FOOTNOTES:
[a] Est etiam admiratio nonnulla in bestiis aquatilibus iis, quæ gignuntur in terrâ: veluti Crocodili, fluviatilesque Testudines, quædamque Serpentes ortæ extra aquam, simul ac primùm niti possunt, aquam persequuntur. Quin etiam Anatum ova Gallinis sæpe supponimus——[Pulli] deinde eas [matres] relinquunt——& effugiunt, cùm primùm aquam, quasi naturalem domum, videre potuerunt. Cic. de Nat. Deor. l. 2. c. 48.
CHAP. X.
Of the Balance of Animals, or the due Proportion in which the World is flocked with them.
The whole Surface of our Globe can afford Room and Support only to such a Number of all Sorts of Creatures. And if by their doubling, trebling, or any other Multiplication of their Kind, they should encrease to double or treble that Number, they must starve, or devour one another. The keeping therefore the Balance even, is manifestly a Work of the divine Wisdom and Providence. To which end, the great Author of Life hath determined the Life of all Creatures to such a Length, and their Increase to such a Number, proportional to their Use in the World. The Life of some Creatures is long, and their Increase but small, and by that means they do not over-stock the World. And the same Benefit is effected, where the Increase is great, by the Brevity of such Creatures Lives, by their great Use, and the frequent Occasions there are of them for Food to Man, or other Animals. It is a very remarkable Act of the Divine Providence, that useful Creatures are produced in great Plenty[a], and others in less. The prodigious and frequent Increase of Insects, both in and out of the Waters, may exemplify the one; and ’tis observable in the other, that Creatures less useful, or by their Voracity pernicious, have commonly fewer Young, or do seldomer bring forth: Of which many Instances might be given in the voracious Beasts and Birds. But there is one so peculiar an Animal, as if made for a particular Instance in our present Case, and that is the Cuntur of Peru[]: A Fowl of that Magnitude, Strength and Appetite, as to seize not only on the Sheep, and lesser Cattle, but even the larger Beasts, yea, the very Children too. Now these, as they are the most pernicious of Birds, so are they the most rare, being seldom seen, or only one, or a few in large Countries; enough to keep up the Species; but not to over-charge the World.
Thus the Balance of the animal World, is, throughout all Ages, kept even; and by a curious Harmony, and just Proportion between the Increase of all Animals, and the Length of their Lives, the World is through all Ages well; but not over-stored: One Generation passeth away, and another Generation cometh[c]; so equally in its Room, to balance the Stock of the terraqueous Globe in all Ages, and Places, and among all Creatures; that it is an actual Demonstration of our Saviour’s Assertion, Mat. x. 29. that the most inconsiderable, common Creature, Even a Sparrow (two of which are sold for a Farthing) doth not fall on the Ground without our heavenly Father.
This Providence of God is remarkable in every Species of living Creatures: But that especial Management of the Recruits and Decays of Mankind, so equally all the World over, deserves our especial Observation. In the Beginning of the World, and so after Noah’s Flood, the Longævity of Men, as it was of absolute Necessity to the more speedy peopling of the new World; so is a special Instance of the divine Providence in this Matter[d]. And the same Providence appears in the following Ages, when the World was pretty well peopled, in reducing the common Age of Man then to 120 Years, (Gen. vi. 3.) in Proportion to the Occasions of the World at that Time. And lastly, when the World was fully peopled after the Flood, (as it was in the Age of Moses, and so down to our present Time) the lessening the common Age of Man to 70 or 80 Years[e], (the Age mentioned by Moses, Psal. xc. 10. this, I say,) is manifestly an Appointment of the same infinite Lord that ruleth the World: For, by this Means, the peopled World is kept at a convenient Stay; neither too full, nor too empty. For if Men (the Generality of them, I mean) were to live now to Methusalah’s Age of 969 Years, or only to Abraham’s, long after the Flood, of 175 Years, the World would be too much over-run; or if the Age of Man was limited to that of divers other Animals, to ten, twenty, or thirty Years only; the Decays then of Mankind would be too fast: But at the middle Rate mentioned, the Balance is nearly even, and Life and Death keep an equal Pace. Which Equality is so great and harmonious, and so manifest an Instance of the divine Management, that I shall spend some Remarks upon it.
It appears from our best Accounts of these Matters, that in our European Parts[f], and I believe the same is throughout the World; that, I say, there is a certain Rate and Proportion in the Propagation of Mankind: Such a Number marry[g], so many are born, such a Number die; in Proportion to the Number of Persons in every Nation, County, or Parish. And as to Births, two Things are very considerable: One is the Proportion of Males and Females[h], not in a wide Proportion, not an uncertain, accidental Number at all Adventures; but nearly equal. Another Thing is, that a few more are born than appear to die, in any certain Place[]. Which is an admirable Provision for the extraordinary Emergencies and Occasions of the World; to supply unhealthful Places, where Death out-runs Life; to make up the Ravages of great Plagues, and Diseases, and the Depredations of War, and the Seas; and to afford a sufficient Number for Colonies in the unpeopled Parts of the Earth. Or on the other Hand, we may say, that sometimes those extraordinary Expences of Mankind, may be not only a just Punishment of the Sins of Men; but also a wise Means to keep the Balance of Mankind even; as one would be ready to conclude, by considering the Asiatick, and other the more fertile Countries, where prodigious Multitudes are yearly swept away with great Plagues, and sometimes War; and yet those Countries are so far from being wasted, that they remain full of People.
And now upon the whole Matter, What is all this but admirable and plain Management? What can the maintaining throughout all Ages, and Places, these Proportions of Mankind, and all other Creatures; this Harmony in the Generations of Men be, but the Work of one that ruleth the World? Is it possible that every Species of Animals should so evenly be preserved, proportionate to the Occasions of the World? That they should be so well balanced in all Ages and Places, without the Help of almighty Wisdom and Power? How is it possible by the bare Rules, and blind Acts of Nature, that there should be any tolerable Proportion; for Instance, between Males and Females, either of Mankind, or of any other Creature[k]; especially such as are of a ferine, not of a domestick Nature, and consequently out of the Command and Management of Man? How could Life and Death keep such an even Pace through all the animal World? If we should take it for granted, that, according to the Scripture History, the World had a Beginning, (as who can deny it[l]; or if we should suppose the Destruction thereof by Noah’s Flood: How is it possible, after the World was replenished,) that in a certain Number of Years, by the greater Increases and Doublings of each Species of Animals; that, I say, this Rate of Doubling[m] should cease; or that it should be compensated by some other Means? That the World should be as well, or better stocked than now it is, in 1656 Years (the Time between the Creation and the Flood; this) we will suppose may be done by the natural Methods of each Species Doubling or Increase: But in double that Number of Years, or at this Distance from the Flood, of 4000 Years, that the World should not be over stock’d, can never be made out, without allowing an infinite Providence.
I conclude then this Observation with the Psalmist’s Words, Psal. civ. 29, 30. Thou hidest thy Face, all Creatures are troubled; thou takest away their Breath, they die, and return to their Dust. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the Face of the Earth.