The world, say I, resembles an animal; therefore it is an animal, therefore it arose from generation.

The steps, I confess, are wide; yet there is some small appearance of analogy in each step.

The world, says CLEANTHES, resembles a machine; therefore it is a machine, therefore it arose from design.

The steps are here equally wide, and the analogy less striking.

And if he pretends to carry on my hypothesis a step further, and to infer design or reason from the great principle of generation, on which I insist; I may, with better authority, use the same freedom to push further his hypothesis, and infer a divine generation or theogony from his principle of reason.