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gufting, if compofed of fhreds and patches, if polluted by filth, or contaminated by infection.

Not to knowledge contaminated by infection, or polluted by filth, are you now invited; not to an entertainment of flattering but poisoned viands; not to prefent pleasure, fucceeded by future woe: I moft willingly hope your fatisfaction will be COMPLETE; that while I speak, you will be entertained; that on recollection, you will be benefited; that no figh at time loft, no regret at learning-to be unlearned, will ever fucceed the attention you are pleased to bestow on the subjects I shall offer to your notice.

Nor do I think, that merely to do no harm, to diffeminate no evil, to propagate no injurious principles, that negative virtue only should content those who defire to possess valuable information. It seems to be our duty to unite moral improvement to natural science. Is it not defirable, to become better as we become wifer? Methinks I would willingly learn more than one leffon; and while, by confideration and ftudy I improve my understanding, why not also amend my heart? If I learn greater complacency of mind, greater equanimity of conduct, greater ferenity of temper, greater humanity of deportment, greater benevolence toward man, greater piety toward God, the acquifition is important, and the occafion of it happy. If, when I fee the general care of Providence over its works, how it has fitted them to their stations, and their stations to them, how it preferves and maintains them throughout innumerable revolutions, how it continues their order,

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fuffers no chasm, no extinction, no deficiency,-If, when I remark this, I become more refigned, more contented, more humble, who will deny my advantage? If, when I reflect how ferocious animals are banifhed to arid defarts and to fultry waftes, I learn to moderate every ferocity in my own breast, am I not improved? I will avoid the hifs of the ferpent, left I be thought to poffefs his venom; I will fan no one to fleep while I fuck his blood, fo does the noxious bat; I will couch for no one, and then spring on my prey; it marks the cruel tyger: rather, while I livebe labours of fervice, like thofe of the generous horse, or the patient ox; when I die-be they useful as the fleece bequeathed by the uncomplaining sheep.

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If there be any person so profoundly ignorant, or fo wantonly malevolent, as to deny the moral advantages arifing from natural science, yet let fuch an one acknowledge that he is daily beholden to his acquaintance with it for innumerable benefits. By what are we informed of the proper periods of rest and repose? who appoints the returns of feed-time and harvest? what harbinger relates the expected changes from heat to cold, from cold to heat? who regulates the returning tide? who measures the lapfe of time? I confefs, the ruftic may enjoy effects, without understanding their causes; the failor may tide down his paffage, without perceiving the origin of the rifing flood: Yet, to these very persons a knowledge of the principles connected with the element they manage, could do no harm,

might prove extremely useful, and must be a fource of con flant pleasure.

But to thofe whose circumstances in life permit as amusement, that they may employ their time in elegant ftudies, or to those whofe occupations require entertaining intervals, nothing can be more fuitable than fuch SURVEYS Of NATURE as I mean, in the progress of this undertaking, to offer for your reflections; and, perhaps, the time may come, when the recollection of a hint now delivered, may afford fignal benefit to fome of my auditory: It may, perhaps, assist in distress of body, or exigence of mind; may contribute to freedom from disease, or deliverance from fuperftition..

How often have I pitied thofe days of ignorance, when credulity was impofed upon by pretended magic! when natural science seemed productive of effects beyond human fkill! when the enamel fwan followed the magnetic knife which offered bread,-this way-that way, as if fenfible of the food, and folicitous to peck at it. I conceive, with a mixture of pity and regret, the exclamations and furprise. of the beholders: but pity and regret increafe, when we confider to how many illufions fuch knowledge has given support, what advantages have been taken by predicted eclipses, by ignited vapours, by: oracular spectra; and these too, in all ages and parts of the world, not confined to the facred oak, or to the founding ftatue of Memnon. Happily thefe days of obfcurity are (to us) ceased; we do not take upon trust the blood of Adonis (or "Thammuz

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"yearly wounded"), but inquire if the river is not fubject to floods, and if no red clays line its banks. We worship not the Nile as a divinity, for its increase, but point to the clouds deftined to augment its waters: No, nor do we tremble at the prolonged vapours of the cometary tail, or confider them as ominous; but calmly take our glaffes, and examine their appearance. Is natural knowledge then of no benefit to mankind? or is it a light advantage to be delivered from the thraldom of portents and prodigies?

That superior power accompanies fuperior knowledge, appears from no instance, that I recollect, more remarkably, than from the conduct of the Indians on the discovery of America. In one of his early voyages COLUMBUS had suffered by a storm, his vessel was in distress, his provision exhausted, and his profpect, as well as his fituation, very deplorable; for the Indians brought in no fupplies: but COLUMBUS knew they were ignorant, and, of course, that they were fuperftitious: hereupon he threatened them with vengeance and deftruction, with no less than an utter extinction of their Moon; and this, fays he, in a few hours. The Moon was one of their chief divinities, they doubted not its power to withstand his enchantments, and relied on its continued effulgence; but when the eclipse began, and the Lunar light diminished, terror fat in their faces, and dread funk their hearts; they befought COLUMBUS to reflore to fplendour their darkened planet, and purchased the liberty of their divinity with ample presents.

Reflect,

Reflect, I request you, LADIES and GENTLEMEN, on this relation: had thefe Indians never before seen an eclipfe? they must have seen many. Had they never obferved the gradual increase of the shadow, and the gradual recovery of the light? Wherefore then were they so terribly alarmed, when a little longer patience would have dispelled their fears? Because they were ignorant of its principles; they did not see what was before their eyes, nor recollect, nor reafon, nor combine, nor calculate; and yet, in the ordinary length of life, they could not but have had opportunities. I forgive them their fears at what they had never seen before,-thunder and lightning directed by the hands of men. I forgive them, that having no quadruped of equal dignity, they considered a horse as a swift divinity; that therefore they befought its favour, and folicited its kindness, by presents of bread and flesh, by adorations and genuflexions; but that they should fuppofe a mortal, like ourselves, capable of controlling the heavenly bodies, is a striking instance of human ignorance and inconfideration! But not all were equally inconfiderate: it was noble reasoning (reported by the royal hiftorian, GARCILASSO DE LA VEGA) of one of their Incas; I cannot,' fays he, regard the Sun as a deity, for he seems controlled by neceffity, and to have no freedom of will; he rifes and he fets, and runs the fame round perpetually, and without deviation; if he was * at his liberty, he would furely fometimes vary either his • distance, or his course; which as he does not, I conclude * he is obedient to fome fuperior being.' Such latent powers

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