A N D D E A T H. 489 



fortunes, but as accompanied with the moft 

 excruciating tortures. The pain, it is faid, muft 

 be extreme when the foul feparates from the 

 body ; its duration may alfo be long, fince time 

 is meafured by the celerity of ideas ; and one 

 painful moment, by augmenting the rapidity of 

 our ideas, may have the appearance of an age, 

 when the train of ideas proceeds wnth their 

 ufual gentlenefs aud tranquillity. This rea- 

 foning is iuch an abufe of philofophy, that, 

 if it had no influence in increaling the mileries 

 of hum.an life, it merits nothing bur filence and 

 contempt. As fuch arguments, however, gain 

 credit with weak minds, and render the afpedt 

 of death a thoufand times more hideous than 

 it really is, a refutation of them may be attend- 

 ed with utility. 



When the foul is firft united to the body, do 

 we feel a joy that tranfports us ? No. This 

 union is efPedled without our perception ; why, 

 then fhould we be confcious of tlieir dlflolution? 

 What rcafon have we to believe that the fepara- 

 tion of the foul and body is attended with ex- 

 treme pain? What caufe fliould produce this 

 pain ? Does it refide in the foul or in the body ? 

 Pain of mind can only refult from thought ; and 

 pain of body is always proportioncdto itsftrength 

 or weaknefs. At the approach of natural death, 

 the body is in its wcakcll; ftate, and, of courfe, 

 it can feel but very little, if anv pain. 



Let 



