MEMOIR OF PLINY. 
47 
moon ; tliuiider, comets, meteors, liglitning, winds, 
clouds, earthquakes, hail, frost, snow, mist, dew, 
tides, and various other particulars conceiming the 
phenomena of the teiraqueous globe. The world 
and the heavens are represented to he infinite, with- 
out beginning and without end ; the form of the lat- 
ter is spherical, the motion circular, and they are im- 
pressed with innumerable forms of animals and other 
objects. To assign to the Deity any particular 
aliape, image, or existence distinct from the universe, 
or to imagine that he should exercise a superintend- 
ing providence over the human race, Pliny reckons 
absurd, seeing God is himself all in all, and must ne- 
cessarily be polluted by interfering in the affairs of 
men who are prone to wickedness, and addicted to 
the most grovelling superstitions. He admits, how- 
ever, that it is beneficial to believe that the gods take 
care of good men and punish malefactors. “ In sum 
(adds Dr Philemon Holland) there be in tliis booke 
of histories, notable matters, and worthy obserua- 
tions, foure hundred and eighteene in number ; 
amongst which he reckons “ flames and learns seen 
in the skie ; monstrous and prodigious showres of 
raine, namely of milke, bloud, flesh, yron, wool!, 
hricke, and tyle ; the rattling ofliarnesse and armour, 
also the sound of trumpets heard from heauen.” 
The four next books treat of geography, comprising 
adescription of the then know'n world; its seas, rivers, 
islands, mountains towns, nations, &c. from Spain 
