treats Us with a pleasing Regale; then, diftributes its beneficial Recruits.-The Hone bedewed with Oil, whets the Razor into the utmost Keenness. The Saliva, flowing upon the Tongue, and moiftening its Nerves, quickens them into the livelieft Acts of Senfation.-This Senfe is circumftanced, in a Manner peculiarly benign and wife; so as to be a standing, though filent Plea for Temperance. Without recurring to the Vengeance of GOD, or the Terrors of eternal Judgment, it is a powerful Diffuafive from irregular and exceffive Indulgencies. Because, the Exercife of Sobriety, fets the fineft Edge on its Faculties; and adds the most poignant Relish to its Enjoyments. Whereas, Riot and Voluptuoufness pall the Appetite; blunt its Senfibility; and render the Gratifications extremely languid, if not perfectly infipid.-The Sight, the Smell, the Taste are, not only so many separate Sources of Delight, but a joint Security to our Health. They are the vigilant and accurate Infpectors, which examine our Food, and enquire into its Properties; whether it be pleasant or disagreeable; wholesome or noxious. For the Discharge, of this Office, they are excellently qualified, and moft commodiously fituate. So that nothing can gain Admiffion through the Mouth, till it has undergone the Scrutiny, and obtained the Paffport of

them all.

To all these, as a moft neceffary and advantageous Supplement, is added the Senfe of Feeling. Which renders the whole Affemblage complete.-While other Senfes have a particular Place of Refidence; this is diffufed throughout the whole Body. In the Palms of the Hands, on the Tips of the Fingers,

4

and

and indeed through all the extreme Parts of the Flesh, it is moft quick and lively: as the advanced Guards, or Scouts upon the Frontiers, are or ought to be peculiarly attentive and wakeful.-Scouts did I fay? The whole Army of Xerxes, drawn out in Battle array, with his Millions of fupernumerary Attendants*, were but like a few Gleaners ftraggling in the Field; if compared, either in Number or Order, with those nervous Detachments, which pervade the Texture of the Skin, and minister to the Act of Feeling. How happily is this Senfe tempered between the two Extremes! Neither fo acute, as the Membranes of the Eye; nor fo obtufe, as the Callus of the Heel. The former would expofe Us to continual Pain; render our Clothes galling, and the very Down oppreffive. The latter would quite benumb the Body, and almost annihilate the Touch.

-Nor this alone, but all the Senfes are moft exactly adapted to their respective Offices, and to the feveral Exigencies of our present State. Were they ftrained to a much higher Tone, they would be Avenues of Anguish. Were they relaxed into greater Infenfibility, they would be fo many useless Incumbrances.

Say, what the Ufe, were finer Senfes given,
Tinfpect a Mite, not comprehend the Heav'n?
The Touch if tremblingly alive all o'er,

To fmart and agonize at every Pore?

* The Soldiers and Attendants of Xerxes, amounted to five Millions two hundred and eighty Thoufand. Another Army, fo large and numerous, occurs not in all the Records of Hiftory.

Fid, HEROD. Lib. VII.

Or quick Effluvia darting through the Brain,
Die of a Rofe in aromatic Pain *?

い

Afp. How admirable and gracious is this Provifion, which the bleffed GOD has made, to accommodate Us with delightful Senfations, and inftructive Ideas!The Tafte, the Touch, and the Smell, are somewhat ftraitened in the Extent of their Operations. The Ear carries on a Correspondence with a larger Circle of Objects. But the Sight most amply supplies, whatever is wanting in all the other Senfes. The Sight fpreads itself to an infinite Multitude of Bodies; and brings within our Notice fome of the remotest Parts of the Universe.-The Tafte, the Touch, the Smell, perceive nothing but what is brought to their very Doors. Whereas, the Eye extends its Obfervation, as far as the Orbit of Saturn; nay glances, and in an Inftant of Time, ato the inconceivable Distance of the Stars. The Compass of the Earth, together with the Immensity of the Skies, are its unlimited Range.

J

From this remarkable Variety, with regard to the Sphere and Activity, the Acutenefs and Vivacity of the Senfes, St. Paul forms one of the finest, boldest, and most important Comparisons in the World. By this He illuftrates the Difference between the Wisdom, which is derived from the Word of divine Revelation; and the Wisdom, which is acquired by Dint of human Application.-In his Oration to the Athenians, fpeaking of their moft celebrated Sages, He fays; If fo be, they might feel after, and find HIM. In his Epiftle to the Hebrews,

"Eth. Epift. I.
† AЯs xvii. 27. · El apa yɛ Ynλæpnostav avlar.

brews, speaking of the Man, Mofes, our Author obferves; That He endured as feeing Him who is invifible. Writing to his Corinthian Converts, He adds, as a farther Heightening of the Contraft; We all beholding with open Face the Glory of the LORD +. -The Knowledge of the Philofopher, is like that obfcure and scanty Information, which is but difficultly obtained by groping with the Hand, in the Gloom of a dark Night. The Knowledge of the Chriftian, is like that copious Influx of clear and enlarged Ideas, which We receive by the Mediation of the Eye, amidft the Shining of a bright Day.

Tully, We find, has, in the Book before us, hit upon fome of the most general and obvious Ufes, to which the several Parts of the human Body are adapted. Yet how fuperficial and deficient appears his Penetration, when We take in the much deeper Discoveries, and the much higher Improvements of our modern Anatomy! Thus, and abundantly more defective, is his Knowledge of moral Duties and divine Doctrines; when compared with what is taught Us, in the plain Sermon on the Mount, and the unftudied Epiftles of the Jewish Tent-maker.

Therefore, though I would bless the beneficent GOD, for the Miniftration of all the Senfes, and particularly for the noble Organs of Vision: I would be more especially thankful for that Light of the World, CHRIST JESUS and his glorious Gofpel; as well as for that spiritual Eye, by which the One is understood, and the Other feen a lively Faith. I would also long for that Place of beatific Enjoyment, where our Views of the adorable GODHEAD,

* Heb. xi. 27.

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† 2 Cor. iii. 18.

HEAD, and our Acquaintance with the fublimest Truths, will as much transcend all our present Apprehenfions, as the most enlightened Saint exceeds the benighted Gentile.

Ther. The crowning Gift, that which improves But why am I fo prolix? Why fhould I refume a Subject, already fpun out to a Degree of Tedioufnefs? Why weary my Afpafio, and put his Attention to Penance?

Afp. Dear Theron, why do You talk in this Manner? How can You admit such a Sufpicion? How can You offer to drop your Narrative, juft at this interefting Point? Weary! No; I am almost inclined to speak, what perhaps your Modefty will diflike to hear fpeak

Ther. Enough. Forbear. I proceed - That which improves the Satisfaction, and augments the beneficial Effects, accruing from all the Senfes, is Speech. Speech makes me a Gainer, from the Eyes and Ears of other People; from the Ideas they conceive, and the Obfervations they make. What an admirable Inftrument, for articulating the Voice, and modifying it into Speech, is the Tongue!-The Tongue has neither Bone nor Joint; yet fashions itfelf, with the utmoft Volubility, into every Shape and every Pofture, which can exprefs Sentiment, or conftitute Harmony. This little Collection of mufcular Fibres, under the conducting Skill of the CREATOR, is the Artificer of our Words *. By

I am fenfible, that the Glottis has a confiderable Share, in modulating the Sound, and forming the Voice, But, as the Nature and Office of this most curious Aperture, are very little known by the Generality of People;

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