20 
strates unity of design, and therefore of the design- 
ing Mind, coextensive with infinite diversity, with 
infinity of power. 
Some writers on natural objects have contented 
themselves with detailing particulars respecting in- 
dividuals, either animals or plants, without extend- 
ing their thoughts or inquiries to any relation which 
may connect these, or those which are absolutely in 
all respects similar, with others which are strictly 
and constantly similar in one important respect, or 
in two or in three respects, but differ widely in many 
others, or in most respects. 
* Buffon (says Dr. Shaw, Lecture II.) seems to 
have taken a pleasure in endeavouring to depreciate 
the merit of systematic arrangement in general, and 
more particularly that of Linnzeus.” Linnzeus dis- 
dained a reply to one who could reckon the objects 
of nature without admiration of their mutual rela- 
tions: like a child amused with a miscellaneous 
heap of coins, the relative values of which it might 
be incapable of comprehending. Buffon, indeed, col- 
lected much important fact, and detailed his know- 
ledge with eloquence: but his eloquence becomes 
tedious, because his details are without connexion. 
Classification would have given continuity of inter- 
est to his narrative, while it would have abridged 
his diffuseness. 
It seems to be scarcely conceivable that any ra- 
tional being should look around him and discern 
the various conditions of variously organized beings 
without observing at the same time that some single 
