62 



calculated to remove its impurities, it flows from 

 out some aperture, a grateful and necessary gift 

 to man, and, perhaps, gives rise to, or unites 

 with other streams to form one grand majestic 

 river, contributing with a liberal hand to spread 

 along its course the beauty and fertility which 

 adorn the surface of the earth. 



Again, the proportionate abundance of veget- 

 able and animal productions, respectively in hot 

 and cold climates, is further in conformity with 

 the necessities and comforts of man, as inhabit- 

 ing such districts. It is well known that man 

 thrives best in hot countries, on a great propor- 

 tion of vegetable food ; and here, accordingly, 

 fruits and herbs of every description abound ; 

 whereas, in cold countries, the body requires 

 more substantial and stimulating aliment, and it 

 is here that flocks and herds are more prolific. 

 Further, in the relative bulk of animals in re- 

 spect to man, we find another wise provision in 

 the adaptation of nature. Had animals been 

 much larger, they would also have been more 

 unmanageable, and had they been smaller, they 

 would have proved but of little use ; and here 

 some curious speculations might present them- 

 selves, were we to consider the prodigious size of 

 many of the aritidiluvian animals, the remains of 

 which have been preserved in the earth's strata. 

 These seem to -have been formed, and to have 

 inhabited the earth before man had yet multi- 

 plied to people it ; because, in the first place, 

 among all these remains of animals no human 



