39 2 STUDIES OF NATCJKE. 



confers immortality on the men of genius who 

 difcover to us, in Nature, new relations of intel- 

 ligence. 



When thefe two fentiments happen to crofs 

 e.ich other, that is, when we attach the divine in- 

 ftincr. to perifhable objects, and the animal inftinc^ 

 to things divine, our life becomes agitated by con- 

 tradictory paffions. This is the caufe of thofe in- 

 numerable frivolous hopes and fears with which 

 men are tormented. My fortune is made, fays 

 one, I have enough to laft me for ever ; and to- 

 morrow he drops into the grave. How wretched 

 ami! fays another, I am undone for ever; and 

 death is at the door to deliver him from all his 

 •woes. We are bound down to life, faid Michael 

 Montaigne^ by the mereft toys ; by a glafs : yes, 

 and wherefore? Becaufe the fentiment of immor- 

 tality is imprefTed on that glafs. If life and death 

 frequently appear infupportable to men, it is be- 

 caufe they affociate the fentiment of their end with 

 that of death, and the fentiment of infinity with 

 that of life. Mortals, if you wifli to live happy, 

 and to die in compofure, do not let your Laws 

 offer violence to thofe of Nature. Confider, that, 

 at death, all the troubles of the animal come to a 

 period ; the cravings of the body-, difeafes, perfe- 

 ctions, calumnies, flavery of every kind, the rude 

 combats of a man's paffions with himfelf, and witl> 



others. 



