STUDY VIII. 



I^ 



" hence ? It expands with the fenfes, and expires 

 " when they expire. What becomes of it in lleep, 

 " in a lethargy ? It is the illufion of pride to ima- 

 " gine that it is immortal : Nature univerfally 

 *' points to death, in his monuments, in his appe- 

 *' tites, in his loves, in his friendfl-iips : man is 

 " univerfally reduced to the neceffity of drawing 

 " a veil over this idea. In order to live lefs mi- 

 *' ferable, he ought to divert himfelf, that is, as 

 " the word literally imports, he ought to turn qfide 

 " from that difmal perfpeftive of woes which Na- 

 " ture is prefenting to him on every fide. To what 

 *♦ hopelefs labours has (he not fubjecfted his mife- 

 " rable life ? The beafts of the field are a thou- 

 ** fand times happier; clothed, lodged, fed by the 

 " hand of Nature, they give themfelves up with- 

 *' out folicitude to the indulgence of their paf- 

 *^ fions, and finifli their career without any pre-fen- 

 *^ timent of death, and without any fear of an 

 ^ hereafter. 



** If there be a GOD Vv'ho prefides over the dcf- 

 " tiny of all, he mufi: be inimical to the felicity of 

 *' the Human Race. What is it to me that the 

 *' Earth is clothed with vegetables, if I have not the , 

 *' fliade of a fmgle tree at my difpofal ? Of what 

 ** importance are to me the laws of harmony and 

 *' of love, which govern Nature, if I behold 

 " around me only objecls faithlefs and deceiving; 



L 4 *' or 



