CHAPTEE XX. 



THE DOCTEINE OF DEGBEES. 



THE exposition of the serial and circular order of nature's 

 operations and constituent parts, as given in the foregoing 

 chapter, prepares us for the more full comprehension of another 

 doctrine, which is of no less importance than the previous one. 

 I refer to the truth that each complete system of creation and 

 operation, from greatest to smallest, together with the whole 

 realm of being as one System, is resolvable into distinct Degrees, 

 associated with each other according to a certain definite order 

 and that each complete System as one comprehensive De- 

 gree, is connected, after the same general order, with the one 

 immediately beneath, and that immediately above it, in the 

 general scale. This doctrine of Degrees has been constantly 

 intimated in foregoing discussions ; but its importance as a 

 general guide to truth, demands for it a more direct and par- 

 ticular illustration, which shall now be given. 



The writer's theory of Degrees was formed mainly from a 

 direct study of nature, and with but little immediate aid from 

 human suggestions beyond what was contained in the mere 

 word " Degrees," as applied to nature's unfoldings ; but when 

 on the point of placing the present work, containing a chapter 

 on this subject, in the hands of the printers, my attention was 

 called by a friend to the teachings of EMANUEL SWEDENBORG 

 on the same subject. So far as I understand what that cele- 

 brated philosopher has written upon this theme, I am delighted 



