66 



STUDIES OF NATURE. 



univerfal. He has only to remain on the Earth 

 where he was born. Nature has planted his throne 

 on his cradle. Every thing that lives comes thither 

 to, pay him homage. There is not a vegetable but 

 what fixes it's roots under his feet, not a bird but 

 there builds his neft, not a fiQi but there depofits 

 her fpawn. 



Whatever irregularity may appear on the furface 

 of his domain, he is the only being formed with 

 the capacity of pervading all it's parts. And what, 

 in this refpeâ;, excites the higheft admiration, 

 there is eftabliflied, among all his limbs, an equi- 

 librium fo perfeâ;, fo difficult to be preferved, fo 

 contrary to the laws of our mechanifm, that there 

 is no Sculptor capable of forming a ftatue refem- 

 bling Man, broader and heavier above than below, 

 which fliall be able to maintain an ered pofition, 

 and remain immoveable, on a bafis fo fmall as his 

 feet. It would be quickly overfet by the llighteil 

 breath of wind. How much more, then, would 

 be requifite to make it walk like Man ? There 

 is no animal whofe body is fufceptible of fo many 

 different movements ; and I am tempted to be- 

 lieve, that he unites in himfelf all the poflible va- 

 rieties of animal motion, on feeing how he bends, 

 kneels, creeps. Hides, fvvims, tumbles himfelf into 

 the form of an arch, rounds himfelf like a wheel, 

 like a bowl, walks, runs, leaps, fprings, mounts, 



defcends. 



