CANTO i. PRODUCTION OF LIFE. 19 



* GOD THE FIRST CAUSE! in this terrene abode 

 Young Nature lisps, she is the child of GOD. 

 From embryon births her changeful forms improve, 

 Grow, as they live, and strengthen as they move. 



" Ere Time began, from flaming Chaos hurl'd 

 Rose the bright spheres, which form the circling world ; 



God thcjirst cause, 1. 223. 



A Jove principium, musae! Jovis omnia plena. VIRGIL. 



i 



In him we live, and move, and have our being. ST. PAUL. 



Young Nature lisps, 1. 224. The perpetual production and in- 

 crease of the strata of limestone from the shells of aquatic animals; 

 and of all those incumbent on them from the recrements of vegeta- 

 bles and of terrestrial animals, are now well understood from our 

 improved knowledge of geology; and show, that the solid parts of 

 the globe are gradually enlarging, and consequently that it is young; 

 as the fluid parts are not yet all converted into solid ones. Add to 

 this, that some parts of the earth and its inhabitants appear younger 

 than others; thus the greater height of the mountains of America 

 seems to show that continent to be less ancient than Europe, Asia, 

 and Africa; as their summits have been less washed away, and the 

 wild animals of America, as the tigers and crocodiles, are said to be 

 less perfect in respect to their size and strength ; which would show 

 them to be still in a state of infancy, or of progressive improvement. 

 Lastly, the progress of mankind in arts and sciences, which continues 

 slowly to extend, and to increase, seems to evince the youth of 

 human society; whilst the unchanging state of the societies of some 

 insects, as of the bee, wasp, and ant, which is usually ascribed to in- 

 stinct, seems to evince the longer existence, and greater maturity of 

 those societies. The juvenility of the earth shows, that it has had a 



