But behold the blindness of men with respect to the difpenfations of Providence! A "tous les objets de la création: mais l'homme eft "votre être de choix; vous avez éclairé fon ame "d'une rayon de votre lumière immortelle; com"blez vos bienfaits en pénétrant fon cœur d'un "trait de votre amour: ce fentiment divin fe ré"pandant par-tout, réunira les natures ennemies ; "l'homme ne craindra plus l'afpect de l'homme, "le fer homicide n'armera plus fa main; le feu "dévorant de la guerre ne fera plus tarir la fource "des générations; l'efpéce humaine maintenant "affoiblie, mutilée, moiffonnée dans fa fleur, ger mera de nouveau et fe multipliera fans nombre ; "la nature accablée fous le poids de fléaux, ftérile, "abandonnée, reprendra bientôt avec une nou"velle vie fon ancienne fécondité; et nous, Dieu "Bienfaiteur, nous la feconderons, nous la culti 66 verons, nous l'observerons fans ceffe pour vous "offrir à chaque inftant un nouveau tribut de re" connoiffance et d'admiration." Buffon Hiftoire Naturelle, vol. 9. 8vo edit. [In English thus: "Man who is powerful only by numbers, whofe ftrength confifts in the union of forces, and whofe happiness is to be found alone in ftate of peace, has yet the madness to take arms for his own mifery, and fight to the ruin of his fpecies. Urged on by infatiable avarice, and blinded by ambition still more infatiable, he banishes from his breast every fentiment of humanity, and, eager for the deftruction of his fellow-creatures, in effect destroys himself. When the days of blood and car A golden age would to man be more poifonous than Pandora's box; a gift, sweet in the mouth, but bitter, bitter, in the ftomach. Let us then forbear repining; for the fubject before us muft afford conviction, if any thing can, that our best courfe is to fubmit humbly to whatever befals, and to reft fatisfied, that the world is governed by wisdom, not by chance. What nage are past, when the vapour of glory is diffipated, he looks around with a forrowful eye upon the defolated earth, he fees the arts extinct, the nations difperfed, and population dead: his happiness is ruined, and his power is reduced to nothing. "Great God! whofe fole prefence fuftains the "creative power, and rules the harmony of nature's "laws! who from thy permanent celestial throne "beholdeft the motion of the nether fpheres, all perfect in their course which knows no change; "who broughteft from out the womb of reft by "endless reproduction thofe never-ceafing move ments; who ruleft in peace the infinity of worlds: "Eternal God! vouchfafe at length to fend a por"tion of that heavenly peace to calm the agitated "earth. Let every tumult ceafe: at thy celestial "voice, no more be heard around the proud and "clamorous fhouts of war and difcord. All"bounteous Creator! Author of being! each ob"ject of thy works partakes of thy paternal care; "but chief of all, thy chofen creature man. VOL. II. E e Thou "haft What can be expected of barbarians, but utter ignorance of Providence, and of di . vine government? But as men ripen in the knowledge of causes and effects, the benevolence as well as wisdom of a superintending Being become more and more apparent. How pleafing is that obfervation! Beautiful final caufes without number have been difcovered in the material : "haft bestowed on him a ray of thine immortal "light: U deign to crown that gift, by penetrating "his heart with a portion of thy love. Soon will that heavenly fentiment, pervading his nature, "reconcile each warring and contradictory prin"ciple man will no longer dread the fight of man the murdering blade will fleep within its fheath: the fire of war will ceafe to dry up the "fprings of generation: the human race, now lan"guifhing and withering in the bloom, will bud afresh, and multiply: nature, which now finks beneath the fcourge of mifery, fterile and defo«lated, will foon renew her wafted strength, and "regain her first fertility. We, O God of bene volence, we thy creatures will fecond the bleffing. "It will be ours to bestow on the earth that culture which beft can aid her fruitfulnefs; and we will pay to thee the most acceptable of facrifices, in endless gratitude and adoration." How natural is this prayer; how unnatural the ftate thus anxioufly requefied! M. Buffon's devotional fits are fervent: pity it is, that they are not better directed. as as well as moral world, with respect to many particulars that once appeared dark and gloomy. Many continue to have that appearance: but with refpect to fuch, is it too bold to maintain, that an argument from ignorance, a slender argument at any rate, is altogether infufficient in judging of divine government? How falutary is it for man, and how comfortable, to rest on the faith, that whatever is, is the best! THE progrefs of government, accurately delineated, would produce a great volume: in the prefent work there is room but for a few hints. What are the qualities that fit men for fociety, is explained above;but writers are far from being unanimous about what fits them for government. All agree, that fubmission to Lour governors is a duty: but they appear to be at a loss upon what foundation to reft that duty; as if it were not evident, that by our nature we are fitted for government as well as for fociety (a). If juftice or veracity be effential to society, fubmiffion to government is no lefs fo; and each of thefe equally is declared by the moral fenfe to be our duty. But to qualify man for government, the duty of fubmiffion is not alone fufficient: diversity of temper and of talents are also .14 (a) Principles of Equity, p. 177. edit. 2. neceffary; |