44 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



the fire was appliëdj they are on tiptoe to follow 

 him all over the World. William^ Duke of Nor- 

 mandy, as foon- as he had landed his troops on 

 England, fet fire to his own (hips, and the con- 

 queft of the kingdom was effeâied. 



But there are no ruins which excite in us fenti- 

 ments fo fublime, as the ruins of Nature produce. 

 They reprefent to us this vaft prifon of the Earth, 

 in which we are immuredj, fubjeél itfelf to dellruc^ 

 tion; and they detach us, at once, from ourpaffions 

 and prejudices^ as from a momentary and frivolous 

 theatrical exhibition. When Lifbon was deftroyed 

 by an earthquake, it's inhabitants, on making 

 their efcape from their houfes, embraced each 

 other ; high and low, frietids and enemies, Jews 

 and liiquifitors, known and unknown ; every one 

 fliarêd his clothing and provifions with ihofe who 

 had faved nothing. I have feen fomething fimilar 

 to this take place on board a fhip, on the point of 

 periOiing in a fl:orm. The firft efïeâ: of calamity, 

 fays a celebrated Writer, is to flrengthen the foul, 

 and the fécond is, to melt it down. It is becaufe the 

 firft emotion in Man, under the prefiure of cala- 

 mity, is to rife up toward the Deity ; and the fe^- 

 Gond, to fall back into phyfical wants. This laft 

 cfFetft is that of refledlion ; but the moral and fu- 

 blime fentiment, almoft always, takes pofTeffion of 

 the heartj a^ fight of a magnificent deftrudion. 



Ruvu 



