strictest regularity: the fibres of plants are a bundle of cylindric canals, lying in the fame direction, and parallel or nearly parallel to each other in fome inftances, a moft accurate arrangement of parts is difcovered, as in onions, formed of concentric coats, one within another, to the very centre. An animal body is ftill more admirable, in the difpofition of its internal parts, and in their order and fymmetry; there is not a bone, a muscle, a blood-veffel, a nerve, that hath not one correfponding to it on the oppofite fide; and the fame order is carried through the most minute parts the lungs are compofed of two parts, which are difpofed upon the fides of the thorax; and the kidneys, 'in a lower fituation, have a pofition no lefs orderly: as to the parts that are fingle, the heart is advantageously fituated near the middle; the liver, ftomach, and fpleen, are difpofed in the upper region of the abdomen, about the fame height: the bladder is placed in the middle of the body, as well as the inteftinal canal, which fills the whole cavity with its convolutions.

The mechanical power of nature, not confined to finall bodies, reacheth equally thofe of the greatest fize; witness the bodies that compofe the folar fyftem, which, however large, are weighed, measured and fubjected to certain laws, with the utmost accuracy. Their places round the fun, with their distances, are determined by a precife rule, correfponding to their quantity of matter,

The

The fuperior dignity of the central body, in refpect of its bulk and lucid appearance, is suited to the place it occupies. The globular figure of these bodies, is not only in itself beautiful, but is above all others fitted for regular motion. Each planet revolves about its own axis in a given time; and each moves round the fun, in an orbit nearly circular, and in a time proportioned to its diftance. Their velocities, directed by an established law, are perpetually changing by regular accelerations and retardations. In fine, the great variety of regular appearances, joined with the beauty of the fyftem itself, cannot fail to produce the highest delight in every one who is fenfible of defign, power, or beauty.

Nature hath a wonderful power of connecting systems with each other, and of propagating that connection through all her works. Thus the conftituent parts of a plant, the roots, the ftem, the branches, the leaves, the fruit, are really different fyftems, united by a mutual dependence on each other in an animal, the lymphatic and lacteal ducts, the blood-veffels and nerves, the mufcles and glands, the bones and cartilages, the membranes and bowels, with the other organs, form diftinct fyftems, which are united into one whole. There are, at the fame time, other connections lefs intimate every plant is joined to the earth by its roots; it requires rain and dews to furnish it with juices; and it requires heat to preserve these juices in fluidity and motion: every animal,

by

by its gravity, is connected with the earth, with the element in which it breathes, and with the fun, by deriving from it cherishing and enlivening heat: the earth furnisheth aliment to plants, these to animals, and these again to other animals, in a long train of dependence: that the earth is part of a greater fyftem, comprehending many bodies mutually attracting each other, and gravitating all toward one common centre, is now thoroughly explored. Such a regular and uniform series of connections, propagated through fo great a number of beings, and through fuch wide fpaces, is wonderful: and our wonder must increase, when we observe these connections propagated from the minuteft atoms to bodies of the most enormous fize, and fo widely diffufed as that we can neither perceive their beginning nor their end. That thefe connections are not confined within our own planetary fyftem, is certain: they are diffused over spaces ftill more remote, where new bodies and systems rife without end. All space is filled with the works of God, which are conducted by one plan, to anfwer unerringly one great end.

But the most wonderful connection of all, though not the most confpicuous, is that of our internal frame with the works of nature: man is obvioufly fitted for contemplating thefe works, because in this contemplation he has great delight. The works of nature are remarkable in their uniformity no less than in their variety; and the mind

mind of man is fitted to receive pleasure equally from both. Uniformity and variety are interwoven in the works of nature with furprising art: variety, however great, is never without fome degree of uniformity; nor the greatest uniformity without fome degree of variety: there is great variety in the fame plant, by the different appearances of its ftem, branches, leaves, bloffoms, fruit, fize, and colour; and yet, when we trace that variety through different plants, especially of the fame kind, there is dif covered a furprifing uniformity: again, where nature seems to have intended the most exact uniformity, as among individuals of the fame kind, there ftill appears a diverfity, which ferves readily to diftinguish one individual from another. It is indeed admirable, that the human vifage, in which uniformity is so prevalent, should yet be fo marked, as to leave no room, among millions, for miftaking one perfon for another these marks, though clearly perceived, are generally fo delicate, that words cannot be found to defcribe them. A correfpondence fo perfect between the human mind and the works of nature, is extremely remarkable. The oppofition between variety and uniformity is fo great, that one would not readily imagine they could both be relished by the fame palate; at least not in the fame object, nor at the fame time: it is however true, that the pleasures they afford, being happily adjusted to each other, and readily

mixing

mixing in intimate union, are frequently produced by the fame individual object. Nay, further, in the objects that touch us the moft, uniformity and variety are conftantly combined; witnefs natural objects, where this combination is always found in perfection. Hence it is, that natural objects readily form themselves into groups, and are agreeable in whatever manner combined: a wood with its trees, fhrubs, and herbs, is agreeable: the mufic of birds, the lowing of cattle, and the murmuring of a brook, are in conjunction delightful; though they strike the ear without modulation or harmony. In fhort, nothing can be more happily accommodated to the inward conftitution of man, than that mixture of uniformity with variety, which the eye discovers in natural objects; and, accordingly, the mind is never more highly gratified than in contemplating a natural landscape.

CHAP.