3 NATURAL THEOLOGY. 



not, I think, appear, that we can make any better 

 or greater use of water since the discovery than 

 we did before it. 



We can never think of the elements, without 

 reflecting upon the number of distinct uses which 

 are consolidated in the same substance. The air 

 supplies the lungs, supports fire, conveys sound, 

 reflects light, diffuses smells, gives rain, wafts 

 ships, bears up birds. 'E| utJaroj ra -ravra : water, 

 besides maintaining its own inhabitants, is the 

 universal nourisher of plants, and through them 

 of terrestrial animals ; is the basis of tlieir juices 

 and fluids ; dilutes their food ; quenches their 

 thirst; floats their burdens. Fire warms, dis- 

 solves, enlightens : is the great promoter of vege- 

 tation and life, if not necessary to the support of 

 both. 



We might enlarge, to almost any length we 

 please, upon each of these uses ; but it appears to 

 me almost sufficient to state them. The few re- 

 marks, which I judge it necessary to add, are as 

 follow : — 



I. Air is essentially diflferent from earth. There 

 appears to be no necessity for an atmosphere's in- 

 vesting our globe ; yet it does invest it : and we 

 see how many, how various, and how important 

 are the purposes which it answers to every order 

 of animated, not to say of organized, beings, which 

 are placed upon the terrestrial surface. I think 

 that every one of these uses will be understood 

 upon the first mention of them, except it be that 



