Lowest things, as was stated above, are each and all things of the mineral kingdom which are matters of various kinds, of a stony, saline, oily, mineral or metallic substance covered over with soil from vegetable and animal matters broken up into the most minute tilth. In these lie concealed both the end and the beginning of all uses which are derived from life. The end of all uses is the endeavour to produce uses, the beginning is the force acting from that endeavour. These belong to the mineral kingdom.

Middle things are each and all things of the vegetable kingdom, which are grasses and herbs of every kind, plants and shrubs of every kind and trees of every kind. The uses of these are for each and all things of the animal kingdom, both imperfect and perfect. These they nourish, delight and vivify. They nourish their bodies with their own matters, delight their senses with taste, fragrance and beauty, and enliven their affections. The endeavour towards this is also in these from life.

First things are each and all things of the animal kingdom. The lowest there are called worms and insects, the middle are birds and beasts, and the highest, men. For in each kingdom are the lowest, the middle and highest, the lowest for the use of the middle, and the middle for the use of the highest. Thus the uses of all created things ascend in order from lowest things to man who is first in order.