29S NATUHAL THEOLOGY. 



has learnt to pronounce, proves this pomt clearly. Nor 113 

 it less pleased with its first successful endea.vors to walk, or 

 rather to run — which precedes walking — although entirel}'' 

 ignorant of the importance of the attainment to its future 

 life, and even without applying it to any present purpose, 

 A child is delighted with speaking, without having any thing 

 to say, and with walking, without knowing where to go. 

 And, prior to both these, I am disposed to believe that the 

 waldng hours of infancy are agreeably taken up with the 

 exercise of vision, or perhaps, more properly speaking, with 

 learning to see. 



But it is not for youth alone that the great Parent ol 

 creation has provided. Happiness is found with the purring 

 3at, no less than with the playful kitten — in the arm-chaii 

 of dozing age, as well as in either the sprightliness of the 

 dance, or the animation of. the chase. To novelty, to acute- 

 ness of sensation, to hope, to ardor of pursuit, succeeds what 

 is, in no inconsiderable degree, an equivalent for them all, 

 " perception of ease." Herein is the exact difference between 

 the young and the old. The young are not happy but when 

 enjoying pleasure ; the old are happy when free from pain. 

 And this constitution suits with the degrees of animal power 

 which they respectively possess. The vigor of youth was to 

 be stimulated to action by impatience of rest ; while, to the 

 imbecility of age, quietness and repose become positive grati- 

 fications. In one important respect, the advantage is with 

 the old. A state of ease is, generally speaking, more attain- 

 able than a state of pleasure. A constitution, therefore, 

 which can enjoy ease, is preferable to that which can taste 

 only pleasure. This same perception of ease oftentimes ren- 

 ders old-age a condition of great comfort ; especially when 

 riding at its anchor after a busy or tempestuous life. It is 

 well described by Rousseau, to be the interval of repose and 

 enjoyment between the hurry and the end of life. How fax 

 the same cause extends to other animal natures, cannot be 

 judged of with certainty. The appearance of satisfaction 



