the World, in order to reach our everlasting Reft and of the mighty Difference between the turbulent, the frothy, the precipitate Gratifications of Vice, and the calm, the fubftantial, the permanent Delights of Religion. Or elfe, with careless Step, We have rambled along the Fields. Sometimes, prying into the fecret Shade, or hiding Ourselves in the fequeftred Vale. Sometimes, We have roved again on the upland Plains; with eager Views surveying the univerfal Profpect; and even devouring the Beauties of Nature, or, as the Scripture fpeaks, taking them with our Eyes *. Never weary of admiring the Magnificence and Glory of the Creation. An endlefs Variety of graceful Objects, and delightful Scenes! Each foliciting our chief Regard; every one worthy of our whole Attention; all confpiring to touch the Heart with a mingled Tranfport of Wonder, of Gratitude, and of Joy. So that we have returned from our rural Expedition, not as the Spendthrift from the Gaming-table, curfing his Stars, and raving at his ill Luck; gulled of his Money, and the derided Dupe of Sharpers. Not as the Libertine from the House of Wantonnefs †, furfeited * Job xl. 24. + Solomon, in order to deter unwary Youth from those Sinks of Uncleannefs, reprefents the Harlot under the Character of a peftilent Hag, or baleful Sorcerefs. Her Feet go down to Death; Prov. v. 5. Her House is the high Road to Hell; Prov. vii. 27. yea, her Guests are in the Depths of Hell; Prov. ix. 18.-The fecond Clause seems to be emphatical. The original Expreffion is in the plural Number 77. I choose therefore to render it, not fimply The Road, but more largely The high Road: from which many other Ways of Guilt branch out, in which many other Paths of Ruin coincide. There, Murder is often feited with the rank Debauch, dogged by Shame, goaded by Remorse, with a thousand recent Poisons tingling in his Veins. But we returned, as Ships of Commerce from the golden Continent, or the spicy Islands, with new Acceffions of fublime Improvement, and folid Pleasure. With a deeper Veneration for the Almighty CREATOR; with a warmer Sense of his unfpeakable Favours; and with a more inflamed Defire," to know him now by "Faith, and after this Life to have the Fruition "of his glorious GODHEAD.” Sometimes, with an agreeable Relaxation, we have transferred our Cares, from the Welfare of the Nation, to the Flourishing of the Farm; and, instead of enacting Regulations for the civil Community, we have planned Schemes for the Cultivation of our Ground, and the Profperity of our Cattle.-Instead of attending to the Course of Fleets, and the Deftination of Armies, We have directed the Plough, where to rend the graffy Turf; or taught the Honeyfuckle to wind round the Arbour, and the Jeffamine to climb upon the Wall.-Inftead of interpofing our friendly Offices, to reconcile contending Kingdoms; We have formed a Treaty of Coalition, between the ftranger A 4 often known, to drench her Dagger in Blood; and Robbery forms the rash Resolve, which ends in the ignominious Halter. There, Intemperance daily brews the Bowl, which enervates the Constitution, and transforms the Man into a Beast. While Difeafe, pale cadaverous noisome Disease, anticipates the Putrefaction of the Grave, and caufes the wretched Martyrs of Vice to rot even above Ground. Well may every one, who loves Life, and would fain fee good Days, cry out with a Mixture of Deteftation and Dread; "O my Soul, come not thou 66 into their horrid Haunts!" Dii meliora Piis, Erroremque Hoftibus illum! VIRG, ftranger Cyon, and the adopting Tree; and, by the remarkable Melioration of the enfuing Fruit, demonftrated (would contending Empires regard the Precedent) what Advantages flow from pacific Measures, and an amicable Union.-Instead of unraveling the Labyrinths of State, and tracing the Fineffes of foreign Courts; We have made ourselves acquainted with the Politics of Nature, and obferved, how wonderfully, how myfteriously, that great Projectress acts. In this Place the rears a vaft Trunk, and unfolds a Multiplicity of Branches, from one fmail Berry. She qualifies, by her amazing Operations, a few contemptible Acorns, that were formerly carried in a Child's Lap, to bear the British Thunder round the Globe, and fecure to our Ifland the Sovereignty of the Ocean.-In another Place, fhe produces from a dry Grain, firft the green Blade; then the turgid Ear; afterwards the full-grown and ripened Corn in the Ear *. Repaying, with exact Punctuality, and with lavish Ufury, the Husbandman's Toil, and the Hufbandman's Loan: caufing, by a moft surprising Resurrection, the Death of one Seed, to be fruitful in the Birth of Hundreds. But I forget your Caution, Afpafio; forget, how kindly you have checked me, when I have been haranguing upon, I know not what, Powers and Works of Nature. Whereas, it is GOD who worketh hitherto +: who to this Day exerts, and to the End of Time will exert, that fecret but unremitted Energy, which is the Life of this majestic Syftem, and the Cause of all its stupendous Operations, —Let this fhew you, how much I want my Guide, my Philofopher, and Friend. Without his prompting ing Aid, my Genius is dull; my Reflections are aukward; and my religious Improvements jejune; somewhat like the bungling Imitatious of the Tool, compared with the masterly Effects of Vegetation.However, I will proceed. Yet, not from any View of informing my Afpafio, but only to draw a Bill upon his Pen; and lay him under an Obligation to enrich me with another Letter, upon the grand and excellent Subject of his last. Art is dim-fighted in her Plans, and defective even in her moft elaborate Effays. But Nature, or rather Nature's fublime AUTHOR, is indeed a Defigner and a Workman that need not be ashamed ↑. His Eye ftrikes out ten thousand elegant Models, and his Touch executes all with inimitable Perfection.--What an admirable Specimen is Here, of the divine Skill, and of the divine Goodness! This terraqueous Globe is intended, not only for a Place of Habitation, but for a Storehouse of Conveniencies. If We examine the feveral Apartments of our great Abode; if We take a general Inventory of our common Goods; We shall find Reason to be charmed with the Displays, both of nice Oeconomy, and of boundless Profufion. Observe the Surface of this univerfal Meffuage. The Ground, coarfe as it may feem, and trodden by every Foot, is nevertheless the Laboratory, where the most exquifite Operations are performed; the Shop, if I may fo fpeak, where the fineft Manufac tures *A Defigner and a Workman; this feems to be the precife Meaning of the Apoftle's Words, Txins xai dnμicipes. Heb. xi. 10. Builder and Maker, are too fimilar. Projector and Architect, would be more diftin&t. + 2 Tim. ii. 15. tures are wrought. Though all Generations have, each in their Order, been accommodated by its Productions; though all Nations under Heaven are, to this very Day, fupplied by its Liberalities, it ftill continues inexhaufted. Is a Refource, always new ; a Magazine, never to be drained. As this is a Property very remarkable, and unspeakably valuable, it deserves our more particular Regard. Was it reverfed, what would become of the World, both rational, animal, and vegetable? -In commercial Affairs, Ufury is looked upon as the Canker of an Eftate. A corroding Worm, which eats into the Heart, and confumes the very Vitals, of our Subftance. The Earth borrows immenfe Sums yearly. These She repays with an Intereft prodigiously large, almost incredible. Yet is She never impoverished. Or if impoverished in fome Degree, the Repofe of a fingle Year, with a little Cultivation from the Owner, is fufficient for the Reparation of all her Loffes.-Old Age weakens the most vigorous Animals. Even the hardiest Oaks are impaired by Time. A State of Barrenness and Decay awaits them all; and admits neither of Prevention, nor of Remedy. But the Earth, which is the Mother and the Nurfe of Us all, is fubject to none of these Infirmities. She is now almost fix thousand Years old, yet difcovers no Sign of a broken Conftitution, nor any one Symptom of exbaufted Strength. In Spring, She blooms like a Virgin; in Summer, she sparkles like a Bride; in Autumn, fhe teems like a Matron. If grey Hairs feem to be upon Her, during the wintry Months; She is fure to drop them, when the Frofts are gonç, and the Sun approaches. She never fails, at that Season, |