372 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



In the next place, I have refuted, in order, the 

 other objedions raifed on the fubjeâ: of the vege- 

 table and animal kingdoms, by demonftrating, 

 that thefe kingdoms were no more governed by 

 mechanical Laws than the foflîl kingdom is. J 

 have farther demonftrated, that the greateft part of 

 the ills which opprefs the human race, are to be 

 afcribed to the defeds of our political Inftitutions, 

 and not to thofe of Nature ; that Man is the only 

 Being who is abandoned to his own Providence, 

 as a punillmient for fome original tranfgreffion ; 

 but that the fame Deity who had given him up 

 to the diredion of his own intelligence, flill watch- 

 ed over his deftination ; that he caufed to recoil 

 on the Governors of the Nations the miferies with 

 which they overwhelm the little and the weak ; 

 and I have demonftrated the adion of a Divine 

 Providence from the very calamities of the Human 

 Race. Such is the fi^bjçd of my firft Part. 



In the opening of my fécond, I have attacked 

 the principles of our Sciences, by evincing, that 

 they miflead us, either by the boldnefs of thofe 

 fame principles, from whence they would foar up 

 to the nature of the elements which elude their 

 grafp, or, by the infufficiency of their methods, 

 which is capable of catching only one Law of Na- 

 ture at once, becaufe of the weaknefs of our un- 

 derftanding, and of the vanity infpired by our edu- 

 cation. 



