170 THE RELATION OF ANIMATED BODIES 



greater bulk would have broken down by its own weight. 

 The persons of men, who much exceed the ordinary stat- 

 ure, betray this tendency. 



VI. Again, (and which includes a vast variety of partic- 

 ulars, and those of the greatest importance,) how close is 

 the suitableness of the earth and sea to their several inhab- 

 itants; and of these inhabitants to the places of their ap- 

 pointed residence ? 



Take the earth as it is ; and consider the corresponden- 

 cy of the powers of its inhabitants \v'ith the properties and 

 condition of the soil which they tread. Take the inhab- 

 itants as they are ; and consider the substances which the 

 earth yields for their use. They can scratch its surface, 

 and its surface supplies all which they want. This is the 

 length of their faculties ; and such is the constitution of 

 the globe, and their own. that this is sufficient for all their 

 occasi )ns. 



When we pass from the earth to the sea^ from land to 

 water, we pass through a great change ; but an adequate 

 change accompanies us of animal forms and functions of 

 animal capacities and wants, so that correspondency remains. 

 The earth in its nature is very different from the sea, and 

 the sea from the earth ; but one accords with its inhab- 

 itants, as exactly as the other. 



VII. The last relation of this kind which I shall men- 

 tion is that of sleep to night. And it appears to me to be 

 a relation which was expressly intended. Two points are 

 manifest; first, that the animal frame requires sleep ; sec- 

 ondly, that night brings with it a silence, and a cessation 

 of activity, which allows of sleep being taken without in- 

 terruption, and without loss. Animal existence is made 

 up of action and slumber ; nature has provided a season for 

 each. An animal, which stood not in need of rest, would 

 always live in daylight. An animal, which, though made 

 for action, and delighting in action, must have its strength 

 repaired by sleep, meets by its constitution the returns of 

 day and night> In the human species, for instance, where 

 the bustle, the labour, the motion of life, upheld by the 

 constant presence of light, sleep could not be enjoyed with~ 



^out being disturbed by noise, and without expense of that 

 ^time, which the eagerness of private interest would not con- 

 tentedly resign. It is happy therefore for this part of the 

 ^^ireation, I mean that it is conformable to the frame anci 

 ^wants of their constitution, that nature, by the very dispo- 

 sition of her elements, has commanded, asitwere^ and im^ 



