VIII. See, through this air, this ocean, and this earth, All matter quick, and bursting into birth. Above, how high progressive life may go! 235 Around, how wide! how deep extend below![1077] Vast chain of being! which from God began, Natures ethereal, human, angel, man,[1078] Beast, bird, fish, insect, what no eye can see, No glass can reach; from infinite to thee, 240 From thee to nothing.[1079] On superior pow'rs Were we to press, inferior might on ours:[1080] Or in the full creation leave a void,[1081] Where, one step broken, the great scale's destroyed:[1082] From nature's chain whatever link you strike, 245 Tenth or ten thousandth, breaks the chain alike.[1083] And if each system in gradation roll[1084] Alike essential to th' amazing whole,[1085] The least confusion but in one, not all That system only, but the whole must fall. 250 Let earth unbalanced from her orbit fly,[1086] Planets and suns run lawless through the sky;[1087] Let ruling angels from their spheres be hurled, Being on being wrecked, and world on world; Heav'n's whole foundations to their centre nod, 255 And nature tremble[1088] to the throne of God![1089] All this dread order break--for whom? for thee? Vile-worm!--O madness! pride! impiety![1090] [Sidenote: The extravagance, impiety, and pride of such a desire.] IX. What if the foot, ordained the dust to tread, Or hand, to toil, aspired to be the head? 260 What if the head, the eye, or ear repined To serve mere engines to the ruling mind?[1091] Just as absurd for any part to claim To be another, in this gen'ral frame:[1092] Just as absurd, to mourn the tasks or pains 265 The great directing Mind of all ordains.[1093] All are but parts of one stupendous whole, Whose body nature is, and God the soul;[1094] That, changed through all, and yet in all the same, Great in the earth, as in th' ethereal frame, 270 Warms in the sun, refreshes in the breeze, Glows in the stars, and blossoms in the trees,[1095] Lives thro' all life, extends through all extent, Spreads undivided, operates unspent;[1096] Breathes in our soul, informs our mortal part,[1097] 275 As full, as perfect in a hair as heart;[1098] As full, as perfect in vile man that mourns, As the rapt seraph that adores and burns:[1099] To him no high, no low, no great, no small; He fills, he bounds, connects, and equals all.[1100] 280 [Sidenote: The consequence of all, the absolute submission due to Providence, both as to our present and future state.]