STUDY XH. 45 



Ruins of Nature. 



When the prédirions of the approaching diffb- 

 lution of the World fpread over Europe, fome 

 ages ago, a very great number of perfons divefted 

 themfelves of their property j and there is no rea- 

 fon to doubt, that the very fame thing would hap- 

 pen at this day, fhould fimilar opinions be propa- 

 gated with effed. But fuch fudden and total ruins 

 are not to be apprehended in the infinitely fage 

 plans of Nature : under them nothing is deftroyed, 

 but what is by them repaired. 



The apparent ruins of the Globe, fuch as the 

 rocks which roughen it's furface in fo many places, 

 have their utility. Rocks have the appearance of 

 ruins in our eyes, only becaufe they are neither 

 fquare nor poliflied, like the ftones of our monu- 

 ments ; but their anfraduofities are neceffary to 

 the vegetables and animals which are deftined to 

 find in them iiourifliment and (belter. It is only 

 for beings vegetative and fenfitive, that Nature 

 has created the foffil kingdom ; and as foon as 

 Man has raifed ufelefs mafles out of it, to thefe 

 objefts, on the furface of the Earth, fhe haftens to 

 apply her chifel to them, in order to employ them 

 in the general harmony. 



If 



