72 



THE COMPLETE ANQLER. 



[PART i. 



and so many hundred of other rarities in that collection, as 

 will make the other wonders I spake of the less incredible ; 

 for, you may note, that the waters are Nature's store-house, 

 in which she locks up her wonders. 



But, sir, lest this discourse may seem tedious, I shall give 

 it a sweet conclusion out of that holy poet, Mr. George 

 Herbert, his divine "Contemplation on God's Providence :" 



Lord ! who hath, praise enough, nay, who hath any ? ' 

 None can express thy worts, but he that knows them ; 

 And none can know thy works, they are so many, 

 And so complete, but only he that owes l them. 



We all, acknowledge both thy power and love 



To be exact, transcendant,- and divine 



Who dost so strangely and so sweetly move, 



Whilst all things have their end yet none, but thine. 



Wherefore, most sacred Spirit ! I here present, 

 For me and all my fellows, praise to thee ; 

 And just it is, that I should pay the rent, 

 Because the benefit accrues to me. 2 



And as concerning fish: In that psalm (Psal. civ.). 



wherein for height of poetry 

 and wonders, the prophet 

 David seems even to exceed 

 himself: how doth he there 

 express himself in choice me- 

 taphors even to the amaze- 

 ment of a contemplative reader 

 concerning the sea, the 

 rivers, and the fish therein 

 contained ! And the great 

 naturalist, Pliny, says, " That 

 nature's great and wonderful 

 power is more demonstrated 

 in the sea than on the land." 

 And this may appear, by 

 the numerous and various 

 creatures inhabiting, both 

 in and about, that element ; as to the readers of 



Rondeletius. 



1 Used as an equivalent to owns, a sense now obsolete. 



2 The pious. George Herbert was a younger brother of the deistical Lord 



