An Extract from A SURVEY of the WISDOM of GOD in the CREATION. Of their Ears, Nose, Teeth, and Windpipe; of their vegetativé and fenfitive Motions: of their Soul. THE HE comparative anatomy of the Ear, yields abundant · inflances of the Creator's Wifdom. In Birds, the outward ear is close and covered; not protuberant, as that would obftruct their flight. In Beafts, its form is agreeable to the pofture and motion of the body, but admirably varied in the feveral species, according to their various occafions. In fome, as the Hare, it is large, open, and erect; by which means that timorous, helpless creature, is warned of the least approach of danger. In others, it is covered, to keep out noxious bodies. In those which are forced to mine and dig for their habitation, it is fhort, and lodged deep and backward in the head. Thus Moles have no auricle at all, but only a round hole, between the neck and shoulder. And this is clofed with a little fkin, which opens and fhuts like an eyelid.The Sea-calf alfo, as well as Lizards and Serpents, have no outward Ear. And the Tortoife, with moft kinds of Fifhes, have the paffage quite covered over. But among all the varieties in the structure of this organ, none are more remarkable than those of the paffage into the os petrofum. In an Owl, which perches upon a tree or beam, and hearkens after the prey beneath her, it comes farther out above than below, for the better reception of founds from beneath. In a Fox, which fcouts under the prey at rooft, it comes farther out below than above. In a Pole-cat, which hearkens ftraight forward, it is produced behind, for the tak ing a forward found. Whereas a Hare, whofe enemy comes behind, is supplied with a bony circle, directed backward: by means of which he receives difinally the fmalleft found which comes that way. The The more accurate the fenfe of Smelling is in any creature, the longer are the lamina in the noftrils, and the more in number, folded up, and crowded together, to contain more nervous filaments, and to detain the odoriferous particles, in their windings and turnings. An admirable provifion this, for the good of many creatures, the chief acts of whofe lives are performed by the miniftry of this fenfe. In infects and many, other creatures, it is of great use, in helping them to proper places for hatching their eggs, and breeding up their young., And moft irrational animals, beafts, birds and reptiles, do by their fmell find out their food. With what fagacity do fome of them discover it, in the midst of mud and dirt? How curiously do others pick and chuse such plants as afford them wholefome food, (perhaps medicine too) avoiding fuch as tend to hurt or deftroy them? And all this principally by the fmell, together, with its near ally, the tafte. The various forms of the Teeth in various creatures, is another inftance of the Divine Wisdom. How curiously are they adapted to the peculiar food and occafion of each species! Thus in the Rapacious they are fitted to catch and hold their prey; in the Herbaceous, to gather and chew vegetables. In those which have no teeth, as Birds, the, bill fupplies that defect; together with their additional ftomach. And it is a remark which hardly fails, All fuch animals as have four stomachs, have no teeth at all. There are great varieties in the teeth of other animals. Trout have teeth upon their tongues; Cod-fifh at the bottom of their gullet. Crocodiles have three rows of teeth on the fame jaw; Sharks, four or five; Sea-devils, fo called, have feveral rows of moveable teeth. The variation of the Wind-pipe in various creatures is likewife obferveable, as it is neceffary for that of the voice. In an Hedge-hog, which has a very small voice, it is hardly more than membranous. In a Pigeon, which has a low, foft note, it is partly membranous, partly cartilaginous. In an Owl, VOL. V. which D 1 which has a good audible note, it is more cartilaginous. But that of a Jay (as of a Linnet) has bones inftead of cartilages. The rings of the wind-pipe likewise are fitted for the modulation of the voice. For in Dogs and Cats, which ufe a great many notes, they are (as in Man) open and flexible; whereby all or any of them is more or lefs dilated or contracted, in order to a deeper or thriller note. But they are one entire ring in the Japan Peacock, which uses one fingle note. As to the Motions of Brutes, it is not eafy to conceive, that even those of the l'egetative kind, can be the mere mechanical effects of matter, however modified. Much lefs can we conceive this of their Senfitive motion: for we have not the leaft reafon to doubt, but the fame impreffious of external objects, raife the fame perceptions in them, as in us.-No question, they fee, and hear, and fmell, and tafte, and feel in the fame manner as men! We cannot therefore deny, that there is fomething in Brutes, which perceives the impreffions made by outward objects; and that they perform a thoufand actions, which can never be explained by mere mechanifin: thofe in particular which fpring from what we call Inflinct, as the feeding and tending their young, the building their nefts and preparing their habitation, upon or in the earth. It is true, fome things in brutes, as well as in men, may be mechanically accounted for. But others cannot : fo that we are conftrained to own, there is in them alfo fome fuperior principle, of whatever kind it be, which is endued with sense, perception and various appetites. For from their outward actions we may as eafily learn, as we could from those of a man born deaf and dumb, that there are in this principle or Soul two different faculties: that of perceiving or knowing, anfwerable to our understanding, and that of defiring and flunning, anfwerable to our will. That this principle is immaterial, appears from this fingle confideration, it has a power of Self-motion; which no matter can have, being wholly and effentially paffive. REMARKS *** **** Pembroke, April 28, 1781. REMARKS upon Mr. Locke's ESSAY on HUMAN FOR UNDERSTANDING. 'OR fome days I have employed myself on the road, in reading Mr. Locke's Effay on Human Understanding. And I do not now wonder at its having gone through. fo many Editions, in fo fhort a time. For what comparifon is there between this deep, folid, weighty treatife, and the Hively, glittering trifle of Baron Montefquieu? As much as between tinfel and gold, between glafs-beads, and diamonds. A deep fear of God and reverence for his Word, are difcernable throughout the whole. And though there are fome mistakes, yet these are abundantly compenfated, by many curious and useful Reflections. I think therefore a little time will be well employed in pointing out thofe little mistakes, and in extracting fome of the moft ufeful paffages of that excellent treatise. 2. How admirable are thofe paffages in the Introduction. "Sect. 4. If by this enquiry into the nature of the Underftanding, I can difcover the powers thereof; how far they reach; to what things they are in any degree proportionate; and where they fail us, I fuppofe it may be of ufe, to prevail with the bufy mind of man to be more cautious in meddling with things exceeding its comprehenfion; to stop, when it is at the utmost extent of its tether; and to fit down in a quiet ignorance of those things, which, upon examination, are found to be beyond the reach of our capacities. We should not then perhaps be fo forward, out of an affectation of an univerfal knowledge, to raise questions, and perplex ourselves and others with difputes about things, to which our Underslandings are not suited; and of which we cannot frame in our minds any clear or diftinct perceptions, or whereof (as it has perhaps too often happened) we have not any notións at all. D 2 If we can find out, how far the Understanding can extend its view; how far it has faculties to attain certainty; and in what cafes it can only judge and guefs, we may learn to content ourfelves with what is attainable by us in this ftate. 66 Sect. 5. For though the comprehenfion of our Underftandings, comes exceeding fhort of the vaft extent of things; yet, we fhall have caufe enough to magnify the bountiful Author of our Being, for that portion and degree of knowledge, he has bestowed on us, fo far above all the reft of the inhabi. tants of this our mansion. Men have reason to be well fatisfied with what God hath thought fit for them, fince he has given them (as St. Peter fays mála węds (wir xai idolbear. Whatfoever is necessary for the conveniencies of life, and information of virtue; and has put within the reach of their difcovery the comfortable provision for this life and the way that leads to a better. How fhort foever their knowledge may come of an universal or perfect comprehenfion of whatsoever is, it yet fecures their great concernments that they have light enough to lead them to the knowledge of their Maker, and the fight of their own duties. Men may find matter sufficient to bufy their heads, and employ their hands with va riety, delight, and satisfaction; if, they will not boldly quarrel with their own conflitution, and. throw away the bleffings their hands are filled with, because they are not big enough to grafp every thing. We fhall not have much reason to complain of the narrowness of our minds, if we will but employ them about what may be of use to us; for of that they are very capable: and it will be an unpardonable, as well as childish peevishnefs, if we undervalue the advantages of our knowledge, and neglect to improve it to the ends for which it was given us, because there are fome things that are set out of the reach of it. It will be no excufe to an idle and untoward fervant, who would not attend his bufinefs by candlelight, to plead that he had not broad fun-fhine. The candle, that is fet up in us, fhines bright enough for all our purposes, The |