A TUFT OF MOSS. 



the unity of the universe, the unity of the Being who 

 causes all its phenomena, and the unity of the plan 

 by which these phenomena are bound together. There 

 is no physical reason, so far as we know, why the 

 numerical law of gravitation should be what it is. We 

 should be inclined indeed to suppose that the force 

 of gravitation would decrease just in proportion as the 

 distance is increased ; whereas we actually find the 

 decrease of the force is proportioned to the square of 

 the number expressing the distance, so that at twice 

 the distance the force is not twice less but four times 

 less, at thrice the distance, nine times, and so on. 

 Similarly, no anatomical reason can be given why the 

 number of teeth in the seed-vessel of a moss should 

 be arranged in multiples of four, and why leaves should 

 be arranged on their stem in a series of which any two 

 numbers added together give the succeeding one. The 

 fact then that the numerical law of gravitation is 

 universal, controlling all the matter with which man 

 is surrounded, and that certain numbers, rather than 

 others, prevail throughout all the departments of nature, 

 conclusively proves on the same grounds that we 

 establish the authorship of a book by the significant 

 peculiarity of its style and expression that the universe 

 is the product of one Mind, whose geometry is the 

 same in heaven and earth ; inorganic creation constitut- 

 ing its elementary, and organic its higher form. 



And if we further find that in the Sacred Scriptures 

 there is an order in respect of number a numerical 

 relation in the Divine dispensations and ordinances, 



