ure it, which extend of themselves whenever it is needful, and again
close when sleep approaches? Are not these eyelids provided, as it were,
with a fence on the edge of them to keep off the wind and guard the eye?
Even the eyebrow itself is not without its office, but, as a penthouse,
is prepared to turn off the sweat, which falling from the forehead might
enter and annoy that no less tender than astonishing part of us. Is it
not to be admired that the ears should take in sounds of every sort, and
yet are not too much filled with them? That the fore teeth of the animal
should be formed in such a manner as is evidently best for cutting, and
those on the side for grinding it to pieces? That the mouth, through
which this food is conveyed, should be placed so near the nose and eyes
as to prevent the passing unnoticed whatever is unfit for
nourishment?... And canst thou still doubt, Aristodemus, whether a
_disposition of parts like this should be a work of chance, or of wisdom
and contrivance_?'

"'I have no longer any doubt,' replied Aristodemus; 'and, indeed, the
more I consider it, the more evident it appears to me that man must be
the masterpiece of some great Artificer, carrying along with it infinite
marks of the love and favor of Him who hath thus formed it.'

"'But, further (unless thou desirest to ask me questions), seeing,
Aristodemus, thou thyself art conscious of reason and intelligence,
supposest thou there is no intelligence elsewhere? Thou knowest thy body
to be a small part of that wide-extended earth thou everywhere
beholdest; the moisture contained in it thou also knowest to be a
portion of that mighty mass of waters whereof seas themselves are but a
part, while the rest of the elements contribute out of their abundance
to thy formation. It is the _soul_, then, alone, that intellectual part
of us, which is come to thee by some lucky chance, from I know not
where. If so, there is no intelligence elsewhere; and we must be forced
to confess that this stupendous universe, with all the various bodies
contained therein--equally amazing, whether we consider their magnitude
or number, whatever their use, whatever their order--all have been
produced by chance, not by intelligence!'

"'It is with difficulty that I can suppose otherwise,' returned
Aristodemus; 'for I behold none of those gods whom you speak of as
framing and governing the world; whereas I see the artists when at their
work here among us.'

"'Neit