1 00 NATURAL THEOLOGY. 



of sensation, to hope, to ardour of pursuit, suc- 

 ceeds, 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 vigour of youth was to be stimu- 

 lated to action by impatience of rest ; whilst to the 

 imbecility of age, quietness and repose become 

 positive gratifications. In one important respect 

 the advantage is with the old. A state of ease is, 

 generally speaking, more attainable 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 often- 

 times renders old age a condition of great comfort ; 

 especially when riding at its anchor after a busy 

 or tempestuous life. It is well described by Rous- 

 seau, to be the interval of repose and enjoyment 

 between the hurry and the end of hfe. How far the 

 same cause extends to other animal natures can- 

 not be judged of with certainty. The appearance 

 of satisfaction with which most animals, as their 

 activity subsides, seek and enjoy rest, affords rea- 

 son to believe, that this source of gratification is 

 appointed to advanced life, under all, or most, of 

 its various forms. In the species with which we 

 are best acquainted, namely our own, I am far, 

 even as an observer of human life, from thinking 



