view of the state of society, and the works of nature, almost invariably, confounds general laws, with especial provisions; makes the exception not the rule, the governing principle. He thinks, that the establishment of checks, and counterpoises, to the operation of general laws; which might otherwise, in some particular cases, prove overwhelming, is so far from indicating wisdom, and design, that it argues imbecility, and imperfection; and proves, that the world is so formed, as that, if left to itself, it has a tendency to nothing but disorder, and ruin, and he says, that a Clock-maker, would be ashamed, if such a charge could be made against his work. Now he could not well have fixed upon an illustration, worse adapted to his porpose, than this is I will therefore again, take him on his own ground, and ask him, whether a Clock is not a piece of machinery, governed by general Laws, but regulated by checks and counterpoises what is the pendilum, but a counterpoise to the overwhelming power of the weights, or the main spring? What are the clicks, the ratchet wheels, and the balance wheels, but counteracting checks to the general principle? Take also for an example, that most wonderful production of human genius, the Steam Engine, and who would ever dare to approach it, or how could its movements be governed, if its tremendous power, were not restrained and regulated, by the safety valve? Do these provisions indicate imbecility, and ignorance, in the contriver.

14. But let us now ascend higher, and contemplate a vast machinery, which in its nature, and effects, infinitely surpas ses, all human power and wisdom-In the solar system, we see that our own earth; and other still larger globes, are continually revolving; by an unvarying law, round the sun as the centre of their orbits.-Now wild motion(one of the atomic Deities) would if unrestrained, necessarily hurry them all into the boundless regions of space, but by the wonderful appointment, of an exact equilibrium, between the Centripetal, and centrifugal Forces each of these vast globes, moves on steadily, and uniformly, in its course; and the puny efforts of human genius, shrink into nothing, when compared with this stupendous system: which yet notwithstanding its magnificence, the discoveries of astronomy, have taught us to believe, is only as one small point in the vast and unbounded range of the universe. But when your

correspondent Leucippus, bas asserted, that a clock-maker would be ashamed of introducing checks and counterpoises to his machinery, he very cavalierly adds, I feel here no ne

cessity for argument; and leave this paragraph, as I am sure it will be, to its own confutation."-In reply, I would say to him stop a little, my good Sir! for I cannot allow you to walk off from the Field, in so very unceremonious a manner, and like Cæsar triumphantly exclaiming veni, vidi, vici! at any rate, we must exchange a few more blows, on this point, before we part, and when we have done so, perhaps, you may find, it expedient to put the conquerors last word into a very different Tense.

15. When I spoke of checks and counterpoises, to the overwhelming power of general laws, Leucippus ought not to have imagined, that I supposed these to be especial interpositions, of common and daily occurrence, intended to remedy some unforeseen disorders, which had arisen, in the working of the general system. No! I consider them, as necessary parts of the original design, and as coeval with the establishment of general laws, the influence of which, in individual cases, they were inclined to modify and restrain Thus it is the essential property of fire, to burn and destroy but if all substances had been made of a combustible nature, conflagration and ruin, would soon spread through the universe. It is a general law of Nature, that fluids should seek a level; and were it not for the diurnal revolution of the Earth on its axis, the interposition of Cliffs. and Mountains, and the moon's influence on our Planet, it would, by its rapid progress along its orbit, be nearly covered over with one vast sheet of water.-It is the natural property of air, as well as of water, when heated, to expand; and when fomenting substances ignite in the bowels of the earth, and meet with air or water in its secret caverns, the whole globe would be torn asunder, if these caverns were not of very limited extent, and if the volcanic Mountains did not form spiracles, to give vent to the expanded vapours, and operate as general safety valves against their increasing pressure; but yet without internal heat and moisture, the whole earth would become an arid, and unproductive desert; therefore, although Leucippus may be a very ingenious Pyrrhonian, he does not reason like a Naturalist, when he asks, "why must the unbeliever be considered as a rhapsodist, because he cannot perceive kindness and fatherly love, in the devastation of an Earthquake; nor the care of a wise and benevolent ruler, in shipwrecks and tornadoes; which is saying iu other words, why should not an universal Law be sus.pended, or pushed aside, in order to provide against partial

injuries, and why should not general good, be sacrificed for the prevention of limited evil?

15. Nor does the intervention of miracles, at all militate against the operation of general laws: as these appear to be only temporary deviations, from the usual and commonly observed course of Nature; not events which are contradictory to its laws; because (to take only one example), although it is not usual, to see a dead Man raised to Life again; yet such an event, is just as consistent with the general laws of Nature, as the original formation of that man is; although this is clearly an exception to the usual mode, of their operation.

16. But it further appears to Leucippus, most wonderful, that if the world and its inhabitants had been created by a perfect Deity, they should not have been as perfect as himself, and who but an atomic philosopher, would expect to find such a creation?-Sir Isaac Newton, (who knew something of Philosophy) talked much about the sublime laws of Nature; demonstrated their wisdom; and could trace their origin to no other source than a benevolent and intelligent author; and when poor Descartes endeavoured to introduce his conundrums about matter and motion, he plunged the (really clever) French Philosopher into one of his own Vortices, where he sunk to rise no more in the world of science notwithstanding the very laborious efforts which have lately been made by R. Philips and Mr. Frend, to weigh him up again.

17. But Leucippus thinks that if a wise and benevolent Deity presided over the universe, the events of this world ought to be very different; there should be no earthquakes or storms; no wars or pestilence or famine, no religious corruption, or moral darkness; no sickness or death; and not even the rheumatism or the tooth ache-In other words, the earth should have been as soft as velvet; water should have been richer than nectar. Fire should have been lambent and harmless.-The air should never have breathed on the face of man, except in gentle Zephyrs.-The land should spontaneously, and in every part, have produced corn, and wine, and oil, and all other luxuries, in rich abundance.mankind should have been subject to no afflictions, sickness pain or death; and in short, should have been formed without passions, lest they should run riot; without nerves, lest they should become irritable, and even without teeth, lest by their decay this delicate creature. man, should be tormented with the tooth ache; because, as Leucippus most sagely observes; "if it was beyond the

power of the all powerful creator to dispense with misery in the world, he had no means to compass the future happiness of mankind but by their present unhappiness cannot the Deity prevent evil? then where is his power?-if he can and will not, where is his benevolence? if he has not the power or the will to do it here, why am I to conclude that he can or will do it hereafter?" And this, Leucippus considers as the sound reasoning of a Philosopher. If I were disposed to treat him as cavalierly as he treated me I might give him only a very laconic answer in the poetical apothegm of Pope.

Why had not man a microscopic eye?

For this plain reason man is not a fly-

But I will reply to him as a moralist, not as a poet for poets are not often sound Philosophers and are still less frequently sound theologians. As philosophers however they can do no great harm but they generally make shocking work when they begin to talk like Divines. According then, to Leucippus's mode of reasoning, if every thing in the universe be not absolutely perfect, neither wisdom, power, nor benevolence can have presided over the creation; and if indeed the operations of the Deity, were confined to only one path; I grant that his power would be limitted also; that neither wisdom, nor goodness, could be displayed beyond the line of that path; and that the Deity would not be a perfectly free agent. The universe might still be perfect, as a whole; but it would lose all the variety, and beauty of its component parts. It would present only one vast monotanous, melancholy scene, of inactive intellect, and virtue; of drowsy quietness, and passive enjoyment. But the sublimity of wisdom, is displayed in a determination on the best purposes. The sublimity of power, in an adaptation of the means best calculated, for the fulfilment of those purposes-and the essence of goodness, in making general happiness, the main object, both of the purposes and of the means. Feeble, short sighted mortals, cannot penetrate into the secret designs of an almighty architect, but as far as reason and the works of nature, can instruct us, we may learn, that every thing which we behold, is perfectly adapted to the purpose, for which it was designed, as far as that purpose has been made known to us. The Earth is perfectly adapted to the growth of vegetables, the nourishment of cattle and the sustenance of man. The air to the support of animal and vegetable life, and the conveyance

of light, of sound, and of heat to the earth; and the water is completely fitted for all the various requirements of domestic and general necessity; while the sun, the appointed dispenser of the light and heat; and the instrument of general animation, and enjoyment, fulfills its destined office, with unvarying precision, regularity, and efficacy.

18. But says the sceptical philosopher, these all are at times, the occasions of partial injury, and inconvenience; and why do not infinite power, wisdom, and benevolence, prevent such consequences? and so doubtless they would, if the universe were designed for one vast scene of monotanous, and torpid enjoyment; but the perfections of the great creator, are far more illustriously, and conspicuously displayed, in the almost infinite varieties, which the productions of his power exhibit, and in the almost boundless gradations of Being, of intellect, and of enjoyment, which his wisdom has planned, and which his benevolence supplies, according, to their different requirements. Each class has its station and office, assigned to it, and is abundantly supplied with the means, for accomplishing the objects of that station and office. Will the unbeliever then, persist in asking, why is not the present world, absolutely perfect, and entirely free from inconveniencies, and sufferings, if it be really the workmanship of a perfect creator? He might, with equal justice, and with far greater wisdom, enquire, why all men are not of exactly the same height and size, with precisely the same complections and features? why one person should be handsome and another ugly? why all the men are not as elegant as Adonis, as strong as Hercules, and as wise as Solon; and why all the women are not as beautiful as Venus, as modest as Diana and as learned as Minerva? why the powers of the human intellect, should not have been so equally distributed, as that the males should be all sages on the one hand, and the females, all bas bleus on the other? and would Leucippus be pleased with such a mawkish assemblage of solemn sages, and loquacious Pedants? I think not, even although the former were all of the atomic school and the latter were all Platonists; for my own part, I should greatly prefer being almost frozen to death in the remote regions of the Georgium Sidus. In short there might be no end to such ridiculous enquiries; and yet the question of the unbeliever is as absurd in fact; although it is not quite so preposterous in terms. He asks: If the Deity cannot prevent evil, where is his power? if he can and will not, where is his benevolence?