OF NATURE. 251 



face ; a model which the number of copies or 

 imprelTions, though infinite, inftead of impairing, 

 only renews. 



Every thing, therefore, has been created, and 

 nothing is annihilated. Nature vibrates between 

 thefe two extremes, without ever reaching ei- 

 ther the one or the other. Let us endeavour to 

 lay hold of her in fome points of this vaft fpace 

 which (he has filled and pervaded from the be- 

 ginning of ages. 



What an infinity of objects! an immenfe mafs 

 of matter, which would have been created in vain, 

 if it had not been divided into portions, fepa- 

 rated from each other by fpaces athoufand times 

 more immenfe. Thoufands of luminous globes, 

 placed at inconceivable diftances, are the bafes 

 which fupport the fabric of the univerfe ; and 

 millions of opaque globes, w r hich circulate round 

 the former, conftiture the moving order of its 

 architecture. Thefe great mafies are revolved, 

 and carried through fpace, by two primitive 

 forces, each of which acts continually ; and 

 their combined efforts produce the zones of the 

 celeftial fpheres, and eftablifh, in the midft of 

 vacuity, fixed Rations and determined routes or 

 orbits. It is motion that gives rife to the equi- 

 librium of worlds and the repofe of the uni- 

 verfe. 



The firft of thefe forces is equally divided ; 

 the fecond is diftributed in unequal proportions, 

 Every atom of matter has the fame quantity of 



attractive 



