CONCLUSION. 2G7 



living beings, each abiding by its own nature. Doubtless peace and tran- 

 quillity occupied the regions of Paradise when originally diverted from 

 soUtude, though possibly for periods but short and fleeting, — if we say so, 

 it is done in profound ignorance, in all humility, for we cannot presume 

 to affirm what might be the earliest of it, and what the latest, or what 

 the progress. 



Neither the smaller nor the largest are called of the greater import- 

 ance, nor do we know the influence either of light or of darkness. 



Yet we may presume that only what was actually done proved 

 pleasing to the Omnipotent Being, — or good m his sight. Farthei', 

 without arrogance, we may conjecture, that harmony alone predominated 

 when the gates of Paradise were first unlocked, — that the lion and the 

 lamb reposed together in peace. 



If the earliest periods were so spent in harmony, by what were these 

 succeeded ? Did the sun still sink tranquilly beneath the horizon ; did 

 darkness overspread the earth ? What could be displayed when his beams 

 ushered in the morning of the second day, or of the third ? When the 

 preceding evening fell, did peace still prevail ; or now, when sunshine 

 proclaims the truth, has the flesh of the lamb been pierced by the fangs 

 of the lion ; — were its innocent limbs besmeared by the bloody stains and 

 remnants of its gore ? Too much reason theie is to believe, that the 

 vices of animated nature, still revelling to our degradation, were already 

 let loose, but that, through the Divine favour, we have gained the means 

 of obliterating their revolting impression, or eilacing their sangaiuary 

 consequences. 



The Powers of the Creator o\er the creation adapt each created 

 being to the peculiar place it shall occupy in the Universe. 



We commenced our survey with strange and unusual objects, those 

 of which an innumerable part of mankind have never heard, and which 

 few have ever seen. But we found life vigorous in the Holothuria 

 throughout a remarkable distribution ; nor was its distribution impaired, 

 as we turned to the Asterias and Echinus. 



Pursuing our irregular course, we reached other beings, whose or- 



