CONCERNING LAPLAND. 
2-99 
has bellowed order on the whole frame of nature, rather than in 
deities retaining human paffions and appetites, together with cor¬ 
poreal limbs and organs. The evident order of the univerfe, the 
proper adjuflment of all things, the defign prevalent throughout 
the whole, are totally unknown to them, and objects about which 
they are quite regardlefs. This general plan, to their limited con¬ 
ceptions, is full of contrariety, and appears to be a conflant com¬ 
bat of oppofite powers. To-day, profperity; to-morrow, adverlity ; 
naturally beget notions of protection and punifhment; of bene¬ 
volent and malignant deities. 
Even when we have found an infant people believing in one 
fupreme God, yet have they not diveiled themfelves of an opi¬ 
nion, that all nature was full of other invifible powers ; and the 
vulgar of all nations have fuch grofs notions of the Deity, fuppofe 
him fo flexible by prayers and entreaties, attribute to him fo 
much caprice, abfurdity, and even enormity, as render him in¬ 
finitely below what we aferibe to a man of fenfe and virtue. 
One general remark may, I believe, be made of polytheifm ; 
that it has little tendency to influence its votaries with apprehen- 
fions, terrors, or intolerance. The gloom and darknefs which 
almofl inceffantly hang over Lapland, has not communicated to 
the religion of its inhabitants either that morofenefs or dejeCtion, 
which too much pervaded the perverfion of our moll holy fyflem 
of divine faith and worfhip during the dark ages. Though the 
Laplanders w T ere habituated to facrifices, yet they appear not to 
Q q 2 have 
