such things as these receive mutation and diminu- 

 tion, conformably to the course of a generated na- 

 ture : for things that are greater and better acquire 

 acme through power, but those that are less and 

 worse are corrupted through imbecility of nature. 



I denominate, however, the whole and the uni- 

 verse, the whole world; for, in consequence of being 

 adorned with all things, it has obtained this appella- 

 tion; since it is from itself a consummate and perfect 

 system of the nature of all things ; for there is no- 

 thing external to the universe, since whatever exists 

 is contained in the universe, and the universe sub- 

 sists together with this, comprehending in itself all 

 things, some as parts, but others as supervenient. 



Those things, therefore, which are compre- 

 hended in the world, have a congruity with the 

 world ; but the world has no concinnity with any- 

 thing else, but is itself co-harmonized with itself. 

 For all other things have not a consummate or 

 self-perfect subsistence, but require congruity with 

 things external to themselves. Thus animals re- 

 quire a conjunction with air for the purpose of 

 respiration, but sight with light, in order to see ; 

 and the other senses with something else, in order 

 to perceive their peculiar sensible object. A con- 

 junction with the earth also is necessary to the ger- 

 mination of plants. The sun and moon, the planets, 

 and the fixed stars, have likewise a coalescence with 



