Book IX. - Hand of BARBADOS 
lar Demonftration of fo aftonifhing a Change in a Creature deftined for 
this Life only, and removed (in all Appearance) but a few Degrees from 
the vegetable Creation, any longer entertain Doubts about the Poflibility 
of another Doétrine of a far greater Confequence ? And as every paft Age 
hath been, fo undoubtedly every future will be, blefled with fome fur- 
prifing new Difcovery of God’s unfearchable Power and Wifdom, 
Our own hath produced a wonderful Inftance of this; for what Scep- 
tic, fome Years ago, would have believed the Poffibility of fo extraordi- 
nary a Produ@tion as the Polypus ? Who would not have faid, with the 
unbelieving Yews in the Wildernefs, Can God do this > And yet we 
find, that this furprifing Generation is now a known Matter of Fad. 
That the above-mentioned Conjecture about the Ufe and Efficacy of 
its Colour is not groundlefs, may be made ftill more evident, by many 
analogous ftriking Inftances, 
For thofe ingenious Gentlemen, Mr. Zurberville Needham, and Mr. 
Trembley, obferve, that Pelyps, and aquatic Infeéts, kept in Glaf& Vet. 
fels, by excluding the Light from every Part, except one little Opening, 
atter fome time all affembled at this Opening; and yet thefe Polypes have 
not, perceptibly to the ftrongeft Magnifier, any Organ that in the leaft 
refembles Eyes. 
If Light is therefore fo attra@ive to thefe Animals which are vifible, 
why may it not be likewife fo to other Animalcules to us imperceptible ? 
And may we not further fuppofe, that the Appearance of the former to- 
wards the Light may be in Search of thefe Animaleules, their deftined 
Prey? c 
But in what manner the Rays of Light affeé thefe Animals, whether by 
its Motion acting upon their whole exceedingly delicate nervous Syftem, | 
which, like the Retina ef the human Eye, isin every Part fenfitive, is, I 
believe, inexplicable. 
Where Sight is apparently wanting, as in Polyps, a Delicacy of Touch 
may, for ought we know, and indeed in all Probability doth, take up 
the gradual Chain, and, ina furprifing manner, fupply its Place, 
Such is the infenfible Gradation, which is progreflively continued by 
imperceptible Degrees thro’ the whole Creation, from animate to inani- 
mate, rational to irrational, that we know not where precifely to deter- 
mine their refpective Boundaries. In like manner, Light and Darknefs, 
Motion and Reft, we {peak of as Things very different and oppofite: Yet 
‘no one will prefume to fay, what is the Precife and abfolute Boundary 
between langid Motion, and abfolute Reft 3 or determine the Period where 
the laft dying Sound expires in dead Silence. 
And perhaps this gradual Chain and Connexion terminates not with 
fublunary Things; but may be progreffively continued far above the Ken 
of the moft exalted Genius, or even the Comprehenfion of perhaps celef- 
tial Beings, till all created Perfe@ion is loft in him, who is Perfeétion 
itfelf, 
297 
This 
