Page images
PDF
EPUB

our tastes. All pious Mussulmen look upon the most perfect statues to be as so many dangerous idols.

Where the reason is enquired into, why the laws of sensation, being the same in all men, there should yet be such a diversity

in tastes.

Above, how high progressive life may go!
Around, how wide! how deep extend below.
Vast chain of being! which from God began,
Nature's ethereal, human, angel, man.

As soon as mankind came to a knowledge of anatomy, they perceived that the size and strength of each muscle was in proportion to that of the bone to which it was united.

The Epicureans, in reply to this, say, that these muscles were not different in their nature, and that those which had the most exercise became the most musculous, in the same manner as those men who endure most labour are in general most strong. This is the poor shelter of atheism, and the only one too. Galen, with ease, proved the falsity of it: he made it clear that infants, taken from the mother's womb, had these proportions perceivable in them as well as the most athletic wrestlers.

The variety of agreeable sensations furnish us with incontrovertible proofs for the existence of a God.

They are distinguished by natural cha

racters, to attribute the motive of which to a blind chance would be the highest absurdity.

Why is it, that in the productions of art, the connection which all the parts bear to the end gives us no pleasure till we are qualified for it by instruction, while, at the same time, by a hidden charm, which is antecedent to all our reflections, we are at once made sensible of the beauty in the structure of man, animals, and plants? Can we believe that the Author of Nature is himself ignorant of what he makes known to us? Can we deny intelligence to the incomprehensible Creator of the universe, who has environed us with so many pleasing objects, which are as numerous characteristics en

graved by his munificent hand, and help to point out to us that secret relation, which is kept up between man and all other parts of the creation ?

O, magnificence divine!

O, wisdom truly perfect! thus to call

From a few causes such a scheme of things,
Effects so various, beautiful, and great,
An universe complete!

These characters are more or less eminent, according to the importance of what they proclaim to us. Amid all the objects which are presented to our senses, there are none which make a more delightful impression than a handsome face, but the most regular features do not touch us so much as the beauties of a fine ge.

« EelmineJätka »