bodied Figure rife; bid the Countenance wear the calm Serenity of Thought, or be agitated with the wild Transports of Paffion.-Without this Circumftance of Colour, we fhould want all the Entertainments of Vision, and be at a Lofs to diftinguish one Thing from another. We should hesitate to pronounce, and must take a little Journey to determine, whether yonder Inclofure contains a Piece of Pafturage, or a Plot of arable Land. We fhould question, and could not very expeditiously resolve, whether the next Perfon We meet, be a Soldier in his Regimentals, or a Swain in his Holiday Suit? A Bride in her Ornaments, or a Widow in her Weeds. But Colour, like a particular Livery, characterizes the Clafs, to which every Individual belongs. It is the Label, which indicates, upon the first Inspection, its respective Quality. It is the Ticket, which guides our Choice, and directs our Hand *.

The

*This, I believe, fuggefts the true Senfe of those noble Similitudes, ufed by the divine Speaker. It is turned as Clay to the Seal, and they ftand as a Garment: It, the Earth and all its Productions receive, from the rifing Sun, both Colour and Beauty. Juft as the foft Clay, and the melting Wax, receive an elegant Impreffion from the Seal.— They (the Morning and the Day-fpring, mentioned in a preceding Verfe) ftand as a Garment; they act the Part of a magnificent and universal Clothing; give all vifible Objects, their comely Aspect, and graceful Distinctions. Job xxxviii. 14.

What Images are here! How bold, and how fine! The Sea had been described as an Infant before the ALMIGHTY. Like an Infant, changeable, froward, and impetuous, with thick Darkness for its Swadlingband. The Light is reprefented as an Handmaid, attending to dress the Creation; and executing the CREATOR's Orders, with a Punctuality that never fails, with a Speed that cannot be equalled.

The Sun, I faid, was fituate. But it is rather itinerant, than refident. It paffes through the Firmament; and, having supplied Us with Light for feveral Hours, carries Day into the other Hemifphere. What then shall We do, when the Fountain of Light is fealed, or its Communications are with-held?A Supply is provided. The Stars appear, like thousands of flaming Torches. Chiefly the Moon, at certain Seafons, fucceeds to the Office of furnishing Us with the welcome Bleffing. But the Moon is a dark Body. How then can it impart, what it does not poffefs? Providence, infinitely rich in Contrivances, has found out a Method. Than which nothing can be more fimple, yet nothing more effectual. The Moon, being at a proper Distance, receives and reflects the Rays of the Sun. Which are fo ftrong in themselves, that they reach, even in their reverberated Direction, as far as our Globe. Yet are rendered, by this Reflection, soft and gentle. Infomuch, that they afford Us a most commodious and chearing Illumination; such as qualifies the Horrors of Darkness, without any Diminution of its compofing Nature, and foporiferous Influence. Thus the Sun lightens Us, by the Intervention of the Moon, when He is departed many Degrees beyond our Sight.

We have curforily furveyed the upper Rooms of our great Habitation, and taken a Turn along the Ground-floor; if We defcend into the fubterraneous Lodgments, the Cellars of the ftately Structure, We shall there also find the most exquifite Contrivance, acting in Concert with the most profufe Goodness.Here are various Minerals, of fovereign

4

Efficacy

Efficacy in Medicine: which rectify the vitiated Blood, and quicken the languid Spirits; which often rekindle the fading Bloom in the Virgin's Complexion, and reinvigorate the enfeebled Arm of Manhood. Here are Beds fraught with Metals of the richest Value. From hence come the golden Treasures, from hence the filver Stores, which are the very Life of Traffic; and circulate through the Body politic, as the vital Fluid through the animal Frame. Which, in the refining Hand of Charity, are Feet to the Lame, and Eyes to the Blind, and make the Widow's Heart fing for Joy.

Here are Mines, which yield a Metal of meaner Afpect, but of a firmer Cohesion, and of fuperior Usefulness *. A Metal, that conftitutes almost all the Implements, with which Art and Industry execute their various Designs. Without the Affiftance of Iron, Bufinefs would be reduced to the lowest Ebb; Commerce would feel her Wings clipped; and every Species of mechanic Skill, either utterly fail, or be miferably baffled. Without the Affiftance of Iron, it would be almost impoffible to rear the steady Maft, to display the daring Canvas, of drop the faithful Anchor. Deftitute of this everneedful Commodity, we fhould have no Plow to furrow the Soil, no Shuttle to traverfe the Loom, scarce any Ornament for polite, or any Utenfil for ordinary Life.

Here is an inexhaufted Fund of combustible Ma-. terials †, which supply the whole Nation with Fuel. Thefe

Ferrum, licet Metallorum pretio ultimum, Neceffitate ta

men primum. PLIN.

+ As for the Earth, fays Job, out of it cometh Bread: Corn, Vegetables, and whatever is good for Food, fpring VOL. III.

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from

These present their Miniftrations in the Kitchen; and yielding themfelves as Aliment to the Flame, render our Food both palatable and healthy.-Thefe offer their Service at the Forge; and, with their piercing Heat, mollify the most Atubborn Bars, till they become pliant to the Stroke of the Hammer.The Coals pour themfelves likewife into the Glafshouses. They rage, amidst those astonishing Furnaces, with irrefiftible but useful Fiercenefs. They liquify even the obdurate Flint, and make the most rigid Subftances far more ductile, than the fofteft Clay, or the melting Wax: make them obfequious, not only to the lightest Touch, but to the Impreffions of our very Breath.

By this Means, we are furnifhed, and from the coarfeft Ingredients, with one of the most curious and valuable Manufactures in the World. A Manufacture, which tranfmits the Light and Warmth of the Sun into our Houfes; yet excludes the Annoyance of the Rains, and the Violence of the Winds. Which gives new Eyes to decrepit Age, and vaftly more enlarged Views to Philofophy and Science. Which leads up the Aftronomer's Discernment, even to the Satellites of Saturn; and carries down the Naturalift's Obfervation, as far as the Animalcule Race: bringing near what is immenfely remote, and making visible what, to our unaffifted Sight, would be abfolutely imperceptible.

We have alfo, when both Sun and Moon withdraw their Shining, an Expedient to supply their

Place.

from its Surface. While under it, is turned up as it were Fire: its lower Parts nnn its deeper Strata, yield combuftible Materials; which are eafily inkindled into Fire, and adminifter the moft fubftantial Fuel for the Flame. Job xxviii. 5.

*

Place. We can create an artificial Day in our Rooms, and prolong our Studies, or pursue our Bufinefs, under its chearing Influence. With beaming Tapers and ruddy Fires, We chase the Darkness, and mitigate the Cold; We cherish Conversation, and cultivate the focial Spirit. We render those very Intervals of Time, fome of the moft delightful Portions of our Life, which otherwife would be a joyless and unimproving Void.

These obfcure Caverns are the Birth-place of the moft fparkling Gems; of Onyx-ftones; of glistering Stones,

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I can hardly forbear tranfcribing the grateful and pious Remark, which Socrates makes on this Occafion. Demonftrating, from the advantageous and benign Conftitution of Things, GOD's indulgent Care for Mankind, He afks; Το δε και το τους πορίσαι ημίν, επίκερον μεν ψυχές, επικυρον δε (κολες, συνεργον δε προς πασαν τέχνην, και παλα όσα ωφελείας ένεκα ανθρωποι κατασκευαζονται; Ως γαρ συνελονι ειπείν, εδεν αξιολογον ανευ πυρος ανθρωποι των προς βιον χρησιμων κατασκευ agona.To which his Pupil very intelligently replies, Trepca nas velo Ciarlewa. Vid. Socrat. Memor. Lib. IV. A Work, which may be ranked among the fineft Remains of Antiquity. Equal, it is acknowledged, to any of the antient Compofitions in Purity of Style, and Dignity of Sentiment. Superior, I think, to them all, for the artful, delicate, and happy Manner of conveying Instruction.

I wish, the Author of the preceding Dialogues had been better acquainted with the Socratic Method; and I could wifh, that young Students for the Miniftry would adopt the Skill of this heathen Philofopher. Perhaps, no Qualification of human Growth, would more effectually contribute to render them, what St. Paul flyles ♪♪axhues.—It feems to be the most infinuating and fuccefsful Way both to convince and inftruct. Nay, it convinces the Opponent out of his own Mouth, and makes the Pupil inftruct himfelf. It is what the TEACHER fent from GOD practifed, in thofe incomparable Sketches of faithful Admonition and mafterly Addrefs, The Parable of the twe Debtors, and of the good Samaritan. Luke vii. 41. Luke x. 30.