8 



the half informed mind can scarcely avoid being 

 occasionally involved in difficulty, and harrassed 

 with doubts ; but when rightly understood, it af- 

 fords the most surprising and beautiful displays 

 of an all-pervading goodness and wisdom. It 

 may be impossible for unassisted reason to un- 

 derstand why evil should be permitted to exist 

 in any form, under the administration of a Cre- 

 ator and Governor of infinite perfection ; but 

 that it does exist is undeniable. Adopting, 

 therefore, the fact, and resting its histoiy on 

 the declarations of revelation, where the only 

 satisfactory explanations of it are afforded, what 

 remains for the philosopher is to exhibit the 

 amazing contrivances which Divine wisdom has 

 adopted for mitigating inherent defects, and con- 

 verting them into blessings. 



We have thus seen that the love of external 

 nature is a principle, for wise and evident rea- 

 sons, implanted within us ; and, looking abroad, 

 over the vast and various nations that inhabit the 

 different regions of the globe, we find that men 

 of all ages, wherever they be placed, and by 

 whatever government they are ruled, loving and 

 venerating external nature. If we revert to the 

 bright and golden ages of antiquity, man pre- 

 sents himself to our view as surveying, with the 

 delight and wonder of a curious child, the scenes 

 by which he is surrounded the stern and soli- 

 tary mountain the lonely and untrodden wil- 

 derness the foaming cataract and the desolate 

 shores of ocean ; as astonished and overwhelmed 



