vegetable beings on their
surface; which consists of materials convertible into
nutriment with less labour or activity of the digestive
powers; and hence the quantity or number of organized bodies,
and their improvement in size, as well as their happiness,
has been continually increasing, along with the solid parts
of the globe; and will probably continue to increase, till
the whole terraqueous sphere, and all that inhabit it shall
dissolve by a general conflagration, and be again reduced to
their elements.

Thus all the suns, and the planets, which circle round them,
may again sink into one central chaos; and may again by
explosions produce a new world; which in process of time may
resemble the present one, and at length again undergo the
same catastrophe! these great events may be the result of the
immutable laws impressed on matter by the Great Cause of
Causes, Parent of Parents, Ens Entium!]

"He gives and guides the sun's attractive force,
And steers the planets in their silver course;
With heat and light revives the golden day,
And breathes his spirit on organic clay; 460
With hand unseen directs the general cause
By firm immutable immortal laws."

Charm'd with her words the Muse astonish'd stands,
The Nymphs enraptured clasp their velvet hands;
Applausive thunder from the fane recoils,
And holy echoes peal along the ailes;
O'er NATURE'S shrine celestial lustres glow,
And lambent glories circle round her brow.

IV. Now sinks the golden sun,--the vesper song
Demands the tribute of URANIA'S tongue; 470
Onward she steps, her fair associates calls
From leaf-wove avenues, and vaulted halls.
Fair virgin trains in bright procession move,
Trail their long robes, and whiten all the grove;
Pair after pair to Nature's temple sweep,
Thread the broad arch, ascend the winding steep;
Through brazen gates along susurrant ailes
Stream round their GODDESS the successive files;
Curve above curve to golden seats retire,
And star with beauty the refulgent quire. 480

AND first to HEAVEN the consecrated throng
With chant alternate pour the adoring song,
Swell the full hymn, now high, and now profound,
With sweet responsive symphony of sound.
Seen