Experimental Philosophy at Guy's Hospital, the subject of astronomy comes last. When the solar system, and what is known respecting the stars had been described, the lécture concluded with the following observations:

Whilst thus standing on the confines of our little system, and catching the glimmering lights that issue from the remote and unknown, let us lift up our hearts in reverence to that awful and infinitely perfect Being, who, operating in the immensity of space, and regulating the concerns of innumerable worlds, has yet condescended to create such an atom as man, and to indue that atom with the power of attaining unto the knowledge of himself,

the great Author and Supporter of all. Seeing, then, that He who created the universe has condescended to employ his omnipotence in the small as well as in the great, and that we also are the workmanship of his hand, let us rejoice in the belief, that even we shall not escape his notice among the myriads of created beings; let us be thankful that he has endowed us with faculties to comprehend a little of his wonderful works; and let us ever remember, that throughout these a provision for the happiness of his creatures is eminently conspicuous. It must, therefore, be consistent with his will that we should employ the powers which He has given us in diffusing as much comfort and happiness, in our respective circles, and throughout his creation, as our abilities and peculiar circumstances will permit.

In the study of nature, which is but "a name for an effect whose cause is God," every ingenious mind must be delighted with the discovery of general laws which will satisfactorily account for many important phenomena; but we also quickly discover that there are limits to human knowledge, and that it is in vain for finite beings to attempt to comprehend that which is infinite. We see that the wonderful effects taking place every moment, and upon which the whole frame and system of things depend, can only be referred to a great First Cause, infinite in all his attributes. The attribute of Omnipotence is no less displayed in the smallest than in the largest works of creation: it is equally

manifest in the structure of the most minute animalcula, as in the precision with which the earth revolves upon its axis, carrying with it seas, mountains, kingdoms, conflicting elements, and bodies every where in motion; while the great purpose is completed with a degree of exactness which no time-piece can ever equal! The motions of the heavenly bodies are conducted with such admirable precision, that not one of them materially interferes with another; no one deviates from its appointed course; each steadily holds on its way in perfect obedience to Him, who spake, and they were created; who willed, and it was done!

In the early part of our course, we considered the properties of matter, and the laws to which it is subject: we were convinced that it has no power to move itself, or when moved, by the application of external force, to stop, or even to alter the direction of that motion. It was stated that every particle of matter appears to have a certain equal degree of attractive force, which it exerts upon every other particle of matter; and we have seen how this simple principle has accounted, not only for the fall of bodies, for the maintenance of the mechanical equilibrium, but also for the planetary motions and the multiplied phenomena of the universe it is the attribute of Omnipotence to accomplish the greatest of purposes by the simplest of It is owing to a species of attraction that bodies preserve their form, and that the particles

means.