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the manners and ceconomy of different animals, and 

 their places and dependencies on each other in the 

 great scheme of creation. Here the most insensible 

 mind cannot fail to be struck with the infinite va- 

 riety of means by which similar ends are accom- 

 plished ; while amid the richest profusion of variety 

 and beauty nothing is superfluous, nor any end at- 

 tained but by the most advantageous and compen- 

 dious means. 



" We are told that * God formed man of the dust 

 of the ground,' — and there is much more contained 

 in that text than we usually perceive. In the cre- 

 ation of the animal kingdom, and of man at its 

 head, the production of intellect was undoubtedly 

 the primary object of our Maker. 



" An ingenious writer has said of the sublimest 

 statue in the world, the Apollo Belvidere, that ' the 

 artist has made so much use of matter only as was 

 necessary to execute and give a body to his thought.' 

 This is literally true of the creation of animated 

 beings. Their corporeal part is manifestly but the 

 vehicle, the instrument, the subordinate agent of 

 that sentient existence in which their individual 

 being consists, and which, in the lowest link of this 

 living chain, acts and enjoys, and in the highest, 

 reasons, adores, and is even permitted to love and 

 imitate, its divine Creator. c What can be a greater 

 example of infinite power,' says the celebrated Lin- 

 naeus, whose piety was equal to his knowledge, 

 c than a little portion of inactive earth rendered ca- 

 pable of contemplating itself as the work of infinite 

 wisdom ; and of considering the innumerable ef- 



