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

 162 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, though not Neighbours in Situation, move by Rh