"that are called Men; and the animal and "vegetable Kingdoms are fo nearly joined,

that, if you will take the lowest of one "and the highest of the other, there will "fcarce be perceived any great Difference "between them; and fo on, till we come "to the loweft and the moft inorganical "Parts of Matter, we fhall find, every"where, that the feveral Species are link"ed together, and differ but in almost in-"fenfible Degrees. And, when we con"fider the infinite Power and Wisdom of "the Maker, we have Reason to think "that it is fuitable to the magnificent Har"mony of the Universe, and the great De

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fign and infinite Goodnefs of the Archi"tect, that the Species of Creatures should "alfo, by gentle Degrees, afcend upward

from us toward his infinite Perfection; "fo we fee they gradually defcend from us "downward: Which, if it be probable, we "have Reason then to be perfuaded, that "there are far more Species of Creatures "above us than there are beneath; we be

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ing, in Degrees of Perfection, much more "remote from the infinite Being of God, "than we are from the loweft State of Be

ing, and that which approaches nearest "to nothing. And yet of all those distinct Species we have no clear diftinct Ideas.

6.6

In this Syftem of Being, there is no

"Creature

Creature fo wonderful in its Nature, and "which fo much deferves our particular "Attention, as Man, who fills up the mid"dle Space between the animal and intel"lectual Nature, the visible and invisible "World; and is that Link in the Chain t of Beings which has been often termed "the Nexus utriufque Mundi. So that he "who, in one Refpect, is affociated with

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Angels and Archangels, may look upon "a Being of infinite Perfection as his Fa"ther, and the highest Order of Spirits as "his Brethren; may, in another Respect, "fay to Corruption, Thou art my Father "and to the Worm, Thou art my Mother and my Sister."

ON

ΟΝ ΤΗΕ

ORDER

OF

NATURE.

T

HE prefent Season (Spring) imparts a real Satisfaction to those who delight in viewing the Works of Nature. You, my dear Friend, are inclosed within the Walls of a City, amidst the Bustle and Tumult of a People ever in Motion; and a thousand Occupations, unknown to the rural World, deny you the Leifure of tafting the Delights of a Spring scarce perceivable within the Circuit of your Walls. I, on the contrary, enjoy that Happinefs, fo little valued, of furveying all the Beauties which Nature difplays in our Fields: A Happiness, however, to which the general Objects of Man's Pursuits are not comparable. Does not our tender Friendfhip require that I should make you a Partaker of them? You are not one of those

who

who have no Taste for these Pleasures, and who look upon them as utterly infipid: I am perfuaded, did the important Concerns of your Employment allow of it, you would gladly give yourself up to them along with me.

I intend, therefore, to lay before you fome Confiderations which diffuse a Joy through my whole Frame, every Time Nature exhibits to me the admirable Order of all its Operations; and, for the prefent Subject, fhall make Choice of the Vegetable Kingdom, which is fo extenfive and no lefs magnificent.

If, for our joint Happiness, you were at present here, you would fee how all the Plants, each in the Order affigned to it, unfold their Bloffoms and Flowers, and make all the Preparatives neceffary for the happy Production of the Fruit they are to yield: Every Thing here is wonderful; every Thing declares a perfect Wisdom and infi. nite Skill to have fuperintended in its Figure, Texture, and Difpofition. But nothing tends more to excite in me those moral Reflections, fo much your Favourites, as the beautiful Order obferved by Nature with regard to the Time when it imparts to Plants the Means of Fecundity and Parturition. As anciently, when the Waters of the Deluge were gone off from the Face

of

ter.

of the defolated World, the Animals came out of Noah's Ark in Pairs for re-peopling the Earth; fo Nature causes the Plants to re-appear on the Face of the Earth fucceffively, after the Kind of Deftruction which it had undergone from the Rigours of WinFrom the Beginning to the End of the Year, one Kind of Plants treads clofe on the Heels of that which preceded it, and, in its Turn, contributes to the Imbellishment of this immenfe Theatre. Before the firft Species has, as I may fay, quitted the nuptial Bed*, a fecond already makes its Appearance; this is relieved by a third, and so on, according to its Order. Whilft fome are already able to fuckle and nourish their Fruit and bring it to Maturity, others are excited to Motion for preparing their Fruit against the Time when that of their Predeceffors fhall be completed.

Thus, throughout the whole Course of the Year, Nature furnishes us with Herbs, Flowers, and Fruits; no Day is without its. Works; the Plants continually experience its benign Care; before bringing fome to their utmoft Perfection, it takes others: by the Hand, and makes the neceffary Difpofitions for leading them to the fame End. Even in the Midft of dreary Winter it is:

* This Allegory alludes to the new Discoveries concerning the Sexes and Generation of Plants.

not