4" STUDIES OF NATURE. 



the firft cafe, we change our copper into gold ; 

 and m the fécond, our gold into copper. 



Again, nothing can be lefs adapted, at the long- 

 run, to the ftudy of Naiure, than the reafjning 

 powers of Man ; for though they may catch here 

 and there fome natural conformities, they never 

 purfue the chain to any great length : befides, 

 there is a much o-reater number which the mind 

 does not perceive, becaufe it always brings back 

 every thing to itfelf, and to the little focial or fci- 

 entific order within which it is circumfcribed. 

 Thus, for example, if it takes a glitiipfe of the ce- 

 leftial fpheres, it will refer the formation of them 

 to the labour of a glafs-houfe ; and if it admits the 

 exiflence of a creating Power, it will reprefent him 

 as a mechanic out of employment, amufing himfelf 

 with making globes, merely to have the pleafure 

 of feeinsT them turn round. It will conclude, from 

 it's own diforder, that there is no fuch thing as 

 order in Nature ; from it's own immortality, that 

 there is no mortality. As it refers every thing to 

 it's own reafon, and feeing no reafjn for exifii- 

 ence, when it fhall be no longer on the Earth, it 

 thence concludes, that, in fad, it fliall not in that 

 cafe exift. To be confident, it ought equally to 

 conclude, on the fame principle, that it does not 

 exift nows for it certainly can difcover, neither in 



itfelf, 



