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THE GOODNESS OF THE DEITY. 
finiteness, in inanimate subjects, can never be a just sub¬ 
ject of complaint, because if it were ever so, it would be 
always so: we mean, that we can never reasonably de¬ 
mand that things should be larger or more, when the same 
demand might be made, whatever the quantity or number 
was. 
And to me it seems, that the sense of mankind has so 
far acquiesced in these reasons, as that we seldom complain 
of evils of this class, when we clearly perceive them to be 
such. What I have to add, therefore, is, that we ought not 
to complain of some other evils which stand upon the same 
foot of vindication as evils of confessed imperfection. We 
never complain, that the globe of our earth is too small; 
nor should we complain, if it were even much smaller. But 
where is the difference to us, between a less globe, and 
part of the present being uninhabitable? The inhabitants 
of an island may be apt enough to murmur at the sterility 
of some parts of it, against its rocks, or sands, or swamps; 
but no one thinks himself authorised to murmur, simply 
because the island is not larger than it is. Yet these are 
the same griefs. 
The above are the two metaphysical answers which have 
been given to this great question. They are not the worse 
for being metaphysical, provided they be founded (which I 
think they are) in right reasoning: but they are of a na¬ 
ture too wide to be brought under our survey, and it is of¬ 
ten difficult to apply them in the detail. Our speculations, 
therefore, are perhaps better employed when they confine 
themselves within a narrower circle. 
The observations which follow, are of this more limited, 
but more determinate, kind. 
Of bodily pain, the principal observation, no doubt, is 
that which we have already made, and already dwelt upon, 
viz. “ that it is seldom the object of contrivance; that when 
it is so, the contrivance rests ultimately in good.” 
To which, however, may be added, that the annexing of 
pain to the means of destruction is a salutary provision; 
inasmuch as it teaches vigilance and caution; both give 
notice of danger, and excites those endeavours which may 
be necessary to preservation. The evil consequence which 
sometimes arises from the want of that timely intimation of 
danger which pain gives, is known to the inhabitants of 
cold countries by the example of frost-bitten limbs. I have 
conversed with patients who have lost toes and fingers by 
this cause. They have in general told me, that they were 
