1 60 A HISTORY OF 



But not only provisions of heat and light are thus supplied, but its 

 tvholn surface is covered with a transparent atmosphere, that turns 

 with its motion, and guards it from external injury. The rays of the 

 sun are thus broken into a genial warmth; and, while the surface \s 

 assisted, a gentle heat is produced in the bowels of the earth, which 

 contributes to cover it with verdure. Waters also are supplied in 

 healthful abundance, to support life, and assist vegetation. Mountains 

 arise, to diversify the prospect, and give a current to the stream. Seas 

 extend from one continent to the other, replenished with animals, that, 

 may be turned to human support; and also serving to enrich the earth 

 with a sufficiency of vapour. Breezes fly along the surface of the 

 fields, to promote health and vegetation. The coolness of the even- 

 ing invites to rest, and the freshness of the morning renews for labour. 



Such are the delights of the habitation that has been assigned to 

 man ! Without any one of these, he must have been wretched ; and 

 none of these could his own industry have supplied. But while many 

 of his wants are thus kindly furnished on the one hand, there are 

 numberless inconveniences to excite his industry on the other. This 

 habitation, though provided with all the conveniences of air, pasturage, 

 and water, is but a desert place, without human cultivation. The 

 lowest animal finds more conveniences in the wilds of nature, than 

 he who boasts himself their lord. The whirlwind, the inundation, 

 and all the asperities of the air, are peculiarly terrible to man, who 

 knows their consequences, and, at a distance, dreads their approach. 

 The earth itself, where human art has not pervaded, puts on a fright 

 ful gloomy appearance. The forests are dark and tangled ; the mea- 

 dows overgrown with rank weeds ; and the brooks Stray without a 

 determined channel. Nature, that has been kind to every lower or- 

 der of beings, has been quite neglectful with regard to him ; to the 

 savage uncontriving man the earth is an abode of desolation, where 

 his shelter is insufficient, and his food precarious. 



A world thus furnished with advantages on one side, and inconve- 

 niences on the other, is the proper abode of reason ; is the fittest to 

 exercise the industry of a free and a thinking creature. These evils, 

 which art can remedy, and prescience guard against, are a proper call 

 for the exertion of his faculties ; and they tend still more to assimi- 

 late him to his Creator. God beholds, with pleasure, that being which 

 he has made, converting the wretchedness of his natural situation into 

 a theatre of triumph ; bringing all the headlong tribes of nature into 

 subjection to his will ; and producing that order and uniformity upon 

 uarth, of which hi* own heavenly fabric is so bright an example. 



