CONSTITUENTS OF THE UNIVERSE. 



So-Called First Cause. 



fHE theory of design appears to have a sort 

 of substitute or competitor in the field 

 called "First Cause," or another great 

 unknown instigator of the universe, that of 

 course never was instigated. 



Design, as has been said, is merely planning. 

 Simply the work of the brain. It implies no 

 other effort. No so-called force, such as is 

 supposed by its adherents to move worlds, 

 even when it does nothing of the sort. 



Now, if there is such a thing as a cause, it 

 implies effort or action, always as great or 

 greater than the eifect produced. A first 

 cause then, would logically have to be as great 

 or greater than all future effects. It would be 

 emphatically a contract of the first magnitude 

 to make and keep the unknown millions of 

 systems in the universe in such tremendous 

 motion forever. 



It is far more difficult to form a rational 

 conception of such meaningless trash as the 



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