62 NATURAL THEOLOGY, 



culty in the execution, into which imperfection 

 and difficulty the matter of complaint may be re- 

 solved ; or, if we cannot do this, we must adduce 

 such specimens of consummate art and contrivance 

 proceeding from the same hand as may convince 

 the inquirer of the existence, in the case before 

 him, of impediments like those which we have 

 mentioned, although, what from the nature of 

 the case is very hkely to happen, they be unknown 

 and unperceived by him. This we must do in 

 order to vindicate the artist's skill, or at least the 

 perfection of it ; as w^e must also judge of his in- 

 tention, and of the provisions employed in fulfilling 

 that intention, not from an instance in which they 

 fail, but from the great plurality of instances in 

 which they succeed. But, after all, tliese are dif- 

 ferent questions from the question of the artist's 

 existence ; or, which is the same, whether the 

 thing before us be a work of art or not ; and the 

 questions ought always to be kept separate in the 

 mind. So likewise it is in the works of nature. 

 Irregularities and imperfections are of little or no 

 weight in the consideration, when that considera- 

 tion relates simply to the existence of a Creator, 

 When the argument respects his attributes, they 

 are of weight ; but are then to be taken in con- 

 junction (the attention is not to rest upon them, 

 but they are to be taken in conjunction) with the 

 unexceptionable evidences which we possess of 

 skill, power, and benevolence, displayed in other 

 instances ; which evidences may, in strength, num- 



