the universe, and who has contrived this world for the purpose of training up men to the possession of intelligence. Pleasure and pain seem to be almost equal in his eyes, and to be used indifferently, as they best promote his grand purpose of creating energy of character. Excessive pleasure subdues the mind, and weakens its vigour in a greater degree than excessive pain. Accordingly, care is taken that excessive pain shall more frequently exist in nature than excessive pleasure. At the same time, it is evident that the Author of our nature has no design to distress us unnecessarily; for the ordinary state of our existence is agreeable upon the whole, and our constitution is so contrived, that we shall never long endure intolerable misery, as it soon destroys life and suffering together. To train us up gradually to become vigorous and enlightened beings, it was necessary that we should be induced to encounter and to contend against the greatest possible variety of difficulties and of evils. The human mind is, therefore, placed amidst just as much happiness as is necessary to raise it above despondency, and to encourage it to perform with vigour its appointed business; while, at the same time, the anxieties and labours it is destined to encounter, are usually so proportioned to its strength, as neither to subdue it by their severity, nor suffer it to fall asleep by relaxation. The pleasures of life are

thus only held out as allurements to engage us in more severe labours. The passion which

unites the sexes, for example, is, no doubt, very pleasing. Its delightful hopes and fears have, in every age, formed the favourite subject of the poet's song: yet we know to what serious situations it leads, and how much anxiety and toil the greater number of men and women undergo for the sake of their families. It is thus that the Maker of the Universe employs every circumstance in our situation to lead us to the exertion, and consequently to the improvement, of our faculties. Our passions, our miseries, our wants, our fears, our pleasures, and the very structure and revolutions of the globe which we inhabit, are all made subservient to this great end. We may, therefore, safely conclude, that for this purpose we were created, and placed in this world, that we might gradually become more excellent and more perfect beings; and that to produce this intellectual improvement or excellence in ourselves ought to be the great business of our lives.

II. BUT the Author of this world has so contrived the general system, that no part of it is formed for itself alone. The grass and the trees grow not for themselves; they are the food and the shelter of tribes of animals. These animals, however, do not live and grow for

themselves; they are, in their turn, the food of other animals, which would perish, did they not find living prey to devour. It is not for himself alone that the horse possesses swiftness and strength; neither is it merely for his own benefit that the sheep is covered with wool. All the parts of nature are formed as parts of a whole; and every part has a reference to some other part. Man is not exempted from this general rule. The male and the female are obviously formed for each other, and both of them for posterity, and that posterity for a future posterity without end. Thus are we connected, and induced to labour for each other, while the uncertainty of our existence renders us continually sensible that we are doing so. We are under the necessity of providing for subsistence and accommodation during a life of threescore and ten years; but we are never sure that we may not die before to-morrow. Thus are we compelled to build, that others may be sheltered. We must sow the seed, though we know that another may reap the harvest; and we accumulate treasures to be enjoyed by others. Even the dinner for to-day, which we have already prepared, may be eaten by another. Thus a man in society is like a stone in a wall, of little value, excepting in so far as he gives or receives support. In this light the Architect of the universe beholds us: and could we see ourselves in

the same point of view that He does, that is, with unbounded intelligence, and in relation to the universe, we too would regard ourselves. and our labours in the same light; and as then most valuable, when our influence is highest in producing the welfare of others, and enabling them to fulfil the purpose of their existence.

1st. But if we are to labour for the welfare of others, it is in vain that we labour to produce their felicity. That is not left to be bestowed by man; a certain portion of it is given by nature. We may diminish that portion, indeed, and contrive to distress each other in a considerable degree; but we can add little to each other's natural happiness of temper or character. Even the mischief that we might do is guarded against by nature, partly by rendering individuals formidable to each other, and partly by the effect of habit and of time, in gradually spreading the healing balsam of oblivion over all human sorrows,

Proud and powerful men have sometimes supposed that the happiness of mankind depended upon them, and that they, by their skill, could rear a splendid fabric of human felicity. But they have never failed to do harm. Their laws to promote population and marriages have depopulated their territories; their laws to encourage industry have proved restraints upon commercial activity; and the laws by which

they meant to produce plenty have discouraged agriculture. It has, at last, been found, that in what concerns external prosperity, and the abundance of the comforts of life, Nature must be left to herself; and that the wisest conduct which statesmen, and the rulers of the world, can adopt, is to produce no mischief by their illjudged interference.

The case is very different with regard to the improvement of our intellectual nature; for in that we may labour for each other with good hopes of success. We daily see the difference which education produces upon men: But the superiority which the well-informed possess over others, is often to be considered rather as the merit of their teachers than of themselves. The contriver of a system of superstition diffuses darkness and folly over half the human race for ages. The author of a system of truth may, in the same manner, diffuse reason and wisdom widely in the world. Men are, indeed, at all times, so closely connected in society, that their influence in the formation of each other's characters cannot avoid being very great; and the intercourse of minds, by the invention of printing, is now rendered so easy, that almost every man, possessed of leisure and of respectable taJents may exert himself successfully for the improvement of a great por tion of his contemporaries at least.

2d. Neither ought our exertions for the im