2 introduction. 
The UNI\ERSl!/ coniprehenils whatever exffts; whatever can 
come to our knowledge by the agency of our feiifes. The Stars, 
the F.Jcments, and (his our Globe. 
The STARS are bodies remote, lucid, revolving in perpetual 
motion. They lliine, either by their own proper light, as the Sun, 
and the remoter fixed Stars; or are Planets receiving light from 
others. Of tliefe the primary planets are folar; Saturn, Jupiter, 
Mars, tiic Earth, Venus, Mercury, and Georgtum Sidus; the fe- 
condary are thofe fubfervient to, and rolling round the primary, as 
the Moon round the earth. 
The ELEMEN 1 S are bodies fimple, conilituting the atmofphere 
of, and probably filling the fpaces between the flats. 
Fire; lucid, refilient, warm, evolant, vivifying. 
.^ir; tranfparcnt, claflic, dry, encircling, generating. 
IVater ; diaphanous, fluid, inoifl, gliding, conceiving. 
Earth; opaque, fixed, cold, quiefeent, fteril. 
' The EARTH is a planetary fphere, turning round its own axis 
once in 24 hours, and round the fun onCe a year; furrounded by an 
utn.ojphere of elements, and covered by a ftupendous cruft of natural 
■j'dies, which are the objcdls of our ftudies. It is terraqtieous • 
having the deprelTed parts covered with waters; the elevated parts 
gradually dilated itito dry and habitable continents. The land is 
moillenc-d by vapours, which rifing from the waters, are colleded 
into clouds; thefc are depofited upon the tops of mountains- form 
fmall Jireams, which unite into rivulets, and reunite into thofe 
ever-flowing rivers, w^hich pervading the thirfly earth, and affordins- 
moiflure to the produaions growing for the fnpport of her living 
inhabitants, arc at lafl returned into their parent /ea, 
The Andy of natural hiflory, fimple, beautiful, and inftruaive 
coniifls m the colledlion,. arrangement, and exhibition of the varin..^ 
prodinRionsof the earth. 
Thefe are divided into the three grand kingdoms of nature, whofe 
boundartes meet together m the Zoophytes. 
MINERALS inhabit the interior parts'of the earth in rude and 
lhapelefs malles; arc generated by falts, mixed together promifeu 
onfly, and fhajvcd fortuitoully. 
They arc bodies concrete, without life or fenfation. 
VEGETABLES clothe the furface with verdure, imbibe nou 
lilhmcnt through bibulous roots, breathe by quivering leaves, celel 
brate 
