OF THE SYSTEMS OF PTOLEMY,

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and animates the whole. From the microscopicanimalcule, which is indiscernible to the un-assisted eye, to. the great and immeasurableluminaries of heaven, he is every where pre-sent. And whilst we perceive his wisdom andpower thus equally displayed in the exquisiteand just motions of the greatest and fubtilestparts of the creation, we cannot but be excitedand animated to correspond with the generalharmony.

What sublime ideas of this great Being, dowe obtain from contemplating the vast diversityof his works, which the cursory survey we havetaken of them, imperfect as it is, affords us ;and how is the mind enlarged and captivated bythe astonishing scenes, and agreeable reflectionswhich these enquiries continually present tous. That part of nature, which is the imme-diate object of the senses, is very imperfect,and but of small extent; but by the assistance ofart, and the help of our reason, it is enlarged tillit loses itself in an infinity on either hand. Theimmensity of things on one side, and theirminuteness on the other, carry them equallyopt of our reach, and conceal from us thegreater and more noble part of physical opera-tions. As magnitude of every fort, abstractedlyconsidered, is capable of being increased to in-finity, and is also divisible without end; so wefind that, in pature, the limits of the greatest

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