3. For not being beautiful this world should not be blamed; neither
for not being the best of corporeal worlds; nor should the Cause,
from which it derives its existence, be accused. To begin with,
this world exists necessarily. It is not the work of a reflecting
determination. It exists because a superior Being naturally begets it
in His own likeness. Even if its creation were the result of reflective
determination, it could not shame its author; for the divinity made the
universe beautiful, complete and harmonious. Between the greater and
lesser parts He introduced a fortunate accord. A person who would blame
the totality of the world from consideration of its parts is therefore
unjust. He should examine the parts in their relation to the totality,
and see whether they be in accord and in harmony with it. Then the
study of the whole should continue down to that of the least details.
Otherwise criticism does not apply to the world as a whole, but only
to some of its parts. For instance, we well know how admirable, as
a whole, is man; yet we grant that there would be justification for
criticism of a separate hair, or toe, or some of the vilest animals, or
Thersites, as a specimen of humanity.