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This, Sir, is my Syftem of the Creation of the World, which you fee is pretty well confirm'd by the Shells, and fuch like things, which we meet with in our Lands and Mountains, and by the Situation in which they are found. However, I don't in the least queftion but you'll meet with many. Difficulties in it, was it only.. becaufe I have advanced many things on this Head contrary to what has been hitherto believed. But I have already told you, that Mofes himfelf naturally leads us into this way of thinking, if we impartially and without Prejudice read thofe Words in the 2d. Chapter of Genefis, the 4th and 5th Verses: Ifta funt Generationes · cæli & terræ quando create funt, in die quo fecit Dominus Deus cœ-lum & terram. In the English Translation: Thefe are the Generations of the Heaven and the Earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the Earth and the Heavens. The Sacred Hiftorian here infinuates, that all things were form'd and created at the fame time, and in the fame Inftant that the Hea-vens and the Earth were created. The Words which follow are, Et omne virgultum agri antiquam orirertur in terrâ omnemq;, berbam regionis priufquam germinaret; that is, And every Plant of the Field before it was in the Earth, and every Herb of the Field before it grew. By which his Meaning palpably appears to be, that allTrees and Plants were created and formed at the very fame Inftant that every thing elfe was, and this before they grew in the Earth. The fame thing I affert of all Animals, which were form'd at that first Instant, but to whom no Life was given till afterwards.. Perhaps you will tell me, that Mofes was far from meaning thofe Words as I explain them, fince he on the contrary fays, in fpeaking of what God did on the fifth Day, that he faid, Let the Waters bring forth abundantly the moving Creature that bath Life, and Fowl that may fly above the Earth. Which according to all Interpreters fignifies that it was on the fifth Day only that God created every Fish and every Fowl, and not at the first Instant of the Creation, as I fuppofe it; and your Objection, Sir, would be very juft, if the Hebrew Terms which Mofes makes ufe of, had no other Meaning than what is given 'em by the Translators: Producant aquæ reptile anime viventis & volatile fupervolet. But our Learned Countryman Vatable, who was fo perfect a Master

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*Generally known by the Name of Watobled, a Native of Normandy..

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of the Hebrew Tongue, affures us, that this Tranflation is not the only indifputable one that may be given to the Words of Mofes, fince feveral instead of producaut aquæ, &c. render 'em, Repere faciant & volatile volet; that is, Let the Waters caufe the Fishes to creep, (or fwim) and the Birds to fly. Which, if accepted thus, will make good what I fay, that it was not then God gave 'em a Being, but only Life and Motion.

This Formation of Plants and Animals at two different times has nothing particular in it, fince God did the fame when he made Man; for notwithstanding that by his Almighty Power he might fully and perfectly have created him in an Inftant of time, yet did he do it by two feparate, Actions, having first of all form'd and organized his Body without Motion or Life; both the one and the other of which he communicated to him by his Divine Breath, giving him at the fame time an immaterial and reafonable Soul.

Laftly, the Echinus's which, as I before obferv'd, we find with-out the leaft Grain of Sand or Gravel in the Head, are another Proof that they were enclofed before they had Life in the Mafs', of the Earth, fince let 'em live never fo little a time, they are: immediately full of it. I am, &c..

THUS have our Readers with the Accounts of Shells, &c. an entire new Syftem of the Creation, which I don't in the leaft queftion will to fome feem probable, and to others extravagant. The Reason why we chose to begin our Memoirs of Literature with thefe two Letters, was not only because they contained fomething: entirely new, but also because the Subject of 'em is a Point at present in Debate amongst the Literati, and efpecially thofe of the Kingdom of France: And thefe Letters of Mr. Capperon have occafion'd much to be written on this Subject, and more is preparing for the Prefs. The chief Difputants on this Head feem to leave the beaten Track, and rejecting their Fathers Notions, find › out new Systems of their own. As the Reader will eafily fee by the following Advertisement, which I have rather chofe to infert here than in the Lift of Books printed abroad.

Andrew Cailleau, Bookfeller in Sorbonne-Square in Päris, gives notice, That he is preparing for the Prefs an Effay on Shell-Fish,"

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by the Reverend Father Caftel of the Society of Jefus. The Learned, who are willing to communicate their Obfervations on this Matter, with a fhort Description of the Shell-fifh, and petrified things brought from the Sea, which they are poffefs'd of," are defired to direct to the above Bookfeller. Thefe Obfervations, and the Names of the Perfons who fent 'em, fhall be made mention of. The fame Author will give an Account of the curious Cabinets of this Kind, which are to be met with, as well in France, as in other Parts. And the better to inform the Publick what Obfervations are proper to be communicated, this is the Defign of Father Caftel. He divides his Work into two Parts; the first contains a Defcription and Reprefentation of an infinite Number of Shell-fish, with their natural History. The fecond is, a Rational and Philofophical History of Shell-fish, and the Generation as well of those which we find in the Seas, as of those which are to be met with in the Earth, and on the highest Mountains, and most remote from the Sea. In relation to the former of thefe, the Author gives us his System, or rather a Systematical Hiftory of the Generation of Organized Bodies in general, and of Infects and Shell-fish in particular. In relation to the latter, he unfolds his Syftem of Organisation and terreftrial Circulation, to fhew that the Shell-fish, or rather Shells which are found in the Lands, and on the highest Mountains, were and are still daily carried there in the fame manner as the Waters are, which fall from thofe Mountains, by means of a fubterraneous Circulation.

W

Miscellaneous Pieces.

COWLEY'S Wifb.

Infcribed to O. H. Esq.

HEN Cowley offer'd at the Mufes Shrine, And to his Aid invok'd the tuneful Nine; The willing Sifters to his Succour flew,

And rais'd his Thoughts to what was great and new.

Some

Sometimes the Bard wou'd strike the tuneful Lyre
With Pindar's Judgment, Strength and Fire:
Then wou'd he foften Man to Love and Wine,
Anacreon-like, melodious and divine.
Like Horace, how in lofty Lyrick Odes
Sublimely foaring, he convers'd with Gods.
O happy Soul, how gloriously endu❜d!

His Thoughts, his Actions always great and good;
His Pleasure Study. Thus his noble Mind
To Learning, not to Grandeur, was inclin'd:
He ftrove to fly from a precarious Fate,
And thought that to be curs'd, was to be great.
All his Ambition was a little Seat,

From Courts and factious Rage a fafe Retreat,
There to enjoy a Confort chaste and fair,
Such as Cornelia or Eudocia were.

Part of his Wifh, the little Seat he gain'd,
The latter, better Part, he ne'er obtain❜d.

"Had the deferving Bard, like thee, been blefs'd,
"And of a Confort, fuch as thine, poffefs'd;
"Like thee enjoy'd the greatest Good of Life,
"A tender, beauteous, loving, virtuous Wife;
"Cowley had ftill the Mark of Envy been,
"Of Husbands now, as of the Witling then.

DAPHNIS and CHLO E.

A SON G.

Daphnis food penfive in the Shade

With Arms acrofs, and Head reclin'd:

Pale Looks accus'd the cruel Maid,
And Sighs reliev'd his Love-fick Mind.
His tuneful Pipe all broken lay,

Looks, Sighs and Actions feem'd to say,
My Chloe is unkind.

Why

י

72.

Why ring the Woods with warbling Throats?
Ye Larks, ye Linnets, ceafe your Strains.
I faintly hear in your fweet Notes
My Cloe's Voice, that wakes my Pains.
Yet why fhou'd you your Songs forbear?
Your Mates delight your Songs to hear,
But Chloe mine difdains.

3.

As thus he melancholy stood,
Dejected as the lonely Dove,

Sweet Sound broke gently through the Wood.
I feel a Sound, my Heart-ftrings move;

"Twas not the Nightingale that fung:

No, 'tis my Chloe's fweeter Tongue.
Hark! hark! what fays my Love.

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