PAROOES EP FB CR Re 
the latter Rain, by intercepting feveral Clouds, and watry Vapours, that: 
would otherwife fly over us. 
It is from the Sides of thefeHills and Mountains that the living Streams. 
defcend, fo grateful and refrefhing to Men and Beafts in hot Climates. It 
is likewife to their friendly Shades, that we owe the Growth of feveral 
valuable Plants, whofe delicate Texture could not bear the long-continued 
piercing Rays of the Sun. 
But, among other providential Bleflings, the Conftancy of the Trade- 
Winds is not the leaft valuable: Without this, all other Conveniencies, 
fuch as Pleafantnefs of Situation, Richnefs of Soil, and feafonable Weather, 
would be of no Service; fince the Return of each Day, now, by the 
Breezes of this Wind, made cool and grateful, would, without this pro- 
vidential Allotment, be infufferable through Heat: The tender Plant 
would lofe its grateful Verdure, fade, wither, and die, 
It may perhaps te {aid by fome Readers, that thefe, and fuch Re- 
fleGtions, are too often interfperfed through the following Work ; and 
that it would be fufficient barely to treat of the Nature and Qualities of 
the Subjects in a Philofophical Light, without drawing any Conclufions 
from them, though they evidently point out the Wifdom, Power, and 
Goodnefs of God, in the Make, N ature, and Ufe of each Individual, 
The Anfwer to fuch is eafy: That the original and true Ufe of Philos 
fophy was to render Mankind good as well as learned ; by raifing their 
Thoughts from Things vifible, to the invifible Author of all Perfeétion, 
Shall Galen, a Heathen Philofopher, break out into Raptures of Admi- 
ration, upon the Difcovery of fo many Marks of infinite Wifdom in the 
Formation of the Eye? And, thall Chriftians be blamed for taking notice 
of fuch Inftances of God’s Wifdom in other Parts of the Creation ? 
Philofophy, when rightly applied, is of great Ufe, even in a religious 
View : It was this that taught Pythagoras Integrity of Manners, and Au- 
fterity of Life. 
This made Empedocles prefer a quiet private Life to the Splendor of a 
Crown, with all its lucrative Advantages. 
This taught Socrates to die as free from Haughtinefs as Weaknefs; “and 
“ the moft beautiful Lineaments, in the Chara@er of Cato, are owing to’ 
** this excellent Science.” 
Here the great Bacon experienced more exalted Pleafures than in the 
Sunfhine of a Court. It was this that not only corrected the paft Inad- 
vertencies of his Life, unto which an infatuated Attachment to Grandeur 
had mifled him, but likewife recalled his great Talents from meaner Pur- 
fuits to their proper Objeéts ---To explore the hidden Secrets of Nature : 
And, by making Experience and Reafon go hand in hand, he not only 
a exploded 
