homes of planetary life to the homes of its future destiny the mind passes with a firm and joyous step, and it is only when scepticism or intellectual pride has obstructed the path, that the pilgrim falters in his journey, or faints by the way.

When a philosopher like Newton first directs his energies to the study of the material universe, no indications of order attract his notice, and no proofs of design call forth his admiration. In the starry firmament he sees no bodies of stupendous magnitude, and no distances of immeasurable span. The two great luminaries appear vastly inferior in magnitude to many objects around him, and the greatest distances in the heavens seem even inferior to those which his own eye can embrace on the surface of the earth. The planets, when observed with care, are seen to have a motion among the fixed stars, and to vary in their magnitude and distances, but these changes appear to follow no law. Sometimes they move to the east, sometimes to the west, passing the meridian sometimes near and sometimes far from the horizon, while at other times they are absolutely stationary in their path. No system, in short, appears, and no general law seems to direct their motions. By the observations and inquiries of astronomers, however, during successive ages, a regular system has been recognised in this chaos of moving bodies, and the magnitudes, distances, and revolutions of every planet which composes it have been determined with the most extraordinary accuracy. Minds fitted and prepared for this species of inquiry are capable of appreciating the great variety of evidence by which the truths of the planetary system are established; but thousands of individuals, and many who are highly distinguished in other branches of knowledge, are incapable of understanding

such researches, and view with a sceptical eye the great and irrefragable truths of astronomy.

That the sun is stationary in the centre of our system, -that the earth moves round the sun, and round its own axis,—that the diameter of the earth is 8000 miles, and that of the sun one hundred and ten times as great; that the earth's orbit is 190 millions of miles in breadth; and that, if this immense space were filled with light, it would appear only like a luminous point at the nearest fixed star, are positions absolutely unintelligible and incredible to all who have not carefully studied the subject. To millions of our species, then, the Great Book of Nature is absolutely sealed, though it is in the power of all to unfold its pages, and to peruse those glowing passages which proclaim the power and wisdom of its Author.

The Book of Revelation exhibits to us the same peculiarities as that of Nature. To the ordinary eye it presents no immediate indications of its divine origin. Events apparently insignificant-supernatural interferences seemingly unnecessary-doctrines almost contradictory-and prophecies nearly unintelligible, occupy its pages. The history of the fall of man-of the introduction of moral and physical evil-the prediction of a Messiah-the advent of our Saviour-his precepts-his miracles-his death-his resurrection-the gift of tongues-and the subsequent propagation of his religion by the unlettered fishermen of Galilee, are each a stumbling-block to the wisdom of this world. The youthful and vigorous mind, when summoned from its early studies to the perusal of the Scriptures, turns from them with disappointment. It recognises in the sacred page no profound science—no secular wisdom-no disclosures of Nature's secrets-no palpable impress of an Almighty hand. But, though the

system of revealed truth which the Scriptures contain is like that of the universe concealed from common observation, yet the labours of centuries have established its divine origin, and developed in all its order and beauty the great plan of human restoration. In the chaos of its incidents, we discover the whole history of our species, whether it is delineated in events that are past, or shadowed forth in those which are to come,-from the creation of man and the origin of evil, to the extinction of his earthly dynasty, and the commencement of his immortal career.

The antiquity and authenticity of the books which compose the sacred canon,-the fulfilment of its prophecies, the miraculous propagation of the gospel,have been demonstrated to all who are capable of appreciating the force of historical evidence; and in the poetical and prose compositions of the inspired authors, we discover a system of doctrine, and a code of morality, traced in characters as distinct and legible as the most unerring truths in the material world.-False systems of religion have indeed been deduced from the sacred record, as false systems of the universe have sprung from the study of the book of nature; but the very prevalence of a false system proves the existence of one that is true; and though the two classes of facts necessarily depend on different kinds of evidence, yet we scruple not to say that the Copernican system is not more demonstrably true than the system of theological truth contained in the Bible. If men of high powers, then, are still found, who are insensible to the evidence which has established the system of the universe, need we wonder that there are others who resist the effulgent evidence which sustains the strongholds of our faith?

If such be the character of Christian truth, we need

not be surprised that it was embraced and expounded by such a genius as Sir Isaac Newton. Cherishing its doctrines, and leaning on its promises, he felt it his duty, as it was his delight, to apply to it that intellectual strength which had successfully surmounted the difficulties of the material universe. The fame which that success procured him he could not but feel to be the breath of popular applause, which administered only to his personal feelings; but the investigation of the sacred mysteries, while it prepared his own mind for its final destiny, was calculated to promote the spiritual interests of thousands. This noble impulse he did not hesitate to obey, and by thus uniting philosophy with religion, he dissolved the league which genius had formed with scepticism, and added to the cloud of witnesses the brightest name of ancient or of modern times,1

What wonder then that his devotion swelled
Responsive to his knowledge! for could he,
Whose piercing mental eye diffusive saw

The finished university of things,

In all its order, magnitude, and parts,

Forbear incessant to adore that power

Who fills, sustains, and actuates the whole.

THOMSON.

1 The piety of Newton was so well known and appreciated by his friends, that he was occasionally consulted about their spiritual state. We have already seen, in page 37 of this volume, that an eminent mathematician "thanked God that his soul was extremely quiet, in which Newton had the chief share ;" and, in the following letter from Dr. Morland, (the brother, we believe, of Sir Samuel,) who was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1703, we find him acting the same benevolent part

SIR,-I have done, and will do my best while I live, to follow your advice, to repent and believe. I pray often as I am able, that God would make me sincere and change my heart. Pray write me your opinion whether, upon the whole, I may die with comfort. This can do you no harm-written without your name. God knows I am very low and uneasy, and have but little strength. Your most humble servant,

"Jos. MORLAND.

Pray favour me with one line, because when I parted I had not your last word to me, you being in haste.

"Direct for Dr. MORLAND, in Epsom, Surrey."

CHAPTER XXV.

SIR ISAAC'S EARLY STUDY OF CHEMISTRY-AND OF ALCHEMY, AS SHEWN IN HIS LETTER TO MR. ASTON-HIS EXPERIMENTS ON THE METAL FOR REFLECTING TELESCOPES-HIS CHEMICAL PURSUITS BETWEEN 1683 AND 1687-HIS RESEARCHES ON THE QUANTITIES AND DEGREES OF HEAT, WRITTEN AFTER HIS ILLNESS IN 1693-HIS EXPERIMENTS ON THE RAREFACTION OF AIR, WATER, AND LINTSEED OIL-HIS PAPER ON THE NATURE OF ACIDS-THE RESULTS OF HIS CHEMICAL RESEARCHES, PUBLISHED AMONG HIS QUERIES IN HIS OPTICS-HIS OPINION ON FIRE AND FLAME-ON ELECTIVE ATTRACTIONS-MANUSCRIPT WORKS ON ALCHEMY LEFT AMONG SIR ISAAC'S PAPERS-A BELIEF IN ALCHEMY PREVALENT IN NEWTON'S TIME-BOYLE, LOCKE, AND NEWTON STUDIED

ALCHEMY AS A SCIENCE-OTHERS FOR FRAUDULENT PURPOSES.

ALTHOUGH Sir Isaac had directed his attention to chemistry at various periods of his life, yet his name has not been associated with any striking discovery in the science. I have therefore reserved an account of such of his chemical researches as have any real value, for the same chapter in which it is necessary to speak of his labours as an alchemist. It was doubtless during his residence with Mr. Clark, the apothecary at Grantham, that he first witnessed, and acquired a taste for, the practical operations of chemistry. In his earliest note-books there are copious extracts from Boyle and other chemical writers, and in 1669, when he wrote his interesting letter to Francis Aston, we see very distinctly the great interest he felt in chemistry, and the peculiar bent of his mind to a belief

1

1 See Vol. I. APPENDIX, pp. 388, 389.