398; THE PHILOSOPHY 



to trace her operations^ docs nothing in vain, or without fbmc va- 

 luable intention. No animals exift which are not ufeful, ehher by af- 

 fording nourilhment to, or preventing the hurtful increafe of other 

 ijpecies. 



Upon the whole, every animated being that inhabits this globe 

 fcems to be deftined by Nature, not for its own individual exiftence 

 and happinefs alone, but likewife for the exiftence and happinefs of 

 other animated beings. A circle of animation and of deftrudiion 

 goes perpetually round. This is the oeconomy of Nature. Diffe- 

 rent fpecies of animals live by the mutual deftrudlion of each other. 

 Even among individual men, the ftrong too often opprefa the weak; 

 but, on the other hand, the wife inftrufl: the ignorant. Thefe are 

 the bonds of fociety, and the fources of improvement. 



G H A P. 



