226 Natural Theology. 



bloom of all southern seas in these sapphires ; and 

 the essence of a thousand harvest moons in these 

 necklaces of pearl." 



Even the glories of the Holy City in the Apo- 

 calyptic vision could be set forth only in the sym- 

 bols of gems. Its foundations were of sapphire and 

 emerald, of topaz and amethyst. And every several 

 gate was of one pearl. 



I have dwelt at length on the form and beauty of 

 the crystal, because these two elements have such 

 plain relations to man in his higher nature, that it 

 seems impossible to refer them to any blind prin- 

 ciple or to any agency except the Ordaining Intelli- 

 gence that created man, and made provision for his 

 progress in knowledge, and to gratify the love of 

 beauty implanted within him. The beauty of crys- 

 tals has been a delight in all ages, for the great ma- 

 jority of them are so perfect even when they come 

 from the earth that it is beyond the power of art to 

 improve them ; while their structure and forms are 

 conditions for the later and higher developments of 

 intellect, the conditions of progress without which 

 the requirements of mind are never fully met. 



And when we leave the domain of Natural His- 

 tory proper, which regards only the outward form 

 and structure of minerals, and examine the chemi- 

 cal relation of the elements, our wonder is increased 

 at the order and comprehensive law of chemical 

 change and combination, by which the human mind 

 has entered into the dark galleries of nature, and 

 read her formulas, according to which the world was 



