o accomplish a benevolent purpose,-or, in other words, that the operator had acted under the supremacy of mora. sentiment and intellect, and we would approve of his conduct. If the world had been created on the principle of Benevolence exclusively, the toothache could not have existed; but, as pain does exist, a mental faculty, called by the phrenologists Destructiveness, has been given to place man in harmony with its existence, when used for a benevolent end.

To apply this illustration to the works of Providence, I humbly suggest it as probable, that, if we knew thoroughly the design and whole consequences of such institutions of the Creator as are attended with pain, including death itself, we should find that infliction is used as a means, subservient to Benevolence and Justice, to arrive at an end in harmony with the moral sentiments and intellect; in short, that no institution of the Creator has pure evil, or destruction alone, for its object. In maturity of sense and understanding,' says Lord Kames, benevolence appears more and more; and beautiful final causes are discovered in many of Nature's productions, that formerly were thought useless, or perhaps hurtful: and the time may come we have solid ground to hope that it will come -when doubts and difficulties about the government of Providence will all of them be cleared up, and every event be found conducive to the general good.'*

The opposite of this doctrine, viz. that there are institutions of the Creator which have suffering for their exclusive object, is clearly untenable; for this would be ascribing malevolence to the Deity. As, however, the existence of pain is undeniable, it is equally impossible to believe that the world is arranged on the principle of Benevolence exclusively. The view now presented makes no attempt to explain why pain or evil exists, because I consider this inquiry to surpass the limits of the human understanding. It offers an explanation, however, of the use which pain

B. 3, Sk. 3, ch 2

serves that of enforcing obedience to the natural ws; and it shows that the human mind is constituted in harmo ny with this order of creation. Phrenology alone, of all Bystems of mental philosophy, admits faculties clearly related to difficulty, pain, and death, and thus enhancos er perceptions of divine wisdom and goodness.

42

CHAPTER II.

ON THE CONSTITUTION OF MAN, and rr'S RELATIONS TO EXTERNAL OBJECTS

LET us next consider the Constitution of Man, and the natural laws to which he is subjected, and endeavor to discover how far the external world is arranged with wisdom and benevolence in regard to him. Bishop BUTLER, in the Preface to his Sermons, says, 'It is from considering the relations which the several appetites and passions in the inward frame have to each other, and, above all, the SUPREMACY of reflection or conscience, that we get the idea of the system or constitution of human nature. And from the idea itself it will as fully appear, that this our nature, i. e. constitution, is adapted to virtue, as from the idea of a watch it appears that its nature, i. e. constitution or system, is adapted to measure time.'

Mankind has various instincts and principles of action, as brute creatures have; some leading most directly and immediately to the good of the community, and some most directly to private good.

Man has several which brutes have not; particularly reflection or conscience, an approbation of some principles or actions, and disapprobation of others.

Brutes obey their instincts or principles of action, according to certain rules; suppose the constitution of their body, and the objects around them.

The generality of mankind also obey their instincts and principles, all of them; those propensions we call good, as well as the bad, according to the same rules, namely, the constitution of their body, and the external circum. stances which they are in.

'Brutes in acting according to the rules before men

tioned, their bodily constitution and circumstances, act suitably to their whole nature.

'Mankind also, in acting thus, would act suitably to their whole nature, if no more were to be said of man s nature than what has been now said; if that, as it is a true, were also a complete, adequate account of our nature.

'But that is not a complete account of man's nature. Somewhat further must be brought in to give us an adequate notion of it; namely, that one of those principles of action, conscience, or reflection, compared with the rest, as they all stand together in the nature of man, plainly bears upon it marks of authority over all the rest, and claims the absolute direction of them all, to allow or forbid their gratification; a disapprobation on reflection being in itself a principle manifestly superior to a mere propension. And the conclusion is, that to allow no more to this superior principle or part of our nature, than to other parts; to iet it govern and guide only occasionally, in common with the rest, as its turn happens to come from the temper and circumstances one happens to be in; this is not to act conformably to the constitution of man; neither can any human creature be said to act conformably to his constitution of nature, unless he allows to that superior principle the absolute authority which is due to it.'-Butler's Works, vol. ii. Preface. The present treatise is in a great measure founded on the principles here suggested.

SECTION I.

MAN CONSIDERED AS A PHYSICAL BEING.

THE human body consists of bones, muscies, nerves, and blood vessels, besides organs of nutrition, of reproduction, of respiration, of feeling, and of thought. These parts are all composed of physical elements, and, to a certain extent, are subjected to the physical laws of creation. By the law of gravitation, the body falls to the ground wher

unsupported, and is liable to be injured 'ike any frangible substance: by a chemical law, excessive cold freezes, and excessive heat dissipates, its fluids, and life, in either case, is extinguished.

To discover the real effect of the physical laws of nature on human happiness. we would require to understand, 1st, The physical laws themselves, as revealed by mathematics, natural philosophy, natural history, chemistry, and their subordinate branches; 2dly, The anatomical and physiological constitution of the human body; and, 3dly, The adaptation of the former to the latter These expositions are necessary to ascertain the extent to which it is possible for man to place himself in accordance with the physical laws, so as to reap advantage from them; and also to determine how far the sufferings which he endures fall to be ascribed to the inevitable operation of these laws, and how far to his ignorance and infringement of them. In the subsequent pages, this subject will be treated somewhat in detail: at present I confine myself to a single instance as an illustration of the mode in which the investigation ought to be conducted *

By the law of gravitation, heavy bodies always tend towards the centre of the earth. Some of the advantages of this law are, that objects, when properly supported, remain at rest; that walls, when built sufficiently thick and perpendicular, stand firm and erect; that water descends from high places, and precipitates itself down the channels of rivers, turns mill-wheels in its course, and sets in motion the most stupendous and useful machinery; and that ships move steadily through the water with part of their hulls immersed and part r sing moderately above it, and their masts and sails towering in the air to catch the inconstant breeze.

The reader will find many valuable illustrations of these laws in The Principles of Physiology applied to the Preservation of Health, and to the Improvement of Physical and Mental Education,' by Andrew Combe, M. D l'hird edition. Maclachlan & Stewart, Edinburgh; and Simpkin, Marshal & Co, London.