210 CONCLUSION. 



of every species is so in every assignable instant. 

 In our own species, the preponderance of good over 

 evil, of health, for example, and ease, over pain and 

 distress, is evinced by the very notice which calami- 

 ties excite. What inquiries does the sickness of our 

 friends produce ? What conversation their misfortunes ? 

 This shows that the common course of things is in fa- 

 vor of happiness ; that happiness is the rule — misery 

 the exception. Were the order reversed, our atten- 

 tion would be called to examples of health and com- 

 petency, instead of disease and want. One great 

 cause of our insensibility to the goodness of the Crea- 

 tor is the very extensiveness of his bounty." 



T. Do we discover any arrangement of Provi- 

 dence that seems intended for the production of mere 

 pain or unhappiness ? 



A. No one, it is believed, will profess to be ac- 

 quainted with such an instance. Evil, as such, never 

 appears an end in any thing in nature, with which we 

 are acquainted. In describing a particular tool you 

 would hardly say, this is made to cut the mechanic's 

 hand ; though from inattention in the use of it, this 

 mischief may often occur. " But if one had occasion 

 to describe instruments of torture, he would say, this 

 engine is to extend the sinews ; this to dislocate the 

 joints ; this to break the bones ; this to scorch the 

 soles of the feet. Here pain and misery are the very 

 objects of contrivance. Now, nothing of this sort is 

 ever to be found in the works of nature. We never dis- 

 cover a train of contrivance to bring about an evil pur- 

 pose. No anatomist ever discovered a train of organi- 



