aggpe gapa t g a 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
62 
some of the great doctrines in Natural Science, learning truths wholly 
new to hi in, and satisfying himself by carelul examination of the grounds 
on which known truths rest, so as to he not only acquainted with the doc- 
tiines themselves, but able to show why he believes them, and to prove 
beldre others that they are true: he will find as great a difference as can 
exist in the same being,—the difference between looking back upon time 
unprofitably wasted, and the time spent in self-improvement; he will feel 
himselt in the one case listless and dissatisfied, in the other comfoi table and 
happy; in the one case, if he do not appear to himself humbled, at least he 
will not luve earned any claim to his own respect; in the other case, he 
will enjoy a proud consciousness of having by his own exertions become 
a wiser, and therefore a more exalted creature.” 
The subjects to which I have now adverted may be considered, not 
merely in reference to the gratification they afford to the understanding, 
but likew ise in reference to the beneficial influence they ivou/tl produce 
on the heart, and on social and domestic enjoyment. 
All the truths relative to the Creator's operations in the universe, when 
properly contemplated, are calculated to produce a powerful and interest¬ 
ing impression upon the affections. Is a person gratified at beholding 
symmitry and beauty as desplayed in the works of ait,—what a high de¬ 
gree of delightful emotion must be felt in surveying the beautiful arrange¬ 
ments ol'Intinite Wisdom, in the variety of forms, the nice proportions, the 
exquisite delicacy of texture, and Ihe diversified hues which adorn the vege¬ 
table kingdom,—in the colors of the morning and evening clouds of a sum¬ 
mer sky, the plumage of birds, the admirable workmanship on the bodies of 
insects, the fine polish of sea-shells, the variegated wavjngs and coloiings of 
jaspers, topazes and emeralds, and particularly in those specimens of Di¬ 
vine mechanism in insects, plants, and flowers, which the unassisted eye 
cannot discern, and which the microscope alone can unfold to view! Has 
he a taste for the sublime ? How nobly is he gratified by an enlightened 
view of the nocturnal heavens, where suns unnumbered shine, and migh¬ 
ty worlds run their solemn rounds! Such contemplations have a natural 
tendency, in combination with Christian principles and motives, to raise 
the affections to that Almighty Being who is the uncreated source of all 
that is sublime and beautiful in creation,—to enkindle the fire of devo¬ 
tion ,—to excite adoration of his infinite excellencies, and to produce 
profound humility in his presence. Such studies likewise tend to pre- 
s rve the mind in calmness and serenity under the moral dispensations of 
Him whose wisdom is displayed in all his arrangements, and w hose “ten¬ 
der mercies are over all his works,”—and to inspire it w ith hope and con¬ 
fidence in relation to the future scenes of eternitv, from a consideration 
of his power, benevolence, and intelligence, as displayed throughout the 
universe, and of the inexhaustible sources of felicity lie has it in his power 
to distribute among numerous orders of beings throughout an immortal 
existence. Contemplating the numerous displays of Divine munificence 
around us—the diversified orders of delighted existence th «t people the 
air, the waters, and the earth, the nice adaptation of their organs and fa¬ 
culties to their different situations and modes of life, the ample provision 
made for their wants and enjoyments, and the boundless dimensions of 
the Divine empire, where similar instances of beneficence are displayed 
—the heart is disposed to rest w ith confidence on Him who made it, con¬ 
vinced that his Almighty pow’er qualifies him to make us happy by a va¬ 
riety of means of which we have no adequate conception, and that his 
faithfulness and benevolence dispose him to withhold no real good “ from 
them that walk uprightly.” 
Such studies would likewise tend to heighten the delights of social en¬ 
joyment. There is nothing more grating to the man of intelligence than 
the foolish and trifling conversation which prevails in the various inter¬ 
courses of social life, even among the middling and the higher circles of 
society, and in convivial associations. Tiie ribaldry and obscenity, the 
folly and nonsense, and the laughter of fools which too frequently distin¬ 
guish such associations, are a disgrace to our civilized condition, and to 
our moral and intellectual nature. Without supposing that it will ever bo 
expedient to lay aside cheerfulness and rational mil ill, the lively smile, or 
even the loud laugh, it is surely conceivable, that a more rational and 
improving turn might be given to general conversation than what is fre¬ 
quently exemplified in our social intercourses. And what can we suppose 
better calculated to accomplish this end than the occasional introduction 
of topics connected with science and general knowledge, when all. or 
the greater part, are qualified to take a share in the general conversation? 
It would tend to stimulate the mental faculties, to suggest useful hints, to 
diffuse useful information, to improve science and art, to excite the ig¬ 
norant to increase in know ledge, to present interesting objects of con¬ 
templation, to enliven the spirits, and thus to afford a source of rational 
enjoyment. It would al o have a tendency to prevent those shameful ex¬ 
cesses, noisy tumults, and scenes of intemperance whi -h so frequently 
terminate our festive entertainments. For want of qualifications for such 
conversation, ?a ids, dice, childish questions and amusements, gossiping 
chit-chat, and tales of scandal are generally resorted to, in order to con¬ 
sume the hours allotted to social enjoyment. And how melancholy the 
reflection, that rational beings, capable of investigating the laws and phe¬ 
nomena ot the universe, and of prosecuting the most exalted range of 
thought, and who are destined to exist in other worlds, throughout an 
endless duration—should be impelled to resoit to such degrading expedi¬ 
ents, to while away Ihe social hours! 
Domestic enjoyment might likewise be heightened and improved by 
the studies to w hich we have adverted. For want of qualifications for ra¬ 
tional conversation, a spirit of listlessness and indifference frequently in¬ 
sinuates itself into the intercourses of families, and between married in¬ 
dividuals, which sometimes degenerates into fretfulness and impatience, 
and even into jars, contentions, and violent altercations; in which case 
there can never exist any high degree of affection or domestic enjoyment. 
It is surely not unreasonable to suppose, that were the minds of persons 
in the married state possessed of a c rtain portion of knowledge, and en¬ 
dowed wiih a relish tor rational investigations—not only would such disa¬ 
greeable effects be prevented, but a variety of positive enjoyments would 
be introduced. .Substantial knowledge, which leads to the proper exer¬ 
cise of the mental powers, has a tendency to meliorate the temper, and 
| to prevent those ebullitions of passion, which are the results of vulgarity 
and ignorance. Bv invigorating the mind, it prevents it from sinking into 
peevishness and inanity. It affjrds subjects for interesting conversation, 
arid augments affection by the recipiocd interchanges of sentiment and 
feeling, and the mutual communication of instruction and entertainment. 
And in cases where malignant passions are ready to burst forth, rational 
arguments will have a more powerful influence in arresting their progress, 
in cultivated minds, than in those individuals in whose constitution ani¬ 
mal feeling predominates, and reason has lost its ascendency. As an en¬ 
lightened mind is generally ihe seat of noble and liberal sentiments—in 
those cases where the parties belong to diff-rent religious sectaries, there 
is more probability of harmony and mutual forbearance being displayed, 
when persons-take an enlarged view of the scenes of creation, and the re¬ 
velation of the Creator, than can be expected in the case of those whose 
faculties are immersed in the mists of superstition and ignorance. 
How delightful an enjoyment is it, after the bustle of business and the 
labors of the day are over,—when a married couple can sit down at each 
corner of the fire, and, with mutual relish and interest, read a volume of 
history or of popular philosophy, and talk of the moral government of God, 
the arrangements of his providence, and the wonders of the universe! 
Such interesting conversations and exercises beget a mutual esteem, en¬ 
liven the aft ctions, and produce a friendship lasting as our existence, and 
which no untoward incidents can ever effectually impair. A Christian 
pastor, in giving an account of the last illness of his beloved partner, in a 
late periodical work, when alluding to a book she had read along with him 
about two months before her disease, says, “ I shall never forget the 
pleasure with which she studied the illustrations of the Divine perfections 
in that interesting book. Rising from the contemplation of the variety, 
beauty, immensity and order of the creation, she exulted in the assurance 
of having the Creator for her lather, anticipated w ith great joy the vision 
of him in the next world, and calculated with unhesitating confidence on 
the sufficiency of his boundless nature to pngage her most intense inte¬ 
rest, and to render her unspeakably happy forever.” 
In short, the possession of a large store of intellectual wealth would 
fortify the soul in the prospect of every evil to wh ch humanity is subject¬ 
ed, and would afford consolation and solace when fortune is diminished, 
and the greater portion of external comforts is withdrawn. Under the 
frowns of adversity, those worldly losses and calamities which drive un¬ 
thinking men to desperation and despair would be borne with a becoming 
magnanimity; the mind having within itself the chief resources of its hap¬ 
piness, and becoming almost independent of the world around it. For to 
the individual whose happiness chiefly depends on intellectual pleasure-, 
retirement from general society and the bustle of the world is often the 
state of his highest enjoyment. 
Thus I have endeavored briefly to illustrate the enjoyments which a ge¬ 
neral diffusion of knowledge would produce—from a consideration of the 
limited conceptions of the untutored mind, contrasted with the ample and 
diversified range of view piesented to the enlightened understanding— 
f rom the delightful tendency of scientific pursuits, in enabling us to trace, 
from a single principle, an immense variety of effects, and surprising and 
unexpected resemblances, where we least expected to find them—from 
Ihe grand and sublime objects it presents before us—from the variety of 
novel and interesting scenes which the different departments of physical 
science unfold—from the exercise of tracing the steps by which scientific 
discoveries have been made—and from 'he influence of such studies on 
the affections and on social and domestic enjoyment. 
For want of the knowledge to which I have alluded, it happens that 
few persons who have been engaged in commercial or agricultural pur¬ 
suits feel much enjoyment, when, in the decline of life, they retire 
from the active labors in which they had been previously engaged. Re- 
ii ement and respite from the cares of business afford them little gratifica¬ 
tion, and they feel a ramify within wh ch nothing around them or within 
tile range of their conceptions can fill up. Being destitute of a taste for 
intellectual pursuits, and devoid of that substratum of thought which is 
the ground-work of mental activity and of rational contemplation, they en¬ 
joy nothing of that mental liberty and expansion of soul which the relreats 
of solitude afford to the contemplative mind; and, when not engaged in 
festive associations, are apt to sink into a species of listlessness and ennui. 
