14 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



charaâiei'. How comes it, then, that when we 

 feel ourfelves ftanding in need of fupport, in fuch 

 unexpefled concuffions, we never exclaim, Ah, my 

 King I or, if Science were concerned, Ah, Newton! 



It is certain, that if the name of God be fre- 

 quently mentioned to us, in the progrefs of our 

 education, the idea of it is quickly effaced in the 

 ufual train of the affairs of this World ; why then 

 have we recourfe to it in extraordinary emergen- 

 cies ? This fentiment of Nature is common to all 

 Nations, many of whom give no theological in- 

 ftruftion to their children. I have remarked it in 

 the Negroes of the coaft of Guinea, of Madagaf- 

 car, of Cafrerie, and Mofambique, among the 

 Tartars, and the Indians of the Malabar coaft j 

 in a word, among men of every quarter of the 

 World. I never faw a lîngle one who, under the 

 extraordinary emotions of furprize or of admira- 

 tion, did not make, in his own language, the fame 

 exclamation which we do, and who did not lift up 

 his hands and his eyes to Heaven. 



Of the Marvellous. 



The fentiment of admiration is the fource of the 

 inftinft which men have, in every age, difcovered 

 for the marvellous. We are hunting after it con- 

 tinuai! v. 



