t. TO HAMPSTLAD. 5 



series of barren descriptions. The article 

 Man. was followed by others of a frivolous 

 or fabulous nature. I observed, besides, 

 that the most interesting objects were more 

 briefly passed over than that of the bees, and 

 other diminutive creatures. The perusal 

 of this work, however, first led me to reflect 

 on my own nature, and the relation in which 

 I stood to the different beings of the uni- 



D 



verse. 



From this moment my solitary rambles 

 more than ever interested me. At the ap- 

 pearance of the meadows enamelled with 

 flowers, of the dark aud extensive forests, 

 of the majestic Thames flowing through the 

 bosom of the valley, of the azure heavens 

 which gave animation to this spectacle, I 

 said to myself, " What is man ? wherefore 

 am I placed in this universe ? and what rank 

 do I hold in the midst of these sublime ob- 

 jects of nature f" 



Struck dumb by these important questions, 

 I perceived, that to answer them, it was 



B 3 



