I. TO HAMPSTEAD. 11 



it is not essentially necessary to the mecha- 

 nism of the universe. 



But it is not sufficient that bodies be en- 

 lightened, in order to render us able to dis- 

 tinguish them : it is also necessary that they 

 be of different forms and different colors : 

 and here again arise two additional relations 

 of necessity between external objects and 

 the organs of sight, which deserve our gra- 

 titude and admiration. 



It is easy to conceive, that, if all objects 

 were alike in shape and color, it would be 

 impossible to know or distinguish them from 

 each other. The confusion would be ex- 

 treme ; and the gloomy and melancholy 

 uniformity which nature would then exhibit, 

 would be the least inconvenience resulting 

 from such a state of things. 



o 



It is further evident, that, if onlv a slight 



/ 



difference prevailed among external objects, 

 the eye would not readily succeed in distin- 

 guishing them from each other, and that, 

 under such circumstances, the contemplation 



of 



