30 SUPPLEMENT ON 



scope. Magnitude and extension are, however, but of little 

 consequence in the eye of the philosopher. If we may be 

 allowed to make any distinction between His works, which 

 are all wonderful, we would say, that the wisdom of the 

 Supreme Being never is more manifest than in the conforma- 

 tion of organic beings which are not to be scanned by our 

 feeble senses. In such, there appears to be a concentration 

 of divine wisdom and power. Infinity exists in small as 

 well as in great things, and the insignificance of an atom, 

 the imparting to it, under such minute dimensions, so many 

 organs, capable of a variety of sensations, is a greater 

 marvel than the production of those colossal animals on 

 which we look with terror and astonishment. But vulgar 

 prejudice, which always despises minuteness, and idolizes 

 magnitude, for a long period retarded the study of these in- 

 teresting animals ; they were considered as of little import 

 in the scale of creation, and totally unworthy of any fixed 

 attention. 



It is impossible to repeat too frequently, that mankind are 

 the fools of their senses as to great and small. Even philo- 

 sophers themselves, who are, or ought to be, best aware 

 that these are but comparative terms, that they are merely 

 simple relations, often yield unconsciously to the impressions 

 that magnitude is calculated to produce on our external 

 senses : — " Wherefore,"" says one of the most philosophical 

 observers of nature, " should we fear to bestow too much 

 praise on the works of the Supreme Being ? A machine is 

 the more admirable, and does the greater honour to its in- 

 ventor, in proportion as it is simple in relation to its destined 

 object, though complex as to the number and variety of its 

 parts. The union and concurrence of so many different 

 and necessary pieces to the production of one given end, im- 

 press us with a high idea of the genius of the mechanist. 

 He who has formed those animated machines which we term 



