STUDY VIII. 



185 



Author, let us fuppofe an order of things con- 

 trary to that which galls us, and we (hall find a 

 multitude of confequences refulting from this hy- 

 pothefis, which would involve much greater evils 

 than thofe whereof we complain. We may em- 

 ploy the contrary method, when fome imaginary 

 plan of human perfeftion would attempt to feduce 

 us. We have but to fuppofe it's exiftence, in 

 order to fee innumerable abfurd confequences 

 fpring up out of it. This twofold method, em- 

 ployed frequently by Socrates, rendered him viâ:o- 

 rious over all the fophifts of his time, and may dill 

 be fuccefsfuUy employed to confute thofe of the age 

 in which we live. It is at once a rampart which de- 

 fends our feeble reafon, and a battery which levels 

 with the duft all the delufion of human opinions. 

 If you wifli to juftify the order of Nature, it is 

 fufficient to deviate from it ; and, in order to re- 

 fute all human fyftems, nothing more is neceffary 

 than to admit them. 



For example, complaints are made of death : 

 but if men were not to die, what would become of 

 their pofteriiy ? Long before now there would not 

 have been room for them on the face of the Earth. 

 Death, therefore, is a benefit. Men complain of 

 the necefîîty of labouring : but unlefs they labour- 

 ed, how could they pafs their time ? The reputedly 

 happy of the age, thofe who have nothing to do, 



arc 



