STUDY IX. 233 



" whether they entertained the hope of fome time 

 <* or other reducing to pradice what they taught, 

 " as perfons inftruded in any art, have it in their 

 " power to exercife it at pleafure, either for their 

 *' own private emohiment, or for the benefit of 

 " their friends ; and whether they likewife ima- 

 " gined, after they had difcovcred the caufes of 

 »' every thing that comes to pafs, that they fliould 

 ** be able to difpenfe winds and rains, and difpofe 

 " of times and feafons, in fubferviency to their 

 ** neceffities ; or if they fatisfied themfelves with 

 <* the bare knowledge of thofe things, without any 

 " expedation of advantage from them." 



Not that Socrates WHS unacquainted with Nature, 

 for he had ftudied her thoroughly ; but he had 

 relinquiflied the inveftigation of the caufes, en- 

 tirely in the view of rifmg into admiration at the 

 refults. No one ever had collected more obferva- 

 tions on this fubjed than he had done. He made 

 frequent ufe of thefe in his converfations on the 

 divine Providence. 



Nature prefents to us, on every fide, nothing 

 but harmonies, and adaptations to our neceflTities ; 

 and we will obfl:inately perfifl; in vain efforts to 

 trace her up to the caufes which fhe employs; as 

 if we meant to extort from her the fecrets of her 

 power. We do not fo much as know the mod 



common 



