STUDY VII. 145 



" if he carries none home, he is beaten feverely; 

 " when he happens to have got a litrle, and is car- 

 *' rying it off, the Swifs at the park-gate takes it 

 *' from him, and appHes it to his own ufe. He is 

 *' half dead with hunger, and we have given him 

 *' our breakfaft." Having thus fpoken, flie and 

 her companion filled the little bafket ; helped 

 him up with it on his back, and run away before 

 their unhappy friend to the gate of the park, to 

 fee if he could pafs unmoleHed. 



Foolifh Inftrudlors ! Human nature, you tell us, 

 is corrupted : yes, but you are the perfons who cor- 

 rupt it by contradidions, by unprofitable ftudies, 

 by dangerous ambition, by fhameful chaftifements : 

 and by an equitable re-a6tion of divine Juftice, 

 that feeble and unfortunate generation will one day 

 give back to that which opprefles it, in jealoufies, 

 in difputes, in apathies, and in oppofitions of taftes, 

 of modes, and of opinions, all the mifchief which 

 it firft received. 



I have explained, to the beft of my ability, the 

 caufes, and the re-adions of our evils, in the view 

 of vindicating Nature from the charge of having 

 produced them. I propofe, at the clofe of this 

 Work, to exhibit the palliatives and the remedies. 

 They will, no doubt, prove vain and inefficient 

 fpeculations : but if fome Miniiler ihali have the 



VOL, II. L courage. 



