temperance and exercise, will enjoy robust health, although ne may cheat, lie, blaspheme, and destroy his fellow men ; while another, if he have inherited a feeble constitution, and disregard the laws of diet and exercise, will suffer pain and sickness, although he may be a paragon of every Christian virtue. These results are frequently observed to occur in the world; and on such occasions the darkness and inscrutable perplexity of the ways of Providence are generally moralised upon, or a future life is called in as the scene in which these crooked paths are to be rendered straight. But if my views be correct, the Divine wisdom and goodness are abundantly conspicuous in these events; for by this distinct operation of the organic and moral laws, order is preserved in creation, and, as will afterwards be shewn, the means of discipline and improvement are afforded to all the human faculties.

The moral and intellectual laws also have an independent operation. The man who cultivates his intellect, and habitually obeys the precepts of Christianity, will enjoy within himself a fountain of moral and intellectual happiness, which is the appropriate reward of that obedience. By these means he will be rendered more capable of studying, comprehending, and obeying, the physical and organic laws, of placing himself in harmony with the whole order of creation, and of attaining the highest degree of perfection and reaping the highest degree of happiness, of which human nature in this world is susceptible. In short, whenever we apply the principle of the independent operation of the natural laws, the apparent confusion of the moral government of the world disappears.

These views will be better understood and appreciated after perusing the subsequent chapters, the object of which is to unfold and apply them; the aim of these introductory remarks being merely to prepare the reader for travelling over the more abstruse portions of the work with a clearer perception of their scope and tendency. The work itself has now been before the public for six years, and I have seen no criticism which has shaken my conviction of the substantial truth of the principles maintained in it. Of its value as a contribution to the philosophy of human nature, the public are the only legitimate judges.

Some well-meaning individuals have imagined that this

work is hostile to religion, because it is confined to principles which can be discovered by observation and reflection, and to human conduct in this life without direct reference to a future state; but such ideas are entirely unfounded. Human nature and the external world have both proceeded from the Creator, and it is impossible, in interpreting their constitution aright, to arrive at any conclusions at variance with correct interpretations of Scripture. It is argued, indeed, by some theologians, that the human faculties are no longer in the condition in which they were created, and that hence no sound philosophy can be deduced from studying their manifestations. (Christian Ethics, by Ralph Wardlaw, D.D., p. 40.) I respectfully reply, that man did not make the cerebral organs which he now possesses, nor bestow on them their functions. Both organs and functions are as assuredly the direct gifts of the Creator, as is the eye, the ear, or the stomach. The science of optics is never questioned by any person who understands it, on the ground that the eye (on the structure, properties, and relations of which it depends), is not now in the condition in which it was created. Yet to do this would be as reasonable as to deny the truth and authority of a philosophy of mind derived from correct observations on the constitution and relations of the mental faculties and organs. It is presumable that the same Divine power, wisdom, and goodness, which instituted the eye, and adapted its structure to light, presided also over the institution and adaptations of the internal organs of the mind. If a theologian were to maintain that these organs, or several of them, were bestowed on man in consequence of sin, or from any other cause, philosophers would remain silent to such a proposition; because they do not inquire into the motives which induced the Creator to confer on man the organs and faculties which he possesses. They limit their investigations to objects that exist, and their relations and uses. But on the ground that organs and faculties have been given by the Creator, they are entitled to maintain, that a philosophy of morals correctly deduced from their constitution must accord with all correct interpretations of Scripture, otherwise religion can have no substantial foundation. If two sound interpretations of the divine will, as recorded in Creation and in Scripture, can by possibility contradict each other, we can

have no confidence in the moral Governor of the world. As, then, all real philosophy and all true religion must harmonize, there will be a manifest advantage in cultivating each by itself, till its full dimensions, limits, and applications shall be brought clearly to light. We may then advantageously compare them, and use the one as a means of elucidating or correcting our views of the other.

To the best of my knowledge, there is not one practical result of the natural laws expounded in the subsequent pages, which does not harmonize precisely with the moral precepts of the New Testament. Indeed, this work has been characterized by some individuals as the philosophy of Christian morality, because they regard it as exhibiting the natural foundations of the admirable precepts which in the New Testament are taught only dogmatically. It is objected, however, that, by omitting the sanction of future reward and punishment, this treatise leaves out the highest, best, and most efficacious class of motives to virtuous conduct. This objection is founded on a misapprehension of the object of the book. It is my purpose to shew, that the rewards and punishments of human actions are infinitely more complete, certain, and efficacious, in this life, than is generally believed; but by no means to interfere with the sanctions to virtue afforded by the prospect of future retribution. It appears to me that every action which is morally wrong in reference to a future life, is equally wrong and inexpedient with relation to this world; and that it is of essential advantage to virtue to prove this to be the case. Having observed a great tendency in many religious men to overlook the importance of understanding the moral administration of this world, and to turn their attention too exclusively to the next, I have endeavoured to present the administration of the present world in a clear light, calculated to arrest attention, and to draw towards it that degree of consideration to which it is justly entitled. This proceeding will be recognised as the more necessary, if one principle largely insisted on in the following pages shall be admitted to be sound, viz. that religion operates on the human mind, in subordination, and not in contradiction, to its natural constitution. If this view be well founded, it will be indispensable that all the natural conditions required by the human constitution as preliminaries to moral and

religious conduct be complied with, before any purely religious teaching can produce its full effects. If, for example, an ill-constituted brain be unfavourable to the appreciation and practice of religious truth, it is not an unimportant inquiry, whether any, and what, influence can be exercised by human means in improving the size and proportions of the mental organs. If certain physical circumstances and occupations, such as insufficient food and clothing, unwholesome workshops and dwelling-places, diet, and severe and long protracted labour,-have a natural tendency to blunt all the higher feelings and faculties of the mind, in consequence of their influence on the nervous system in general, and the brain in particular, and if religious emotions cannot be experienced with full effect by individuals so situate,-the ascertainment, with a view to removal, of the nature, causes, and effects, of these impediments to holiness, is not a matter of indifference. This view has not been systematically adopted and pursued by the religious instructors of mankind in any age, or any country, and, in my humble opinion, for this sole reason, that the state of moral and physical science did not enable them either to appreciate its importance, or to carry it into effect By presenting Nature in all her simplicity and strength, a new impulse and direction may perhaps be given to their understandings; and they may be induced to consider whether their universally confessed failure to render men as virtuous and happy as they desired, may not to some extent I have arisen from their non-fulfilment of the natural conditions instituted by the Creator as preliminaries to success. They have complained of war waged, openly or secretly, by philosophy against religion; but they have not duly considered whether religion itself warrants them in treating philosophy and all its dictates with neglect in their instruction of the people. True philosophy is a revelation of the Divine Will manifested in creation; it harmonizes with all truth, and cannot with impunity be neglected.

CHAPTER I.

ON NATURAL LAWS.

IN natural science, three subjects of inquiry may be distinguished: 1st, What exists? 2dly, What is the purpose or design of what exists? and, 3dly, Why was what exists designed for such uses as it evidently subserves?

It is matter of fact, for instance, that arctic regions and the torrid zone exist,—that a certain kind of moss is abundant in Lapland in winter,—that the rein-deer feeds on it, and enjoys health and vigour in situations where most other animals would die; that camels exist in Africa,that they have broad hooves, and stomachs fitted to retain water for a considerable time,—and that they flourish amid arid tracts of sand, where the rein-deer would hardly live for a day. All this falls under the inquiry, What exists?

In contemplating these facts, the understanding is naturally led to infer that one object of the Lapland moss is to feed the rein-deer, and that one purpose of the deer is to assist man; and that broad feet have been given to the camel to allow it to walk on sand, and a retentive stomach to fit it for arid places in which water is found only at wide intervals. These conclusions result from inquiries into the uses or purposes of what exists; and such inquiries constitute a legitimate exercise of the human intellect.

But. 3dly, we may ask, Why were the physical elements of nature created such as they are? Why were summer, autumn, spring, and winter introduced? Why were animals formed of organized matter? Why were trackless wastes of snow and burning sand called into existence ? These are inquiries why what exists was made such as it is; or into the will of the Deity in creation.

Now, man's perceptive faculties are adequate to the first inquiry, and his reflective faculties to the second; but it