278 VESTIGES OF THE 



hlind come to have a sense of touch much more acute 

 than those who see. Persons born without hands have 

 been known to acquh^e a power of usmg their feet for a 

 number of the principal offices usually served by that 

 member. I need hardly say how remarkably fatuity is 

 compensated by the more than usual regard paid to the 

 children born with it by their parents, and the zeal 

 which others usually feel to protect and succour such 

 persons. In short, we never see evil of any kind take 

 place where there is not some remedy or compensating 

 principle ready to interfere for its alleviation. And 

 there can be no doubt that in this manner suffering 

 of all kinds is very much relieved. 



We may, then, regard the globes of space as theatres 

 designed for the residence of animated sentient beings, 

 placed there with this as their first and most obvious 

 purpose — namel}^ to be sensible of enjoyments from the 

 exercise of their faculties in relation to external things. 

 The faculties of the various species are very different, 

 but the happiness of each depends on the harmony there 

 may be betw^een its particular faculties and its particular 

 circumstances. For instance, place the small-brained sheep 

 or ox in a good pasture, and it fully enjoys this har- 

 mony of relation ; but man, having many more faculties, 

 cannot be thus contented. Besides having a sufficiency 

 of food and bodily comfort, he must have entertainment 

 for his intellect, whatever be its grade, objects for the 

 domestic and social afTections, objects for the sentiments. 

 He is also a progressive being, and what pleases him to- 

 day may not please him to-morrow ; but, in each case he 

 demands a sphere of appropriate conditions in order to 

 be happy. By virtue of his superior organisation, his 

 enjoyments are much higher and more varied than those 

 of any of the lower animals; but the very complexity 



