PLEASURES OF SCIENCE. 47 



idea of the great thing's for which Providence has fitted his understand 

 ing', the extraordinary disproportion which there is between his natural 

 strength and the powers of his mind, and the force which he derives 

 from those powers. When we survey the marvellous truths of Astro- 

 nomy, we are first of all lost in the feeling- of immense space, and 

 of the comparative insignificance of this globe and its inhabitants. But 

 there seon arises a sense of gratification and of new wonder at per- 

 ceiving how so insignificant a creature has been able to reach such a 

 knowledge of the unbounded system of the universe to penetrate, as 

 it were, through all space, and become familiar with the laws of nature 

 at distances so enormous as baffle our imagination to be able to say, 

 not merely that the Sun has 329,630 times the quantity of matter 

 which our globe has, Jupiter 308 T ^-, and Saturn 93^ times ; but that 

 a pound of lead weighs at the Sun 22 Ibs. 15 ozs. 16 dwts. 8 grs. and 

 J of a grain; at Jupiter 2 Ibs. 1 oz. 19 dwts. 1 gr. -|& ; and at Saturn 

 1 Ib. 3 ozs. 8 dwts. 20 grs. -fa part of a grain ; and what is far more 

 wonderful, to discover the laws by which the whole of this vast system 

 is held together and maintained through countless ages in perfect 

 security and order. It is surely no mean reward of our labour to 

 become acquainted with the prodigious genius of those who have 

 almost exalted the nature of man above its destined sphere; and, 

 admitted to a fellowship with those loftier minds, to know how it 

 comes to pass that by universal consent they hold a station apart, rising 

 over all the Great Teachers of mankind, and spoken of reverently, 

 as if NEWTON and LAPLACE were not the names of mortal men. 



The highest of all our gratifications in the contemplations of science 

 remains : we are raised by them to an understanding of the infinite 

 wisdom and goodness which the Creator has displayed in all his 

 works. Not a step can we take in any direction without perceiving 

 the most extraordinary traces of design ; and the skill every where con- 

 spicuous is calculated in so vast a proportion of instances to promote 

 the happiness of living creatures, and especially of ourselves, that we 

 can feel no hesitation in concluding, that if we knew the whole scheme 

 of Providence, every part would be in harmony with a plan of absolute 

 benevolence. Independently, however, of this most consoling inference, 

 the delight is inexpressible of being able to follow, as it were, with our 

 eyes, the marvellous works of the Great Architect of Nature, to trace 

 the unbounded power and exquisite skill which are exhibited in the most 

 minute, as well as the mightiest parts of his system. The pleasure 

 derived from this study is unceasing, and so various, that it never tires 

 the appetite. But it is unlike the low gratifications of sense in another 

 respect : it elevates and refines our nature, while those hurt the health, 

 debase the understanding, and corrupt the feelings ; it teaches us to 

 look upon all earthly objects as insignificant, and below our notice, 

 except the pursuit of knowledge and the cultivation of virtue that is 

 to say, the strict performance of our duty in every relation of society; 

 and it gives a dignity and importance to the enjoyment of life, which 

 the frivolous and the grovelling cannot even comprehend. 



Let us, then, conclude, that the pleasures of Science go hand in hanJ 



