FISHES. 
The inferior rank which these creatures hold in 
the extensive field of Nature, makes their history 
less interesting than that of the quadrupeds or 
birds : among them we frequently meet with some- 
thing like a reasoning faculty ; but in the inhabi- 
tants of the waters we look in vain for any thing 
beyond the mere gratification of a voracious ap- 
petite. We would not, however, have it supposed 
that the wisdom of the Creator is less manifest in 
the formation of fishes than of other animals ; but, 
on the contrary, most readily acknowledge, that 
wherever we direct our view, we perceive the traces 
of a Being perpetually fertile in new designs, per- 
fectly acquainted with every circumstance of his 
work, and never contradicted or embarrassed by the 
disobedience of the materials he employs. 
The first thing which occurs to our notice in 
the description of a fish is its scales. These are 
placed in an imbricated manner, and serve as a 
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