NATURE AS A TEACHER. 507 



forms a series of object lessons to students of every 

 age and nationality. 



These views have absolutely no claim to admiration 

 or attention on the score of novelty. From time imme- 

 morial the same thoughts have been present to men's 

 minds, and from time to time a few have published 

 their opinions on the subject for the benefit of pos- 

 terity. Somewhat more than a century ago, for instance, 

 Thomas Paine wrote as follows about it. We quote 

 selections from his remarks, not at all because we 

 agree with the " advanced" opinions of the author of 

 " The Age of Reason" (except in so far as we have 

 quoted from them), but because his words descending 

 to us from a former age still appear to be deserving 

 of repetition long after their writer has passed out 

 of public recollection. Great words very often survive 

 the reputations of those that wrote them ; and so may 

 it always be. 



"This is the word" (says Paine, speaking of the Great 

 Book of Nature) " which no human invention can counterfeit 

 or alter, that is speaking universally to man. The Creation 

 speaketh an universal language, independently of human speech. 

 It cannot be forged ; it cannot be lost ; it publishes itself from 

 one end of the earth to another; it preaches to all Nations, 

 and to all worlds." * "The Almighty lecturer by displaying 

 the principles of science in the structure of the Universe, 

 has invited man to study and imitation, f And, he goes 

 on to say (with respect to a question which is still agitating 

 men's minds) "since no part of our earth is left unoccupied, 

 why is it to be supposed that the immensity of space is a 

 naked void, lying in eternal waste ? " The creation which 



* The Age of Reason, by Thomas Paine, Pamphlet published in 

 Paris 1794, Part i., pp. 22 and 23. 

 f Ibid., p. 30. 

 Ibid., p. 41. 



