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that action, the organized being enjoys a vegetative and 

 sensative life. This is the condition of the Irute. 



Finally, if reflection is joined to feeling, the being en- 

 joys at the same time a vegetative, sensative and reflec- 

 tive life. It is man alone, upon earth, that unites these 

 three kinds of Jife in himself, 



The corporeal and intellectual faculties may be car- 

 ried to so high a pitch of perfection, in the most exalted 

 order of mixed beings, that we are able to form but faint 

 ideas of them. 



4. Between the lowest and highest degree of corpo- 

 real and spiritual perfection, there is an almost infinite 

 number of intermediate degrees. The result of these 

 degrees composes the universal chain. This unites all 

 beings, connects all worlds, comprehends all the spheres. 

 One SOLE BEING is out of this chain, and that is 

 HE that made it. 



A thick cloud conceals from our sight the noblest 

 parts of this immense chain, and admits us only to a 

 slight view of some ill-connected links, which are bro- 

 ken, and greatly differing from the natural order. 



We behold its winding course on the surface of our 

 globe, see it pierce into its entrails, penetrate into.. the 

 abyss of the sea, dart itself into the atmosphere, sink 

 far into the celestial spaces, where we are only able to 

 descry it by the flashes of fire it emits hither and thi- 

 ther. 



But notwithstanding our knowledge of the chain of 

 beings is so very imperfect, it is sufficient at jeast to 

 inspire us with the most exalted ideas of that amazing 

 and noble progression and variety which reign iu the 

 universe. 



5. There are no sudden changes in nature ; all is 

 gradual, and elegantly varied. There is no being 

 which has not either above or beneath it some that 

 resemble it in certain characters, and differ from it in 

 others. 



