Page:The Bible of Nature, and Substance of Virtue.djvu/32

But now since things from seeds eternal rise,
Their parts well join'd and fitted, nothing dies,
Unless some force break off the natural ties.
Besides, if e'er whatever years prevail,
Should wholly perish, and its matter fail,
How could the powers of all kind Venus breed
A constant race of animals to succeed?
Or how the earth eternally supply
With proper food each their necessity?
For whatsoe'er could into nothing waste
That infinite space of time already past
Had quite consum'd—
But if those bodies which compose this all
Could for so many ages past endure,
They are immortal, and from death secure,
And therefore cannot into nothing fall.
For death dissolves alone, he breaks the chain,
And scatters things to their first seeds again.
And therefore bodies cannot fall to nought,
Since one thing still is from another brought
By provident Nature; who lets nothing rise,
And be, unless from something else that dies.
Now, since we have by various reasons taught
That nothing rises from, or falls to nought,
Lest you dissent, because these seeds must lie
Beyond the ken e'en of the sharpest eye;
Know, there are bodies which no eye can see,
But yet from their effects must grant to be.
For first the winds disturb the seas, and tear
The stoutest ships, and chase clouds through the air;
Sometimes through humble plains their violent course
They take, and bear down trees with mighty force.
Those numerous odors, too, whose smells delight
And please the nose, are all too thin for sight.
We view not heat, nor sharpest colds, which wound
The tender nerves, nor can we see a sound.
Yet these are bodies, for they move the sense,
And straight sweet pleasures, or quick pains commence,
They shake the nerves; now whatsoe'er doth touch,
Or can be touch'd, that must be granted such.
Drops hollow stones; and whilst we plough, the share