42o Mifcellaneom Ohfervdtwtis. 
own Finger has defcribed himfelf. Hu mat! 
Writings confilf of Lines and Figures intend¬ 
ed to denote the Sounds or Words of Lan¬ 
guage ; which being at firil arbitrarily ap¬ 
plied, were afterwards by common Confent 
and Culfom allowed to reprefent certain 
Ideas, tho’ without any Refemblance to them,, 
And as very different Sounds and Marks have 
been employed, by Nations Strangers to each 
other, to exprefs and denote the fame ObjeBs 
of the Senfes or Conceptions of the Mindy hence 
arofe different Languages and CharaBers 
which muff therefore be unintelligible to 
all who have not previoufly been inftrucl- 
ed in their Signification and Ufe ; nor can 
be attained without a great deal of Pains and 
Attention. But the Book of Nature is writ¬ 
ten in an univerfai and real CharaBer , which 
every Man may read in his own Language ; 
for it confiifs not of Words but Firings, which 
picture out the Perfections of the Deity* 
The harry Firmament every where expand¬ 
ed, with its number!efs Syflems of Suns, 
and their furrounding Planets, the Regula¬ 
rity, Harmony, Order, and Conifancy of 
their Motions, declare the Immenfity and 
Magnificence, the Power and Wifdom of 
their Creator. Thunder, Lightening, Tern-, 
pelfs, Hurricanes, Earthquakes, and Vol¬ 
canos, Chew the Terror and Dellrudlion of 
His Wrath. Seafonable Rains, Sunlhine, and 
plenteous Har veils, denote his Bounty and 
Goodnefs, 
