THE 



EMPIRE OF NATURE. 



AWAKENED, as if from a dream of ignorance, I have feen darkly, as he paffed, 

 the Eternal, Infinite, Omnifcient, Almighty God, and am amazed ! I have read 

 of him in fome traces of his wondrous works, the fmalleft of which, though compara- 

 tively infignificant, even to a degree of nothingnefs, evinces the mod incomprehenfible 

 perfection of Power and Wifdom. I have obferved that the animal world depends for 

 exiftence on the vegetable kingdom, that the vegetables draw their fuftenance fiom ter- 

 reftrial matter, and that this lad originates from the Earth. The world moves in an 

 undifturbed orbit round the Sun, from which it is fupplied with genial heat, the foun- 

 tain oi life : The Sun itfelf revolves round its axis, accompanied by the planets ; and 

 the whole fyftems on fyftems of the ftars, in inconceivable vaftnefs of number and di- 

 menfions, fufpended on nothing, all move through free fpace, by the mediation of a 

 force derived from " the great firfl. Mover ; the Being of Beings ; the Caufe of all 

 " Caufes ; the Preferver and Governor of the Univerfe ; the Lord and Architect of 

 " this vaft mundane fyftem *." — " Should we to this incomprehenfible power give the 

 " name of Fate, we fhall not err, for on this every thing that is depends : Shall we 

 " call it Nature, we are right, for from this every thing derives its being : If we fay 

 " that it is Providence, we fay truly, for by its guidance the Univerfe accomplifhes all 

 " its operations f." — c< All is fenfe, all eye, all ear, all mind, all foul ; every thing is 

 " in Him, and He in all things. Beyond this, even the conjectures of fancy are be- 

 " wildered rn their attempts to inveftigate J." — " The Ueity is equally eternal and 

 " beyond conception infinite, neither begotten nor created ||." — " He, without whom 

 " there is nothing, who hath begun and completed every thing tl at is, who both fills 

 " our eyes with wonder, and eludes our utmoft obfervation, He is only to be feen by 



" humble 



* Anflotle. \ Seneca, Quaeit. ii. 45. On this fubjeft, however, we muft Le cautions not 



to afTurne the effed for the caufe. % Exodus, xx\ 4. J| Pliny's Nat. Hid. ii. 7. 



Vol. I. G 



