tracted into Dwarfs, or difpofed along the Efpalier. All, naked and un-ornamented; all, faftened to the Ground, and neither endued with Senfe, nor capable of Motion. No human Hand will touch them; no human Aid will fuccour them. Yet, in a little Time, they are beautified with Bloffoms; after which, they are covered with Leaves; and, at laft, they are loaded with mellow Treafures. With the downy Peach and the polished Plum; with the musky Apricot, and the juicy Pear; with the Cherry, and its coral Pendants, glowing through Lattices of Green,

and dark

Beneath her ample Leaf, the luscious Fig.

I have wondered at the Structure of my Watch; wondered more at the Description of the Silk-mills; moft of all, at the Account of those prodigious Engines, invented by Archimedes. But what are all the Inventions of all the Geometricians and Mechanics in the World, compared with these inconceivably nice Automata* of Nature! Thefe felf-operating Machines

Automata, or felf-operating Machines; not meant to fet afide the Superintendency of Providence, but only to exclude the Co-operation of Man.

The Word auluan is used by our MASTER; is a very fine, and moft expreffive Word; for which Reasons, I have ventured to give it a Kind of English Naturalization. It fignifies, fays a Greek Scholiaft, Tas unxavas, as Har aulas from. See Mark iv. 28.-It is an Explication of that remarkable Phrafe, which occurs in the Mofaic

.Gen אשר ברא אלהיכם לעשות,Hiftory of the Creation

ii. 3. Which GOD created and made, appears tautologiçal, and is by no means an exact Translation. It should rather be interpreted, Which GOD created in order to

make;

chines difpatch their Business, with a Punctuality that never mistakes, with a Dexterity that cannot be equalled. In Spring, they clothe themselves with fuch unftudied but exquifite Finery, as far exceeds the Embroidery of the Needle, or the Labours of the Loom. In Autumn, they prefent Us with fuch a Collation of Sweetmeats, and fuch Blandishments of Tafte, as surpass whatever the most critical Luxury could prepare, or the moft lavish Fancy imagine. So that thofe coarse and fenfelefs Logs, firft decorate the divine Creation, then perform the Honours of the Table.

If, amidst thefe ordinary Productions of the Earth, GOD appears fo great in Counsel, and fo mighty in Work *: what may We expect to fee, amidit the Palaces of Heaven; among the Hierarchies of Angels; and in that wonderful REDEEMER, who is, beyond all other Objects, beyond all other Manifeftations, the Wisdom of GOD, and the Power of GOD +.

The Foreft rears Myriads of maffy Bodies. Which, though neither gay with Bloffoms, nor rich with Fruits, fupply Us with Ornaments, far more durable than the former; with Benefits, far more valuable than the latter. They fupply Us with Timber of various Kinds, and of every defirable Qua

lity -But who shall cultivate such huge Trees,

diffufed

make; 'to make, by thefe prolific Inftruments and producing Principles, a continual Succeffion of Ahimals, Vegetables, and Creatures.

Jer. xxxii. 19.

+1 Cor. i. 24.

Tully has given Us an Abridgment of all the preceding Particulars. Which, I think, is one of the fineft Landscapes in Miniature, that the defcriptive Pen ever VOL. III.

B

drew.

diffused over so vaft a Space? The Toil were endlefs; the Tafk impoffible. See therefore the allwife and ever-gracious Ordination of Providence! They are fo conftituted, that they have no Need of the Spade, the Pruning-knife, or the Wateringpot. Nay, the little Services of Man would diminish, rather than augment their Dignity and their Usefulness. The more they are neglected, the better they thrive; fcorning, as it were, to be dependent on any Hand, but the divine; and speaking, by their own native Grandeur, the tranfcendent Greatness of their PLANTER *.

When felled by the Axe, they are fawed into Beams, and fuftain the Roofs of our Houses. They are fashioned into Carriages, and ferve for the Conveyance of the heavieft Loads.-Their Subftance fo pliant, that they yield to the Chizzel of the Turner, and are smoothed by the Plane of the Joiner; are wrought into the niceft Diminutions of Shape, and compofe fome of the finest Branches of houfhold Furniture. Their Texture fo folid, that they form the most important Parts of those mighty Engines; which, adapting themselves to the Play of mechanic Powers, difpatch more Work in a fingle Hour, than could otherwife be accomplished in many Days.-At the fame Time, their Preffure is fo light,

that

drew.-Terra univerfa cernatur, veftita Floribus, Herbis, Arboribus, Frugibus; quorum omnium incredibilis Multitudo infatiabili Varietate diftinguitur. Adde huc Fontium gelidas Perennitates, Liquores perlucidos Amnium, Riparum Veftitus viridiffimos, Speluncarum concavas Altitudines, Saxorum Afperitates, impendentium Montium Altitudines, Immenfitatefque Camporum. De Nat. Deor. Lib. II.

*

Chryfoftom, making Mention of Trees, fays; Ta μεν γαρ δια το καρπε, τα δε δια το μεγεθος, τα δε δια τα καλλές, αναπεμπει το ποιησαν, την ευφημιαν.

i

that they float upon the Waters; and glide along the Surface, almost with as much Agility, as the finny Fry glance through the Deep. Thus, while they impart Magnificence to Architecture, and beftow numberless Conveniencies on the Family; they conftitute the very Bafis of Navigation, and give Life to our domeftic Trade, give Being to the Commerce of Nations.

Amidft the inacceffible Receffes of the Foreft, an Habitation is affigned to those ravenous Beasts, whose Appearance would be frightful, and their Neighbourhood dangerous. There, the sternly majestic Lion roufes Himself from his Den; ftalks through the midnight Shades; and awes the favage Herds with his Roar. There, the fiery Tyger springs upon his Prey, and the gloomy Bear trains up her Whelps. There, the swift Leopard ranges, the grim Wolf prowls, and both in queft of Murder and Blood.

-Were these horrid Animals to dwell in our Fields, what Havock would they make? What Confternation would they spread? To prevent such mischieVous Confequences, the almighty RULER faith; I have made the Wilderness their Houfe, and the barren Land their Dwelling*. In Obedience to this Decree, they banish themselves from the Seat of Society, and from the Scenes of Fertility. They even bury themselves, in the deepest Solitudes of the Defart. While the Ox, the Horfe, and the ferviceable Quadrupeds, live under our Inspection, and keep within our Call: profiting Us as much by their Prefence, as the others oblige Us by their Abfence.

If, at any Time, thofe fhaggy Monsters make an Excurfion into the habitable World, it is when Man retires to his Chamber, and fleeps in Security. The Sun, which invites other Creatures abroad, gives them a Signal and a Command to retreat. The Sun arifeth, and they get them away, and lay them down in their Dens *. Strange! That the orient Light, which is fo pleafing to Us, fhould ftrike fuch Terror on them! Should, more effectually than a Legion of Guards, put them all to flight, and clear the Country of thofe formidable Enemies!

If We turn our Thoughts to the Atmosphere, We find a most curious and exquifite Apparatus of Air. Which, because no Object of our Sight, is feldom obferved, and little regarded; yet is a Source of innumerable Advantages. And all thefe Advantages are fetched (which is almoft incredible) from the very Jaws of Ruin. My Meaning may be obscure, therefore I explain myself.

་་་

We live plunged, if I may fo fpeak, in an Ocean of Air. Whofe Preffure, upon a Person of moderate Size, is equal to the Weight of twenty thousand Pounds. Tremendous Confideration! Should the Cieling of a Room, or the Roof of a Houfe, fall upon Us with half that Force, what deftructive Effects muft enfue. Such a Force would infallibly drive the Breath from our Lungs, or break every Bone in our Bodies. Yet, fo admirably has the Divine Wisdom contrived this aerial Fluid, and fo nicely counterpoifed its dreadful Power, that We receive not the flightest Hurt; We fuffer no manher of Inconvenience; We even enjoy the Load. Instead

Pfal. civ. 22.