44 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



I faid, then, to myfelf : In the first part of 

 my Work, I will difplay the bleflings beflowed by 

 Nature, on the age in which we live ; and the ob- 

 jeftions which have been ftarted in it, againft the 

 Providence of it's Author. I will conceal no 

 one of thefe that I know of; and in order to give 

 them greater force, I will exhibit them in their 

 combination. I will employ, in refuting them, 

 not metaphyseal reafonings, like thofe of which 

 the objediions confift, and which never brought 

 any difpute to a termination, but the facts them- 

 felves of Nature, which admit of no reply. With 

 thefe fame fails, I will raife, in my turn, difficul- 

 ties which militate againft the principles of human 

 Science, and which have been deemed infallible. 

 I will from thence proceed to infer the feeblenefs 

 of our reafon ; 1 will enquire whether there be 

 univerfal truths, and what we are to underftand 

 by order, beauty, correfpondency, harmony, plea- 

 fure, happinefs, and their contraries ; and, finally, 

 what an organized body is. 



From this examination of our faculties, and of 

 the effects of Nature, will refult the evidence of 

 many phyfical laws, conftantly diredted to one 

 fmgle end, and that of a moral law, which afic(5ts 

 Man alone, and the fentiment of which has been 

 univerfal, in all ages, and among all Nations. 

 Thefe are neceffary preliminaries. Before we at- 



tempt 



