244 LETTERS TO BROTHER JOHN. 



causes the horse in his meadow to curvet and 

 cabriole, and exult in his strength it is this feeling, 

 call it what you please, which teaches us that we 

 have rested enough, and that the time for action 

 has come. Drowsiness teaches us that we require 

 sleep : the internal sensation, whatever it be, which 

 awakens us, teaches us that we have slept enough. 

 But I need not multiply instances. The voice of 

 Nature is, in fact, never silent; for when we are 

 doing what she requires, in obedience to her laws, 

 and when, therefore, it is not necessary to warn us, 

 even then her encouraging voice is heard in the 

 pleasure which we feel. 



In the infancy of creation 



" When the world was in its prime ; 



When the fresh stars had just begun 

 Their race of glory ; and young Time 

 Told his first birthdays by the sun ;" 



while man was yet content to listen with respect 

 to the lessons of his parent Nature he regulated 

 his conduct solely by these instinctive laws. But 

 Refinement, with her harlot smile and syren voice, 

 stole upon his retirement, and he no longer heeded 

 the plain lessons of his simple teacher. The Appe- 

 tites and Passions usurped her throne ; and incon- 

 tinently set themselves to work, to alter, amend, and 



