Chap.Xn. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 491 



the idea of beauty will alfo be i;Tjperfe<5t ; and it is only the moft per- 

 fed intelleds that can comprehend any great plan of beauty. 



But what (hall we fay as to the production of fuch a plan in- 

 to adl and execution ? This, fo far as it can be performed by 

 man, is the higheft perfedion of his nature, and that in which he 

 comes the nearcft to Divinity ; for, by the imitation of Divinity, he 

 produces a little world out of the ideas of his mind. It is this creative 

 faculty which is denoted by the word genius, being that which, every 

 body allows, diftiaguifhes one man from another more than any thing 

 elfe. 



But, out of what materials is this little creator to make thofe beau- 

 tiful works ? — -And here we may perceive how much his power is li- 

 mited, compared with that of the great Creator ; yet he has fome ma- 

 terials ; and the nobler the materials upon which he works, the nobler 

 and more beautiful the workmanfhip. 



His firfl: and bed materials are himfelf, and the reft of his fpecies— 

 the nobleft of animals undoubtedly here below. Thefe, if he can 

 mould and fafhion into a fyftem of polity, imitating, as far as pof- 

 fible, the great fyftem of the univerfe, it is the nobleft, the moft beau- 

 tiful, and moft ufeful creation, that can be made by man, and that in 

 which he comes neareft to the great Creator. The reft of the ani- 

 mal race is already, by wifdom far fuperior to that of man, formed 

 into fyftems of wonderful beauty. And, though man, by the care 

 and culture he has beftowed upon thofe animals, has made them fub- 

 fervient to his purpofes, and exceedingly ufeful to him, he has been 

 very far from improving their nature and inftindts ; but, on the contra- 

 ry, has depraved all of them that he has meddled with, more or lefs ; 

 And the fame may be faid of the vegetable life. 



Qjl q 2 There 



