Lesson XXXYI.] VOI.CANOS. 277 



" cued from earthquakes by the breaking forth of 

 " a new Volcano there j this continually discharg- 

 " ing that matter, which being till then barricaded 

 " up, and imprisoned in the bowels of the earth, 

 <{ was the occasion of very great and frequent ca- 

 " lamities." 



Let me then be permitted to observe in this 

 place, that though we cannot, in every case, see 

 the beneficent tendency of particular creatures and 

 things in the universe, we ought to attribute this 

 to our limited capacities ; and not arraign AL- 

 MIGHTY SOVEREIGNTY, as is the custom with too 

 many carping sciolists of the present day. How- 

 ever dreadful and destructive subterraneous fires 

 may appear : on proper reflection it may be in- 

 ferred, that they are as necessary in promoting and 

 sustaining the operations of this part of the uni- 

 verse, as the natural heat in men's bodies is to the 

 preservation and support of their being. 



As every body possesses inherently the princi- 

 ples of its own dissolution, it is by many wise and 

 learned men imagined that the general conflagra- 

 tion may at last be brought about by means of 

 these fires. Amongst the natural means of causing 

 it we are acquainted with, some persons embrace 

 the opinion here mentioned, whilst others are in- 

 clined to think the effect will be produced by co- 

 mets : but though finite creatures may conjecturfc 

 on this subject, it is most probable that it will ne- 

 ver be ascertained by mortals-. Such knowledge is 



J D 



not necessary for us ; and may be withheld for the 

 wisest and most beneficent reasons. 



LESSON 



