the prudence and art difcovered in the feveral parts of the body of man.

In the feventh, the fame demonftration is carried on from the contemplation of the inftincts in brute animals, and the faculties and operations of the foul of man. The book concludes with a recapitulation of what has been treated of, and a Hymn to the Creator of the World.

CREA

CREATION.

BOOK I.

THE ARGUMENT.

The propofition. The invocation. The existence of a God demonftrated, from the marks of wifdom, choice, and art, which appear in the visible world, and infer an intelligent and free caufe. This evinced from the contemplation, I. of the earth. 1. Its fituation. 2. The cohefion of its parts, not to be folved by any hypothefis yet produced. 3. Its ftability. 4. Its structure, or the order of its parts. 5. Its motion diurnal and annual, or elfe the motion of the fun in both those respects. The caufe of these motions not yet accounted for by any philofopher. 6. Its outfide or face; the beauties and conveniences of it; its mountains, lakes, and rivers. II. The exiftence of a God proved from the marks and impreffions of prudence and defign, which appear in the fea.

1. In

its formation. 2. The proportion of its parts in refpect of the earthy. 3. Its fituation. 4. The contexture of its parts. 5. Its brackish or briny quality.

6. Its flux and reflux.

O more of courts, of triumphs, or of arms,

N°

No more of valour's force, or beauty's charms: The themes of vulgar lays, with just disdain, I leave unfung, the flocks, the amorous fwain, The pleafures of the land, and terrors of the main.

How abject, how inglorious 'tis to lie

Groveling in duft and darkness, when on high
Empires immenfe and rolling worlds of light,
To range their heavenly fcenes, the Mufe invite!
I meditate to foar above the fkies,

To heights unknown, through ways untry'd, to rife :
I would th' Eternal from his works affert,
And fing the wonders of creating art.
While I this unexampled task effay,
Pafs awful gulphs, and beat my painful way;
Celeftial Dove! divine affiftance bring,
Suftain me on thy ftrong extended wing,

That I may reach th' Almighty's facred throne,

And make his caufelefs power, the caufe of all things,

Thou doft the full extent of nature fee,

Lknown.

And the wide realms of vaft immensity :

Eternal Wifdom thou doft comprehend,

Rife to her heights, and to her depths defcend:
The Father's fecret counfels thou canft tell,
Who in his bofom didft for ever dwell:
Thou on the deep's dark face, immortal Dove!
Thou with almighty energy didft move
On the wild waves, incumbent didst display
Thy genial wings, and hatch primæval day.

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Order from thee, from thee diftinction came,

And all the beauties of the wondrous frame :

Hence ftampt on nature we perfection find,
Fair as th' idea in th' Eternal Mind.

See, through this vaft extended theatre Of fkill divine what fhining marks appear! Creating power is all around exprest,

The God difcover'd, and his care confest.

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35

Nature's

Nature's high birth her heavenly beauties show;
By every feature we the parent know.
Th' expanded fpheres amazing to the fight,
Magnificent with ftars and globes of light,

40

The glorious orbs, which Heaven's bright hoft compofe,
Th' imprifon'd fea, that restlefs ebbs and flows,
The fluctuating fields of liquid air,

With all the curious meteors hovering there,

45

And the wide regions of the land, proclaim

The Power Divine, that rais'd the mighty frame.
What things foe'er are to an end referr'd,
And in their motions ftill that end regard,
Always the fitnefs of the means refpect,
These as conducive chufe, and thofe reject,
Muft by a judgement foreign and unknown.
Be guided to their end, or by their own;
For to defign an end, and to pursue

That end by means, and have it still in view,
Demands a conscious, wife, reflecting caufe,

55.

Which freely moves, and acts by reafon's laws,
That can deliberate, means elect, and find

Their due connexion with the end defign'd.

And fince the world's wide frame does not include 60 A caufe with fuch capacities endued;

Some other caufe o'er nature muft prefide,

And here behold the caufe, which God we name,

Which gave her birth, and does her motions guide.

The fource of beings, and the mind supreme;
Whofe perfect wifdom, and whofe prudent care,
With one confederate voice unnumber'd worlds declare.

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See,

See, how the earth has gain'd that very place,
Which of all others in the boundless space
Is moft convenient, and will best conduce
To the wife ends requir'd for nature's use.
You, who the mind and caufe fupreme deny,
Nor on his aid to form the world rely,
Muft grant, had perfect wisdom been employ'd
To find, through all th' interminable void,
A feat most proper, and which beft became

The earth and fea, it must have been the fame.
Now, who can this surprizing fact conceive,
Who this event fortuitous believe,

That the brute earth unguided should embrace
The only useful, only proper place
Of all the millions in the empty fpace?

Could ftupid atoms with impetuous speed
By different roads and adverse ways proceed;
From regions oppofite begin their flight,
That here they might rencounter, here unite ;
What charms could these terreftrial vagrants fee
In this one point of all immenfity,

That all th' enamour'd troops fhould thither flow?
Did they its ufeful fituation know?

And, when the fquadrons with a swift career

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Had reach'd that point, why did they fettle there,
When nothing check'd their flight, but gulphs of air;
Since Epicurus and his scholars fay

That unobstructed matter flies away,

Ranges the void, and knows not where to stay?

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75

85

90

95

}