represent it rightly, might regulate our taste, and prevent our sinking deeper, as we do daily, into that whining effeminate style, so abounding with accidentals, and half intervals; the present relish for which is not natural, but acquired, and I believe in a great measure imaginary; like the pleasure a man finds in gnawing the ends of his fingers, when he is fallen under the dominion of a vicious habit. New habits bring new inclinations; and a depraved taste will find itself happy with depraved music.

As wise and good men have always admitted a certain alliance between Philosophy and Divinity, and have pronounced, that Nature is but half studied till it enables us to contemplate the great objects of Religion with superior light; I have therefore endeavoured to lose no opportunity of turning natural knowledge to the illustration of Divine Truth, and the advancement of Virtue. This step will not recommend me to all readers; and yet I hope I shall stand in need of no apology for doing what may frequently be done by writers who are so inclined, without any violence to Natural Philosophy. Who amongst us can want to be convinced, in this age, that men versed in the study of Nature

VOL. IX.

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Nature have gone to unwarrantable lengths, and raised spiritual doctrines, not less absurd than dangerous, upon natural observations? So many strange things have happened from the abuse of Philosophy, that it would now be scarcely wonderful if a temple should be erected to the ETHER, the FATHER ALMIGHTY of the idolatrous Sages of antiquity*. One of the physicians of the late king, who was a friend to my studies, and for whose learning and virtues I had great esteem, would be asking me sometimes, what philosophy had to do with religion? But surely a Boyle or a Newton will answer that question

* Tum PATER OMNIPOTENS fœcundis imbribus ÆTHER, An institution, nearly approaching to this act of impiety, was set on foot about fifty or sixty years ago in this kingdom by a society of philosophical idolaters, who called themselves Pantheists, because they professed the worship of All Nature as their Deity. They had Mr. John Toland for their secretary and chaplain. Their Liturgy was in Latin, the copies of which are very scarce: I never saw more than one of them. An English translation was published in 1751; from which I will here extract a passage asserting the divinity of Etherial Fire." The Etherial "Fire; invironing all things, and therefore supreme :-the

Æther is a reviving fire--it rules all things, it disposes "all things-in it is soul, mind, prudence-This Fire is "Horace's

question for us. Besides, the use may be inferred from the abuse; and it has always been held lawful to learn wisdom of an enemy. Voltaire never failed to turn the little philosophy he was master of (which in his hands seemed to be a great deal) to the disadvantage of religion; that from his molehill of science he might lord it over Christian Truth, and bring Faith and Virtue into contempt with his readers; in which he has been too successful. Natural Philosophy has long been under some suspicion, either of being a false friend or a dangerous enemy to Revelation: and some good men, at the first establishment of the Royal Society, were apprehensive of ill effects from the institution; that it would bring into vogue a sort of empirical literature, which would puff men up with a vain conceit of wisdom; and farther, that

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"Horace's particle of divine breath, and Virgil's inwardly nourishing spirit-All things are comprised in an intelligent Nature. This force they call the soul of the world,

as also a mind, and perfect wisdom, and consequently "GOD." See p. 23, 24, 61. Vanini, the Italian philosopher, who was burned for an atheist, was very nearly of this opinion his god was Nature. : Some very learned and excellent remarks are made on this error by Mr. Boyle, in his Discourse on the vulgarly received notion of Nature. See fection IV.

that experiments upon Nature would lead to experiments upon Religion, and so, in the issue, make way for Scepticism and Infidelity. In answer to which, the elegant apologist of the Society, Dr. Sprat, declared, that "if the design should in the least diminish the reverence that is due to the Doctrine of Jesus Christ, it were so far from deserving protection, that it ought to be abhorred by all the politic and prudent, as well as the devout part of Christendom." What he has added to prove the suspicion groundless, and injurious to true Philosophy, is much to the purpose, and worthy of consideration. It is not Philosophy, but the abuse of Philosophy, or the use of something falsely so called, the production of men's brains, not a sober observation of the works and ways of Nature, which is dangerous to Religion. The inquiry into the order of Nature and natural causes can never fail to be attended with a display of the Divine Wisdom: and as there is a certain analogy between the Divine Attributes, no man can be made averse to the Word of God by admiring his works, or raise objections against his Truth, from the study of his power and wisdom.

Dr. Grew, in his Anatomy of Plants, in

"Nature,"

sists well on this argument. says he, and the causes and reasons of things duly contemplated, naturally lead us unto God, and is one way of securing our veneration of him; giving us not only a general demonstration of his Being, but a particular one of most of the qualifications thereof-By the same means we have a greater assurance of the excellency of his sacred word: that he who hath done all things so transcendantly well, must needs speak as well as he hath done- We may as well deny what God hath made to be, as what he hath spoken to be true, because we understand not how It is not therefore the knowledge of Nature, but they are the wanton fancies of men's minds, that dispose them either to forget God, or to think unduly of him." So reasoned this worthy and learned member of the Royal Society: and every person of sound sense and literature will agree with him, that the true interpretation of Nature, whatever that may be, must be instrumental toward the confirmation of revealed truth.

To those who know the character and writings of the famous Roger Bacon, his exam

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Grew's Anat. of Plants, book ii. p. 79, 80.

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