'■fr ?] 
INTRODUCTION. 
, when he enters the world, is naturally led to enquire 
''ho he is; whence he comes; whither he is going; for what 
He he is created ; and by whofe benevolence he is preferved. 
to a 1^' himfelf defcended from the remoteft creation; journeying 
to perfedlion and happinefs ; and led by his endowments 
'jonternplation of the works of nature. 
°’^her animals who enjoy life, fenfation, and perception ; who 
food, amufements, and refl, and w^ho prepare habitations 
for their kind, he is curious and inquifitivc ; but, above 
animals, he is noble in his nature, in as much as, by the 
^ of his mind, he is able to reafon juftly upon whatever dif- 
® "felf to his fenfes ; and to look, with reverence and wonder, 
the works of Him who created all things. 
. cxiftence is furely contemptible, which regards only the 
'Nation of inftindtive wants, and the prefervation of a body 
look f ° It is therefore thebufinefs of a thinking being, to 
the ^he purpofes of all things; and to remember that 
^nd of creation is, that God may be glorified in all his works, 
ence it is of importance that we fliould ftudy the works of 
< . which, what can be more ufeful, tvhat more intereft- 
view however large a portion of them lies open to our prefent 
’ a Hill greater part is yet unknown and undifcovered, 
1 things are not within the immediate reach of human capacity, 
us made known to us, of which thofe who went before 
ignorant ; many we have heard of, but know not what they 
and many muft remain for the diligence of future ages, 
is the exclufive property of man, to contemplate and to reafon 
^ great book of nature. She gradually unfolds herfelf to him, 
"ith patience and perfeverance, will fearch into her mifteries ; 
"hen the memory of the prefent and of paft generations Ihall 
j^^^^'^jrely obliterated, he Ihall enjoy the high privilege of living in 
minds of his fuccelTors, as he has been advanced in the dignity 
® nature, by the labours of thofe who went before him. 
Vol. • The 
