MAN'S PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE. 287 



limit of the universe as to the number of worlds, 

 as we have already endeavoured to show we have 

 obtained the limits with regard to the largeness 

 and smallness of the inhabitants of our own world. 



In like manner, although the discovery of new 

 species in some of the kingdoms of nature has 

 gone on recently with enormous rapidity, and to 

 an immense extent; for instance in botany, 

 where the species known in the time of Linnaeus 

 were about 10,000, and are now above 100,000; 

 there can be no doubt that the number of 

 species and genera is really limited ; and though 

 a great extension of our knowledge is required 

 to reach these limits, it is our ignorance merely, 

 and not their non-existence, which removes them 

 from us. 



In the same way it would appear that the 

 universe, so far as it is an object of our know- 

 ledge, is finite in other respects also. Now when 

 we have once attained this conviction, all the 

 oppressive apprehension of being overlooked in 

 the government of the universe has no longer any 

 rational source. For in the superintendence of 

 a finite system of things, what is there which can 

 appear difficult or overwhelming to a Being such 

 as we must, from what we know, conceive the 

 Creator to be ? Difficulties arising from space, 

 number, gradation, are such as we can conceive 

 ourselves capable of overcoming, merely by an 

 extension of our present faculties. Is it not then 



