366 SYSTEM OF INSECTS. 



to a preconcerted plan, with all its parts beautifully link- 

 ed together and mutually corresponding. All things 

 were ordered in measure, and number, and weight a . 

 There was nothing deficient, nothing superfluous ; but 

 the whole in the strictest sense " was very good b ," and 

 calculated in the highest degree to answer the purpose 

 of its GREAT AUTHOR. I Call it a system of Correlation, 

 because there is discernible in it, in the first place, a con- 

 catenation of its parts, by which, as to their forms and 

 uses, objects are linked together in groups by a chain of 

 affinities ; so that we pass from one to the other by gen- 

 tle gradations, without having to overleap any wide in- 

 terval. We see also a gradual ascent from low to high, 

 from less to more excellent. And this leads us to an- 

 other kind of relationship between natural objects, by 

 which, though placed in distinct groups or in a different 

 series, they in some sort represent and symbolize each 

 other. Examples of this relationship by analogy are to 

 be found in every kingdom of nature, and often form an 

 ascending series from the lowest to the highest ; for, as 

 we shall see hereafter, these resemblances appear to 

 maintain a certain correspondence with each other as to 

 their relative situations ; so that, for instance, in the ani- 

 mal kingdom they ascend step by step, without being 

 linked by affinity or having any real juxtaposition, from 

 the lowest groups, towards man, who stands alone at the 

 head, or in the centre of all. I shall say something on 

 each of these kinds of relationship. 



I. The relation of affinity may be considered as to its 

 series and groups. A series, of course, consists of parts 



a Wisdom, xi. 20. b Genes, i. ,31. 



