GENEKAL OBJECT OF THE WORK. 7 



rendered extremely difficult by the superabun- 

 dance of materials, as well as from the variety 

 of judgments for which these materials must be 

 prepared. Modern science may be regarded as 

 one vast miracle, whether we view it in relation 

 to the Almighty Being by whom its objects and 

 its laws were formed, or to the feeble intellect of 

 man, by which its depths have been sounded, and 

 its mysteries explored; and if the philosopher 

 who is familiarized with its wonders, and who 

 has studied them as necessary results of general 

 laws, never ceases to admire and adore their 

 Author, how great should be their effect upon 

 less gifted minds, who must ever view them in 

 the light of inexplicable prodigies ! Man has in 

 all ages sought for a sign from heaven, and yet 

 he has been habitually blind to the millions of 

 wonders with which he is surrounded. If the 

 following pages should contribute to abate this 

 deplorable indifference to all that is grand and 

 sublime in the universe, and if they should inspire 

 the reader with a portion of that euthusiasm of 

 love and gratitude which can alone prepare the 

 mind for its final triumph, the labours of the 

 author will not have been wholly fruitless. 



