Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/342

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162
Marcus Antoninus's

tle more dry than ordinary ; because here the Qualities opposite to Accension , are weak and disabled. Thus all Beings which partake of the same common Thought, and Understanding, have a natural Instinct for Correspondence with their own Kind: only with this difference, that the higher any thing stands in the Scale of Being , the stronger it is inclin'd to Communication with its own Order , and Distinction. To illustrate the Argument, we find the force of Nature , and Blood , very Active amongst Brute Animals ; As appears by their running together in Herds, and Swarms according to Kind ; by their providing for their Young Ones, and by that Resemblance of Love, and Affection, which is carried on among them. These Animals have a Soul in them , by consequence their Principle of Union is more vigorous than in Stocks, and Stones. To go on to Reasonable Creatures ; And here we may observe Mankind united by publick Counsels, and Common-wealths , by particular Friendships, and Families; And when War has work'd them to the greatest Misunderstanding, They have even then the benefit of Corresponding by Truce, and Articles : Farther to Instance in a higher Order ; the Stars, [1] though not Neighbours in Situation, move by

Concert.
  1. The Emperour suppos'd the Stars animated by a Deity.