256 
THE GOODNESS OF THE DEITY. 
the mercy of God, and with devout aspirations towards his 
eternal and ever increasing favor.” 
What is seen in different stages of the same life, is still 
more exemplified in the lives'of different animals. Animal 
enjoyments are infinitely diversified. The modes of life to 
which the organization of different animals respectively de¬ 
termines them, are not only of various but of opposite kinds. 
Yet each is happy in its own. For instance; animals of 
prey live much alone; animals of a milder constitution, in 
society. Yet the herring, which lives in shoals, and the 
sheep, which live in flocks, are not more happy in a crowd, 
or more contented amongst their companions, than is the 
pike, or the lion, with the deep solitudes of the pool, or the 
forest. 
But it will be said, that the instances which we have here 
brought forward, whether of vivacity or repose, or of appa¬ 
rent enjoyment derived from either, are picked and favor¬ 
able instances. We answer, first, that they are instances, 
nevertheless, which comprise large provinces of sensitive 
existence; that every case which we have described, is the 
case of millions. At this moment, in every given moment 
of time, how many myriads of animals are eating their 
food, gratifying their appetites, ruminating in their holes, 
accomplishing their wishes, pursuing their pleasures, taking 
their pastimes! In each individual, how many things must 
go right for it to be at ease; yet how large a proportion out 
of every species is so in every assignable instant! Sec¬ 
ondly, we contend, in the terms of our original proposition, 
that throughout the whole of life, as it is diffused in nature, 
and as far as we are acquainted with it, looking to the 
average of sensations, the plurality and the preponderancy 
is in favor of happiness by a vast excess. In our own 
species, in which perhaps the assertion may be more ques¬ 
tionable than in any other, the prepollency of good over 
evil, of health, for example, and ease, over pain and dis¬ 
tress, is evinced by the very notice which calamities excite. 
What inquiries does the sickness of our friends produce! 
What conversation their misfortunes! This shows that the 
common course of things is in favor of happiness; that 
happiness is the rule, misery the exception. Were the 
order reversed, our attention would be called to examples 
of health and competency, instead of disease and want. 
One great cause of our insensibility to the goodness of 
the Creator, is the very extensiveness of his bounty. We 
prize but little what we share only in common with the rest, 
or with the generality of our species. When we hear of 
