restored to its original form. But if this could not be
accomplished by mere power, without wisdom to direct, how could the
original adjustment occur by chance? How could those very parts themselves
be _formed for_ adjustment one to another?

Mathematicians tell us wondrous things in relation to these hap-hazard
concerns. And they demonstrate their statements by what will not
lie--figures. Their rule is this: that, as one thing admits of but one
position, as, for example, _a_, so two things, _a_ and _b_, are capable of
two positions, as _ab_, _ba_. But if a third be added, instead of their
being susceptible of only one additional position, or three in all, they
are capable of six. For example, _abc_, _acb_, _bac_, _bca_, _cab_, _cba_.
Add another letter, _d_, and the four are capable of twenty-four positions
or variations. Thus we might go on. Merely adding another letter, _e_, and
so making _five_ instead of four, would increase the the number of
variations _five_-fold. They would then amount to one hundred and twenty.
A single additional letter, _f_, making _six_ in all, would increase this
last sum of one hundred and twenty _six_-fold, making seven hundred and
twenty. Add a _seventh_ letter, _g_, and the last-named sum would be
increased _seven_-fold, making the sum of five thousand and forty. If we
go on thus to the end of the alphabet, we have the astonishing sum of six
hundred and twenty thousand four hundred and forty-eight trillions, four
hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty-three billions, two
hundred and thirty-nine thousand four hundred and thirty-nine millions and
three hundred and sixty thousand!!! Hence it follows that, were the
letters of the alphabet to be thrown promiscuously into a vessel, to be
afterwards shaken into order by mere hap, their chance of being arranged,
not to say into words and sentences, but into their alphabetical order,
would be only as _one_ to the above number. All this, too, in the case of
only twenty-six letters! Take now the human frame, with its bones,
tendons, nerves, muscles, veins, arteries, ducts, glands, cartilages,
etc.; and having dissected the same, throw those parts into one
promiscuous mass; and how long, I ask, would it be ere Chance would put
them all into their appropriate places and form a perfect man? In this
calculation we are likewise to take into the account the chances of their
being placed bottom upwards, or side-ways, or wrong side out,
notwith