of the dry Land and Waters; the laying the feveral Strata, or Beds of Earth, Stone, and other Layers before fpoken of; the Creation of noxious Animals, and poisonous Subftances, the boisterous Winds; the Vulcano's, and many other things which fome are angry with, and will pretend to amend: I have before fhewn, that an infinitely wife Providence, an Almighty Hand was concerned even in them, that they all have their admirable Ends, and Ufes, and are highly inftrumental and beneficial to the Being, or Well-being of this our Globe, or to the Creatures refiding thereon. So alfo for Humane Bodies, it hath been an ancient (1) as well as modern Complaint, that our Bodies are not as big as thofe of other Animals, that we cannot run as fwift as Deer, fly like Birds, and that we are out-done by many Creatures in the Accuracy of the Senfes, with more to the fame purpofe. But thefe Objections are well answered by Seneca (†), and will receive a fuller Solution from what I fhall observe of Animal Bodies hereafter. But (H) Vide quam iniqui fint divinorum munerum eftimatores, etiam quidam profeffi fapientiam. Queruntur quod non magnitudine corporis aquemus Elephantes, velocitate Cervos, levitate Aves, impetus Tauros; quod folidior fit cutis Belluis, decentior Damis, denfior Urfis, mollior Fibris; quod fagacitate nos narium Canes vincant, quod acie luminum Aquile, Spatio atatis Corvi, multa Animalia nandi facilitate. Et cùm quædam ne coire quidem in idem Natura patiatur, ut velocitatem corporis & vires pares animalibus habeamus ex diverfis & diffidentibus bonis Hominem non effe compofitum, injur am vocant; & in negligentes noftri Deos querimoniam jaciunt, quod non bona valetudo, & vitiis inexpugnabilis data fit, quod non futuri feientia. Vix fibi temperant quin eoufque impudentia provehantur, ut Naturam oderint, quod infra Deos fumus, quod non in aquo illis Atetimus. Seneca de Benef. 1. 2. c. 29. (t) Quanto fatius eft ad contemplationem tot tantorumque benefi ciorum reverti, & agere gratias, quod nos in hoc pulcherrimo domicilio voluerunt [Dii] fecundos fortiri, quod terrenis præfecerunt. G Then But indeed after all, it is only for want of our knowing these things better, that we do not admire (13) them enough; it is our own Ignorance, Dulnefs, or Prejudice, that makes us charge thofe noble. Works of the Almighty, as Defects or Blunders, as Ill-contrived, or Ill-made. It is therefore fitter for fuch finite, weak, ignorant Beings, as we, to be humble and meek, and confcious of our Ignorance, and jealous of our own Judgment, when it thus confronteth infinite Wifdom. Let us remember how few things we know, how many we err about, and how many we are ignorant of and thofe, many of them, the moft familiar, obvious things, Things that we fee and handle at pleasure; yea our own very Bodies, and that very part of us whereby we understand at all, our Soul. And fhould we therefore pretend to cenfure what God doth! Should we pretend to amend his Work! Or to advise infinite Wifdom! Or to know the Ends and Purposes of his infinite Will, as if we were of his Council! No, let us bear in mind, that thefe Objections are the Products, not of Reafon, but of Peevifhnefs. They have been incommoded by Storms and Tempefts; they have been terrified with the burning Mountains, and Earthquakes; they have been annoyed by the noxious Animals, and fatigued by the Hills; and therefore are angry, and will pretend to amend thefe Works of the Almighty. But in the Words of St. Then having reckoned up many of the Privileges and Benefits, which the Gods, he faith, have conferred upon us, he concludes, Ita eft: cariffimos nos habuerunt Dii immortales, habentque. Et qui maximus tribui honos potuit, ab ipfis proximos collocaverunt. Magna accepimus, majora non cepimus. Senec. ibid. (13) Naturam maximè admiraberis, fi omnia ejus opera perluftraris. Galen. de Uf. Part. 1. 11. concluf. I Paul, . . Paul (14), we may fay, Nay, but, O Man, who art thou that replieft against God? Shall the thing formed Say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the Potter power over the Clay, of the fame lump to make one Vellel to honour, and another to dif bonour? If the Almighty Lord of the World had for his own Pleafure made this our World more inconvenient for Man; it would better become us to fit ftill, and be quiet, to lament our own great Infirmities and Failings, which deferve a worfer Place, a more incommodious Habitation, than we meet with in this elegant, this well-contrived, well formed World in which we find every thing neceffary for the Suftentation, Ufe and Pleasure, both of Man, and every other Creature here below; as well as fome Whips, fome Rods to fcourge us for our Sins (15). * But yet fo admirably well tempered is our State, fuch an Accord, fuch an Harmony is there throughout the Creation, that if we will but purfue the Ways of Piety and Virtue, which God hath appointed, if we will form our Lives according to the Creator's Laws, we may escape the (14) Rom. 9. 20, 21. (15) Neither are they [noxious Creatures] of lefs Ufe to amend our Minds; by teaching us Care and Diligence, and more Wit. And fo much the more, the worse the Things are we fee, and should avoid. Weedles, Kites, and other mischievous Animals, induce us to Watchfulness: Thiftles and Moles, to good Husbandry, Lice oblige m to Cleanliness in our Bodies; Spiders in our Houses; and the Moth in our Clothes. The Deformity and Filthiness of Świne, make them the Beauty-Spot of the Animal Creation, and the Emblems of all Vice-The truth is, things are hurtful to us, only by Accident; that is, not of Neceffity, but through our own Negligence, or Miftake. Houses decay, Corn is blasted, and the Weevle breeds in Mault, fooneft towards the South. Be it fo, it is then our own Fault, if we use not the Means, which Nature and Art have provided against these Inconveniencies. Grew's Cofmol. c. 2. §. 49, 50. Evils of this our frail State, and find fufficient means to make us happy whilft we are in the Body. The natural Force and Tendency of our Virtue will prevent many of the Harms (16), and the watchful Providence of our Almighty Benefactor will be a guard against others; and then nothing is wanting to make us happy, as long as we are in this World, there being abundantly enough to entertain the Minds of the moft contemplative; Glories enough to please the Eye of the moft Curious and Inquifitive; Harmonies and Conforts of Nature's own, as well as Man's making, fufficient to delight the Ear of the moft Harmonious and Mufical; all forts of pleasant Gufto's to gratify the Tafte and Appetite even of the moft Luxurious, and fragrant Odours to please the niceft and tendereftSmell; and in a word, enough to make us love and delight in this World rather too much, than too little, confidering how nearly we are allied to another World, as well as this. (16) Non eft gemendus, nec gravi urgendus nece, Senec. Hercul. Oet. A&t. 5. Car. 1833. Nunquam Stygias fertur ad umbras BOOK 85 BOOK IV. Of Animals in general. 'N the last Book having furveyed the Earth it felf in Particular, I fhall next take a view of the Inhabitants thereof; or the several kinds of Creatures (1) that have their Habitation, Growth, or Subfiftence thereon. Thefe Creatures are either Senfitive, or Infenfitive Creatures. In fpeaking of those endowed with Senfe, I fhall confider: 1. Some Things common to them all. 2. Things peculiar to their Tribes. 1. The Things in common, which I intend to take notice of, are these Ten : 1. The five Senfes, and their Organs. 2. The great Inftrument of Vitality, Refpira tion. 3. The Motion, or Loco-motive Faculty of Animals. (1) Principio cœlum, ac terras, campofque liquentes, Şeminibus. Virgil. Ansid. L. 6. Carm. 724. 4. The |