little Transitions and Deviations from one Species to another, are almost infenfible. This intermediate Space is fo well husbanded and managed, that there is fcarce a degree of Perception which does not appear in fome one part of the World of Life. Is the Goodness or Wisdom of the divine Being, more manifefted in this his Proceeding? THERE is a Confequence, besides those I have already mentioned, which feems very naturally deducible from the foregoing Confiderations. If the Scale of Being rifes by such a regular Progrefs, fo high as Man, we may by a parity of Realon fuppofe that it ftill proceeds gradually through thofe Beings which are of a Superior Nature to him; fince there is an infinitely greater space and room for different Degrees and Perfection, between the Supreme Being and Man, than between Man and the most defpicable Infect. This Coufequence of fo great a variety of Beings which are fuperior to us, from that variety which is inferior to us, is made by Mr. Locke, in a Paffage which I thall here fet down, after having premised, that notwithstanding there is fuch infinite room between Man and his Ma ker ker for the creative Power to exert it felf in, it is impoffible that it fhould ever be filled up, fince there will be ftill an infinite Gap or Diftance between the higheft created Being, and the Power which produced him. THAT there should be more Species of intelligent Creatures above us, than there are of fenfible and material below us, is probable to me from hence; That in all the visible corporeal World, we fee no Chafms, or no Gaps. All quite down from us, the defcent is by eafy steps, and a continued Series of things, that in each remove differ very little one from the other. There are Fishes that have Wings, and are not Strangers to the airy Region: and there are fome Birds, that are Inhabitants of the Water; whofe Blood is cold as Fishes, and their Flesh fo like in tafte, that the Scrupulous are allowed them on Fish-days. There are Animals_fo near of kin both to Birds and Beafts, that they are in the middle between both: Amphibious Animals link the Terreftrial and Aquatick together; Seals live at Land, and at Sea, and Porpoifes have the warm Blood and Extrails of a Hog; not to mention what is confidently reported of Mer maids the maids or Sea-Men. There are fome Brutes, that feem to have as much Knowledge and Reafon, as fome that are called Men; and the Animal and Vegetable Kingdoms are fa nearly joined, that if you will take the loweft of one, and the higheft of the other, there will fcarce be perceived any great diffe rence between them: and fo on till we come to the lowest and the most inorgani cal parts of Matter, we shall find every where that the feveral Species are linked together, and differ but in almost infenfible degrees. And when we confider the infinite Power and Wisdom of the Maker, we have reafon to think that it is fuitable to the magnificent Harmony of the Univerfe, and the great. Defign and infinite Goodness of the Architect, that the Species of Creatures fhould alfo, by gentle degrees, afcend upward from us towards his infinite Perfection, as we fee they gradually defcend from us downwards: Which if it be probable, we have reason then to be perfuaded, that there are far more Species of Creatures above us, than there are beneath; we being in degrees of Perfection much more remote from the infinite Being of God, than we are from the lowest State of Being, and that which approaches neareft to nothing. And yet of all thofe diftinct Atinct Species, we have no clear diflimot Ideas. IN this Syftem of Being, there is no Creature lo wonderful in its Nature, and which fo much deferves our particular Attention, as Man, who fills up the middle Space between the Animal and Intellectual Nature, the visible and invisible World, and is that Link in the Chain of Beings which has been often termed the Nexus utriufque Mundi. So that he who in one refpect being affociated with Angels and Arch-Angels, may look upon a Being of infinite Perfection as his Father, and the highest Order of Spirits as his Brethren, may in another respect say to Corruption, thou art my Father, and to the Worm, thou art my Mother and my Sifter. Mon N° 520. Monday, October 27. Quis defiderio fit pudor aut modus Mr. SPECTATOR, Hor HE juft Value you have expreffed for the Matri T monial State, is the reafon that I now venture to write to you, without fear of being ridiculous; and confefs to you, that though it is three Months fince I loft a very agreeable Woman, who was my Wife, my Sorrow is still fresh; and I am often, in the midst of Company, upon any Circumftance that • revives her Memory, with a Reflection what the would fay or do on fuch an occafion: I fay, upon any Occurrence of that nature, which I can give you a fenfe of, though I cannot exprefs it wholly, I am all over Softnefs, and am obliged to retire, and 泥 give way to a few Sighs and Tears, before I can be eafy. I cannot but 6 re |