OP CREATION. 403 



everything should succeed in its time and place, that 

 each organized being should perform the task allot- 

 ted to it, and retire when its work was done, hav- 

 ing assisted to carry on, without interruption and 

 without interference, the great and uniform system. 

 The perfect relation of each animal and vegetable to 

 the time and place allotted to it is no less marked 

 and certain than that admirable adaptation of every 

 part in the individual, which is known to be so neces- 

 sary to its comfort and even its existence. The whole 

 system is one, it is the result of one mind, of one 

 will, of one power. It is governed by a few simple 

 laws, which no power but that which instituted them 

 can possibly interfere with, and which, so far as we 

 can judge, never have been interfered with. It is 

 permitted to man to become acquainted by care- 

 ful observation with some of the methods thus 

 adopted, and the laws imposed ; and the power being 

 given, it is surely incumbent on him to employ it, 

 humbly indeed, and cautiously, but earnestly and 

 with an honest desire to discover truth, whatever that 

 truth may be, or however it may clash with his pre- 

 conceived opinions. 



