berland, a Gravina, a Hyacinthe, a Montef quiou, and many others, cannot give due Attention to it. Nature, I fay, ftill speaks, and fo diftinctly, that we cannot mistake her Meaning: For instance, in the two Sexes, in all Ages, in all Climates, and in all Circumftances in which Men may be found, fomething fixed and invariable is always difcernible, which is the fame at all Times, in all Places, and in every Individual. 'Tis here that, without minding fuch Things as are subject to Change and Variation among Men, we cannot mistake human Nature: Don't all the Differences in Languages, Customs and Laws, prove that Nature speaks; that it has a Knowledge of, and consents to, Honesty and Justice? Don't we proceed in the fame Manner, when we inquire into the Laws of Sight and of all the other Senfes? We attend only to what is common and invariable in all Eyes, without minding all the Variations, Particularities and Differences obfervable among them, or diftinguishing every individual Eye according to the Age, Climate, Seafon, and other Circumftances. This is of use to prove, that the Eye is liable to be hurt by a thousand Casualties, and is not in a State of invariable Per

fection;

fection; fo that abundance of Precautions must be taken, to guard against every thing that may do it an Injury, and to feize whatever may restore it to its priftine Condition, as often as it is out of Order.

THERE needs not much Study and Learning to be convinced of this palpable Truth: After what I have obferved in the ninth Chapter, on the different Sentiments of Men concerning the principal Articles of Justice and Manners, I must gradually return to it, and make the following Confiderations thereon.

I. A MAN overwhelm'd with Pain, and labouring under extreme Terrors, a Burthen to himself and to others, being weary of groaning and fearing, and having no Profpect of Eafe and Help, wishes for Death: Be it granted. Perhaps he even wishes for his total Annihilation, of which he has no other Idea, than that it is a State of perfect Insensibility. But, on the contrary, a Man in good Health, in the Flower of his Age, in the full Enjoyment of every Pleasure he can wish for, always at Eafe, and without the least room to apprehend any fatal Turn of Fortune; could fuch

fuch a Man, I fay, forbear wishing to live for ever here? In like manner, a Man who is fatisfied with his own Conduct, who has few or no Faults to reproach himself with, but finds his Actions good, juft and laudable, heartily wishes that there be a God, to the End that he may be beloved and eternally rewarded by him; and that there be a Society to approve and admire him, and pay him the Honours which he thinks he has deserved. On the other hand, a villainous Mifcreant, whose Conscience torments him like an implacable Executioner, expecting nothing but Infamy and the most cruel Death, I readily apprehend, that he wishes there were neither God, Society, nor Prince. But endeavour gradually to relieve the unhappy Man, correct the Villain tenderly; reftore the former to the Enjoyment of Health and Pleasures, bring the other into the Paths of Juftice, and induce him to repair all the Mischief he has done, without hesitating about a general Pardon; and then a Change in the Wishes of both will neceffarily follow: The fame will also happen to the happy Man and the righteous Man, the Moment they fall into the oppofite Extremes.

ON

On which of these two oppofite Extremes will you chufe to dwell, in order to come at the Knowledge of human Nature? If you inquire of Mankind in general, the Question has been refolved ever fince the Beginning of the World. To say that human Nature may be known under the Weakness and Infirmities which difguife it, is the Height of Folly and Madness. To acquire a true Knowledge of Man, his Qualities, Faculties, Rights, and Agency, we must take a View of him in good Health, in Honour and Reputation, and in a proper Difpofition of Body and Mind, void of Trouble, free from Turbulent Paffions, and without that Blindness which is the Confequence of them. There is perhaps no Man in the World but may be fometimes, and in some respects, in this happy Situation: At leaft, very few could be produced as Inftances to prove the contrary. Such are the Traces of primitive Nature; but alas! these Traces are easily confounded, and sometimes quite effaced, much in the fame Manner as Sight is loft in living Men.

II. A MAN in his full Vigour, in the Heat of Youth, while he gives full Swing to all

his

his Paffions and indulges every Caprice, thinks himself crampt by Religion, and endeavours to shake off its Yoke, by renouncing it entirely: But whether before abandoning himfelf to this Licentioufnefs, and leaping over the Barrier without Remorfe; or after having, diffipated his Strength, evaporated his Fire, and thereby cooled his Paffions; why should he have the fame Averfion to Religion, and think the Worship of a supreme Being troublefome? Perhaps because he might despair of Pardon for his paft Sins. But, whatever M. de Montefquiou may please to say or think, is there any Religion in the World that does not expressly teach, that the Deity is appeased by Sacrifices and Prayers, by good Works, fincere Converfion, and redeeming the loft Time? Thus all Men, excepting a few Wretches, have very remarkable Periods or Intervals, wherein they confefs that Religon is not only good in itself, but also the most comfortable Azylum for all Mortals.

III. I allow that a Man boiling with Rage, and poffeffed with a vindictive Spirit, will not fpare the Life of his Enemy, nor be at all fenfible, that as he does not like to be killed himself,

F