122 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



or with turning it into ridicule, without either af- 

 figning the principal caufes, or indicating the re- 

 medies : much lefs fliall I aft the part of our mo- 

 dern Politicians, who foment vice, in order to 

 make a gain of it. I am vain enough to hope, 

 that this laft Sludy, which has been a mod agreeable 

 one to myfclf, will exhibit fome views, which may 

 be rendered highly beneficial to my Country. 



The rich and the great imagine, that every one 

 is miferable, and out of the World, who does not 

 live as they do ; but they are the perfons who, 

 living far from Nature, live out of the World. 

 They would find thee, O eternal Beauty ! always 

 ancient, and always new * ; O life, pure and blifs- 

 ful, of all thofe who truly live, if they fought 

 thee only within themfelves ! Wert thou a fleril 

 mafs of gold, or a viélorious Prince, who fhall not 

 be alive to-morrow, or fome attracftive and deceit- 

 ful female, they would perceive thee, and afcribe 

 to thee the power of conferring fome pleafure 

 upon them. Thy vain nature would employ their 

 vanity. Thou wouldft be an objeft proportioned 

 to their timid and grovelling thoughts. But, be- 

 caufc thou art too much within themfelves, where 

 they never choofe to look, and too magnificent 

 externally, dilfufing thyfelf through infinite fpace, 



* St. Auguftin's City of God. 



thou 



