254 
THE GOODNESS OP THE DEITY. 
cannot be doubted but that this is a state of gratification 
What else should fix them so close to the operation, and 
so long? Other species are running about, with an alacrity 
in their motions, which carries with it every mark of plea¬ 
sure. Large patches of ground are sometimes half covered 
with these brisk and sprightly natures. If we look to what 
the waters produce, shoals of the fry of fish frequent the 
margins of rivers, of lakes, and of the sea itself. These 
are so happy, that they know not what to do with themselves 
Their attitudes, their vivacity, their leaps out of the water, 
their frolics in it, (which I have noticed a thousand times 
with equal attention and amusement,) all conduce to show 
their excess of spirits, and are simply the effects of that 
excess. Walking by the seaside, in a calm evening, upon 
a sandy shore, and with an ebbing tide, I have frequently 
remarked the appearance of a dark cloud, or rather, very 
thick mist, hanging over the edge of the water, to the 
height, perhaps, of half a yard, and of the breadth of two 
or three yards, stretching along the coast as far as the eye 
could reach, and always retiring with the water. When 
this cloud came to be examined, it proved to be nothing 
else than so much space, filled with young shrimps, in the 
act of bounding into the air from the shallow margin of the 
water, or from the wet sand. If any motion of a mute ani¬ 
mal could express delight, it was this: if they had meant 
to make signs of their happiness, they could not have done 
it more intelligibly. Suppose then, what I have no doubt 
of, each individual of this number to be in a state of posi¬ 
tive enjoyment; what a sum, collectively, of gratification 
and pleasure have we here before our view! 
The young of all animals appear to me to receive pleas¬ 
ure simply from the exercise of their limbs and bodily fac¬ 
ulties, without reference to any end to be attained, or any 
use to be answered by the exertion. A child, without 
knowing anything of the use of language, is in a high de¬ 
gree delighted with being able to speak. Its incessant 
repetition of the few articulate sounds, or perhaps of the 
single word which it has learned to pronounce, proves this 
point clearly. Nor is it less pleased with its first success¬ 
ful endeavours to walk, or rather to run, (which precedes 
walking,) although entirely ignorant of the importance of 
the attainment to its future life, and even without apply? 
ing it to any present purpose. A child is delighted with 
speaking, without having anything to say; and with walk¬ 
ing, without knowing where to go. And, prior to both 
thesb, I am disposed to believe, that the waking hours of' 
