Let the atheist or the manicheift (if fuch there are in reality, as I know there are fome profeffedly), pay a little attention to the philofophy of nature, ever changing, but still connected, at once majestic but fimple, difdaining the rules and frigid boundaries of art, at the fame time modelled upon the most beautiful and graceful proportion-their fhort-lived doubts must instantly vanish, and their daring incredulity yield to the moft rational and forcible conviction; they must then confefs that this world could never have been created by chance, or be the work of a malignant deity; but that it bears the traces of a hand divine, the beautiful production of a benevolent, eternal, and intellectual being. I can fcarcely believe there is that man exifting, who can fee without emotion the beauteous orb of day rifing in the eaft, and in the evening,

behold

behold its fetting beams; who can look with apathy upon the moon when she gilds the brow of night, and all the numerous host of stars, the panoply of heaven, that shine around her; who equally unmoved by storms and sunshine, by calms and tempefts, can yet be induced, from a pitiful and weak despair of a happy futurity, from a wilful incredulity, or a misguided scepticism, to deny the great and generating caufe of all effects! The chief object of this expedition, and from which I hope to derive the greatest plea fure, is to explore the hidden beauties of nature unmechanized by the ingenuity of man; as well as to make fome obfervations upon the human character under every different attitude it may affume; in short, to study nature in her works, and man in fociety. The lower orders of people in this part of Great Britain have as

yet

yet prefented to me only a picture of humiliation and wretchednefs. Whether this be the general character, or but a partial appearance of the country, I shall have other opportunities of discovering in the profecution of my journey: at present I am far from entertaining a favourable opinion of their stock of happiness; undeniably there are numerous examples of apparent cheerfulness and content to be found amongst the poor inhabitants of a mud-built cottage; but are not the focial endearments of domeftic life (the only fource of enjoyment amongst the lower orders of mankind), too often imbittered by repeated difficulties and diftreffes, and rendered fo many aggravating circumftances to the wounded recollection of a parent, furrounded by a numerous and helpless family who look up to him for protection and support, which

he

he is utterly unable to afford them? I believe and hope that fuch inftances of want and degradation are rare; but very few of them are requifite to convince any man, capable of feeling for others as he would for himself, that the aggregate of happiness, amongst the lower fpecies of our fellow-creatures, does not bear a juft proportion to that of pain, and that their condition is capable of very essential im provement. Under the preffure of poverty. and misfortune, the mind oftentimes forgets its noble nature, and the proper degree of eftimation with which it fhould regard its own existence: and this is the cafe with that description of men here spoken of. To remove then this evil, by doing away the cause of the complaint (viz. Oppref fion), would be a work well worthy the attention of every friend of mankind. Under whatever circumftances of poverty.

and

and inferiority many of our fellow-creatures may be placed, yet they have a juft claim upon our protection and support; for though habit, and the hard hand of oppreffive want, may have contracted the modes of thinking amongst them, yet they undoubtedly poffefs intellects, which, if properly cultivated, might equally adorn a fenate, or a forum, with those who are called their fuperiors, from the mere accidental circumftances of wealth, or hereditary diftin&tions. A human being, as he comes originally from the hand of nature, is every where the fame; the capacity of improvement, the talents and virtues which the mind is capable of acquiring and exercifing, are to every state of society alike inherent. Surely then all muft rejoice in the melioration of that ftate, fince to contribute to its improvement is the nobleft pursuit of individuals,

and