Thus the Author of nature has clothed beasts according to their necessities; and their spoils serve afterwards to clothe men, and keep them warm in those frozen climes.  The living creatures that have little or no hair have a very thick and very hard skin, like scales; others have even scales that cover one another, as tiles on the top of a house, and which either open or shut, as it best suits with the living creature, either to extend itself or shrink.  These skins and scales serve the necessities of men:  and thus in nature, not only plants but animals also are made for our use.  Wild beasts themselves either grow tame or, at least, are afraid of man.  If all countries were peopled and governed as they ought to be, there would not be anywhere beasts should attack men.  For no wild beasts would be found but in remote forests, and they would be preserved in order to exercise the courage, strength, and dexterity of mankind, by a sport that should represent war; so that there never would be any occasion for real wars among nations.  But observe that living creatures that are noxious to man are the least teeming, and that the most useful multiply most.  There are, beyond comparison, more oxen and sheep killed than bears or wolves; and nevertheless the number of bears and wolves is infinitely less than that of oxen and sheep still on earth.  Observe likewise, with Cicero, that the females of every species have a number of teats proportioned to that of the young ones they generally bring forth.  The more young they bear, with the more milk-springs has nature supplied them, to suckle them.

While sheep let their wool grow for our use, silk-worms, in emulation with each other, spin rich stuffs and spend themselves to bestow them upon us.  They make of their cod a kind of tomb, and shutting up themselves in their own work, they are new-born under another figure, in order to perpetuate themselves.  On the other hand, the bees carefully suck and gather the juice of odorous and fragrant flowers, in order to make their honey; and range it in such an order as may serve for a pattern to men.  Several insects are transformed, sometimes into flies, sometimes into worms, or maggots.  If one should think such insects useless, let him consider that what makes a part of the great spectacle of the universe, and contributes to its variety, is not altogether useless to sedate and contemplative men.  What can be more noble, and more magnificent, than that great number of commonwealths of living creatures so well governed, and every species of which has a different frame from the other?  Everything shows how much the skill and workmanship of the artificer surpasses the vile matter he has worked upon.  Every living creature, nay even gnats, appear wonderful to me.  If one finds them troublesome, he ought to consider that it is necessary that some anxiety and pain be mixed with man’s conveniences:  for if nothing should moderate his pleasures, and exercise his patience, he would either grow soft and effeminate, or forget himself.