Thirdly, from the nature of the Supreme Being, whose justice, goodness, wisdom, and veracity, are all concerned in this point.

But among these, and other excellent arguments for the immortality of the foul, there is one drawn from the perpetual progress of the foul to its perfection, without a possibility of ever arriving at it; which is a hint that I do not remember to have seen opened and improved by others, who have written on this subject, though it feems to me to carry a very great weight with it. How can it enter into the thoughts of man, that the foul, which is capable of fuch immenfe perfections, and of receiving new improvements to all eternity, shall fall away into nothing, almost as foon as it is created? Are fuch abilities made for no purpose? A brute arrives at a point of perfection, that he can never pass: in a few years he has all the endowments he is capable of; and were he to live ten thousand more, would be the fame thing he is at present. Were a human foul thus at a stand in her accomplishments; were her faculties to be full blown, and incapable of farther enlargements; I could imagine she might fall away infenfibly, and drop at once into a state of annihilation. But can we believe a thinking being, that is in a perpetual progress of improvements, and travelling on from perfection to perfection, after having just looked abroad into the works of its Creator, and made a few discoveries of his infinite goodness, wisdom, and power, muft perish at her first setting out, and in the very beginning of her inquiries?

A man, confidered only in his present state, seems fent into the world merely to propagate his kind. He provides himself with a fuccefsor; and immediately quits

his post to make room for him. He does not feem born to enjoy life, but to deliver it down to others. This is not furprifing to confider in animals, which are formed for our ufe, and can finish their business in a short life. The filk-worm, after having spun her task, lays her eggs and dies. But a man cannot take in his full meafure of knowledge, has not time to fubdue his passions, establish his foul in virtue, and come up to the perfection of his nature, before he is hurried off the stage. Would an infinitely wife Being make such glorious creatures for fo mean a purpose? Can he delight in the production of fuch abortive intelligences, fuch short-lived reasonable beings? Would he give us talents that are not to be exerted? capacities that are never to be gratified? How can we find that wisdom which shines through all his works, in the formation of man, without looking on this world as only a nurfery for the next; and without believing that the several generations of rational creatures, which rise up and difappear in fuch quick fuccessions, are only to receive their first rudiments of existence here, and afterwards to be transplanted into a more friendly climate, where they may fpread and flourish to all eternity?

There is not, in my opinion, a more pleasing and triumphant confideration in religion, than this of the perpetual progress, which the foul makes towards the perfection of its nature, without ever arriving at a period in it. To look upon the foul as going on from strength to strength; to confider that she is to shine for ever with new accefsions of glory, and brighten to all eternity; that she will be still adding virtue to virtue, and knowledge to knowledge; carries in it fomething wonderfully agreeable to that ambition, which is natural to the mind of man. Nay, it must be a profpect pleasing to God himself, to see his creation for ever beautifying in his eyes; and drawing nearer to him, by greater degrees of resemblance.

Methinks this single confideration, of the progress of a finite spirit to perfection, will be fufficient to extinguish all envy in inferior natures, and all contempt in fuperior. That cherub, which now appears as a god to a human foul, knows very well, that the period will come about in eternity, when the human foul shall be as perfect as he himself now is: nay, when she shall look down upon that degree of perfection as much as she now falls short of it. It is true, the higher nature still advances, and by that means preferves his distance and fuperiority in the scale of being; but he knows that, how high foever the station is of which he stands possessed at present, the inferior nature will at length mount up to it; and shine forth in the fame degree of glory.

With what aftonishment and veneration, may we look into our own fouls, where there are such hidden stores of virtue and knowledge, such inexhaufted fources of perfection! We know not yet what we shall be; nor will it ever enter into the heart of man, to conceive the glory that will be always in referve for him. The foul, confidered with its Creator, is like one of those mathematical lines, that may draw nearer to another for all eternity, without a possibility of touching it: and can there be a thought fo transporting, as to confider ourselves in these perpetual approaches to HIM, who is the standard not only of perfection, but of happiness!

ADDISON.

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CHAPTER V.

DESCRIPTIVE PIECES.

SECTION I.

The Seasons.

AMONG the great blessings and wonders of the creation, may be classed the regularities of times and feafons. Immediately after the flood, the sacred promife was made to man, that feed-time and harvest, cold and heat, fummer and winter, day and night, should continue to the very end of all things. Accordingly, in obedience to that promife, the rotation is constantly presenting us with some useful and agreeable alteration; and all the pleasing novelty of life arifes from these natural changes: nor are we less indebted to them for many of its folid comforts. It has been frequently the task of the moralift and poet, to mark, in polished periods, the particular charms and conveniences of every change; and, indeed, such difcriminate obfervations upon natural variety, cannot be undelightful; fince the blessing, which every month brings along with it, is a fresh instance of the wisdom and bounty of that Providence, which regulates the glories of the year. We glow as we contemplate; we feel a propenfity to adore, whilst we enjoy. In the time of feed-fowing, it is the feason of confidence: the grain which the husbandman trufts to the bosom of the earth shall, haply, yield its seven-fold rewards. Spring presents us with a scene of lively expectation. That which was before fown begins now to discover figns of fuccessful vegetation. The labourer observes the change, and anticipates the harvest: he watches the progress of nature, and smiles at her influence; while the man of contemplation walks forth with the even. ing, amidst the fragrance of flowers, and promifes of plenty; nor returns to his cottage till darknefs closes the scene upon his eye. Then cometh the harvest, when the large wish is fatisfied, and the granaries of nature are loaded with the means of life, even to a luxury of abundance. The powers of language are unequal to the description of this happy season. It is the carnival of nature: fun and shade, coolness and quietude, cheerfulness and melody, love and gratitude, unite to render every scene of fummer delightful.The divifion of light and darkness is one of the kindest efforts of Omnipotent Wisdom. Day and night yield us contrary blessings; and, at the same time, assist each other, by giving fresh luftre to the delights of both. Amidft the glare of day, and bustle of life, how could we fleep? Amidft the gloom of darknefs, how could we labour?

How wife, how benignant, then, is the proper divifion! The hours of light are adapted to activity; and thofe of darkness, to rest. Ere the day is passed, exercife and nature prepare us for the pillow; and by the time that the morning returns, we are again able to meet it with a smile. Thus, every feason has a charm peculiar to itself; and every moment affords fome interesting innovation.

F

MELMOTH.