ON THE STUDY OP NATURE. 21 



sivc moral than has generally been supposed. And 

 the blind curiosity, which formerly was the princi- 

 pal motive in making collections and studying the 

 science, is now giving way to more noble and more 

 estimable ideas ; and there are yet, " in the instruc- 

 tive book of Nature, many leaves, which hitherto no 

 jnortal has perused *." 



It is evident that the general tendency of the 

 Study is to lead us from the admiration of the works, 

 to the contemplation of their Author ; to tedch as 

 to look, through Nature, up to Nature's God. It 

 is a study which terminates in the conviction, the 

 knowledge and the adoration of that Being, to whom 

 we owe every thing that we enjoy. 



When Mr. Mungo Park, in the wilds of Africa, 

 had been plundered by a banditti, neiirly of all he 

 possessed, we find of what material use his contem- 

 plations were to him, on a subject, that to many 

 persons would appear extremely insiu,niiicc:nt. 

 <' Whichever way I turned," says he, " I saw my- 

 self in the midst of a vast wilderness, in the depth 

 of the rainy season ; naked and alone : sui rounded 

 by savage animals, and by Men still more savage. 

 I was five hundred miles from any European settle- 

 ment. All these circumstances crowded at Once on 

 my recollection ; and I confess tliat my spirits be- 

 gan to fail me. I considered mv flite as cer'Lin, 

 and that I had no alternative but to lie down and 

 perish. The influence of religion, however, aided 

 and supported me. I retkcted that no human 

 1" I . ■ " 



* Pontoppidan, Picf. p. 1. 

 C3 



