ORIGINATION OF THINGS 349 



better standard could be set up than the very law of 

 justice which declares that each should participate in the 

 perfection of the universe and in a happiness of his own 

 in proportion to his own virtue and to the degree in which 

 his will has regard to the common good ; and by this is 

 fulfilled that which we call charity and the love of God, 

 in which alone, in the opinion of wise theologians, consists 

 the force and power even of the Christian religion 38 . Nor 

 ought it to appear wonderful that so great a place should 

 be given to minds in the universe, since they most closely 

 resemble the image of the Supreme Author ; they are 

 related to Him, not (like other things) as machines to 

 their constructor, but as citizens to their prince ; they 

 are to last as long as the universe itself, and in a manner 

 they express and concentrate the whole in themselves, so 

 that it may be said that minds are whole parts [paries 



totalesY 9 - 



But as to the special question of the afflictions of good 

 men, it is to be held as certain that these afflictions have 

 as their result the greater good of those who are afflicted, 

 and this is true not only theologically but also naturally 

 [physice], as the grain cast into the earth suffers before it 

 bears fruit. And in general it may be said that afflictions 

 are for the time evil but in the end good, since they are 

 short ways to greater perfection. So in physics, liquids 

 which ferment slowly take also a longer time to purify, 



agreement, no new action being required to produce our agree- 

 ment, beyond the resolve which each of us has made. Now if the 

 human race and even the smallest thing were not well governed, 

 the universe itself would not be well governed, for the whole 

 consists in its parts/ 



i8 Of. Pope, Essay on Man, Fourth Epistle, lines 327 sqq. Nature, 

 says Pope, connects 



'Man's greatest virtue with his greatest bliss. 



Self-love thus push'd to social, to divine, 



Gives thee to make thy neighbour's blessing thine. 



Happier as kinder, in whate'er degree 

 And height of bliss but height of charity. 

 39 See Introduction, Part ii. p. 31. 





