2l6 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



maxims, fentences, adages, which are inceffantly 

 contradiéling themfelves. It is one of our maxims, 

 that a man of genius catches every thing at a 

 glance, and executes all by one fingle Law. For 

 my own part, I confider this fublime method of ob- 

 ferving and executing, as one of the ftrongeft proofs 

 of the vveaknefs of the human mind. Man never 

 can proceed with confidence but in one fingle 

 path. As foon as a variety prefent themfelves, he 

 becomes perplexed, and goes afl:ray ; he is at a lofs 

 to afcertain which he ought to purfue : that he 

 may make fure of not deviating, he admits only 

 one to be right ; and, once engaged, right or 

 wrong, pride fhimulates him forward. The Au- 

 thor of Nature, on the contrary, embracing in 

 his infinite intelligence, all the fpheres of all beings, 

 proceeds to their produdionby Laws as various as 

 his own inexhauftible conceptions, in order to the 

 attainment of one fingle end, which is their gene- 

 ral good. Whatever contempt Philofophers may 

 exprefs for final caufes, they are the only caufes 

 which he permits us to know. All the reft He is 

 pleafed to conceal from us ; and it is well worthy 

 of being remarked, that the only end which He 

 difclofes to our underftanding, is alfo the fame 

 with that which he propofes to our virtues. 



One of our moft ordinary methods, when we 

 catch fome effed in Nature, is to dwell upon it, 



at 



