thoughts on man-第58部分

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　Thales　predicted　an　eclipse　of　the　sun；　which　took　place　nearly　six　hundred　years　before　the　Christian　era。　　The　Babylonians；　the　Persians；　the　Hindoos；　and　the　Chinese　early　turned　their　attention　to　astronomy。　　Many　of　their　observations　were　accurately　recorded；　and　their　tables　extend　to　a　period　of　three　thousand　years　before　the　birth　of　Christ。　　Does　not　all　this　strongly　argue　the　solidity　of　the　science　to　which　they　belong？　　Who；　after　this；　will　have　the　presumption　to　question；　that　the　men　who　profess　astronomy　proceed　on　real　grounds；　and　have　a　profound　knowledge　of　these　things；　which　at　first　sight　might　appear　to　be　set　at　a　distance　so　far　removed　from　our　ken？

The　answer　to　this　is　easy。　　I　believe　in　all　the　astronomy　that　was　believed　by　Thales。　　I　do　not　question　the　statements　relative　to　the　heavenly　bodies　that　were　delivered　by　the　wise　men　of　the　East。　　But　the　supposed　discoveries　that　were　made　in　the　eighteenth；　and　even　in　the　latter　part　of　the　seventeenth　century；　purporting　to　ascertain　the　precise　distance　of　the　sun；　the　planets；　and　even　of　the　fixed　stars；　are　matters　entirely　distinct　from　this。

Among　the　earliest　astronomers　of　Greece　were　Thales；　Anaximander；　Anaximenes　and　Anaxagoras。　　Thales；　we　are　told；　held　that　the　earth　is　a　sphere　or　globe；　Anaximenes　that　it　is　like　a　round；　flat　table；　Anaximander　that　the　sun　is　like　a　chariot…wheel；　and　is　twenty…eight　times　larger　than　the　earth。　　Anaxagoras　was　put　in　prison　for　affirming　that　the　sun　was　by　many　degrees　larger　than　the　whole　Peloponnesus＇66＇。　　Kepler　is　of　opinion　that　all　the　stars　are　at　an　equal　distance　from　us；　and　are　fixed　in　the　same　surface　or　sphere。

＇66＇　Plutarch；　De　Placitis　Philosophorum。　　Diogenes　Laertius。


In　reality　the　observations　and　the　facts　of　astronomy　do　not　depend　either　upon　the　magnitudes　or　the　distances　of　the　heavenly　bodies。　　They　proceed　in　the　first　place　upon　what　may　lie　seen　with　the　naked　eye。　　They　require　an　accurate　and　persevering　attention。　　They　may　be　assisted　by　telescopes。　　But　they　relate　only　to　the　sun　and　the　planets。　　We　are　bound　to　ascertain；　as　nearly　as　possible；　the　orbits　described　by　the　different　bodies　in　the　solar　system：　　but　this　has　still　nothing　to　do；　strictly　speaking；　with　their　magnitudes　or　distances。　　It　is　required　that　we　should　know　them　in　their　relations　to　each　other；　but　it　is　no　preliminary　of　just；　of　practical；　it　might　almost　be　said；　of　liberal　science；　that　we　should　know　any　thing　of　them　absolutely。

The　unlimited　ambition　of　the　nature　of　man　has　discovered　itself　in　nothing　more　than　this；　the　amazing　superstructure　which　the　votaries　of　contemplation　within　the　last　two　hundred　years　have　built　upon　the　simple　astronomy　of　the　ancients。　　Having　begun　to　compute　the　distances　of　miles　by　millions；　it　appears　clearly　that　nothing　can　arrest　the　more　than　eagle…flight　of　the　human　mind。　　The　distance　of　the　nearest　fixed　star　from　the　earth；　we　are　informed；　is　at　least　7；000；000；000；000　miles；　and　of　another　which　the　astronomers　name；　not　less　than　38　millions　of　millions　of　miles。　　The　particles　of　light　are　said　to　travel　193；940　miles　in　every　second；　which　is　above　a　million　times　swifter　than　the　progress　of　a　cannon…ball＇67＇。　　And　Herschel　has　concluded；　that　the　light　issuing　from　the　faintest　nebulae　he　has　discovered；　must　have　been　at　this　rate　two　millions　of　years　in　reaching　the　Barth＇68＇。

＇67＇　Ferguson；　Section　216。　　〃Light　moves；〃　says　Brewster；　Optics；　p。　2；　〃from　one　pole　of　the　earth　to　the　other　in　the　24th　part　of　a　second：　　a　velocity　which　surpasses　all　comprehension。

＇68＇　Brinkley；　Astronomy；　p。　130。


SECTION　III。

The　next　process　of　the　modern　astronomer　is　to　affirm　the　innumerable　orbs　around　us；　discovered　with　the　naked　eye；　or　with　which　we　are　made　acquainted　by　the　aid　of　telescopes；　to　be　all　stocked　with　rational　inhabitants。　　The　argument　for　this　is；　that　an　all…wise　and　omnipotent　creator　could　never　have　produced　such　immense　bodies；　dispersed　through　infinite　space；　for　any　meaner　purpose；　than　that　of　peopling　them　with　〃intelligent　beings；　formed　for　endless　progression　in　perfection　and　felicity＇69＇。〃

＇69＇　See　above；　Essay　XXI。


Now　it　appears　to　me；　that；　in　these　assertions；　the　modern　astronomers　are　taking　upon　themselves　somewhat　too　boldly；　to　expound　the　counsels　of　that　mysterious　power；　to　which　the　universe　is　indebted　for　its　arrangement　and　order。

We　know　nothing　of　God　but　from　his　works。　　Certain　speculative　men　have　adventured　to　reason　upon　the　source　of　all　the　system　and　the　wonders　that　we　behold；　a　priori；　and；　having　found　that　the　creator　is　all　powerful；　all　wise；　and　of　infinite　goodness；　according　to　their　ideas　of　power；　wisdom　and　goodness；　have　from　thence　proceeded　to　draw　their　inferences；　and　to　shew　us　in　what　manner　the　works　of　his　hands　are　arranged　and　conducted　by　him。　　This　no　doubt　they　have　done　with　the　purest　intentions　in　the　world；　but　it　is　not　certain；　that　their　discretion　has　equalled　the　boldness　of　their　undertaking。

The　world　that　we　inhabit；　this　little　globe　of　earth；　is　to　us　an　infinite　mystery。　　Human　imagination　is　unable　to　conceive　any　thing　more　consummate　than　the　great　outline　of　things　below。　　The　trees　and　the　skies；　the　mountains　and　the　seas；　the　rivers　and　the　springs；　appear　as　if　the　design　had　been　to　realise　the　idea　of　paradise。　　The　freshness　of　the　air；　the　silvery　light　of　day；　the　magnificence　of　the　clouds；　the　gorgeous　and　soothing　colouring　of　the　world；　the　profusion　and　exquisiteness　of　the　fruits　and　flowers　of　the　earth；　are　as　if　nothing　but　joy　and　delicious　sensations　had　been　intended　for　us。　　When　we　ascend　to　the　animal　creation；　the　scene　is　still　more　admirable　and　transporting。　　The　birds　and　the　beasts；　the　insects　that　skim　the　air；　and　the　fishes　that　live　in　the　great　deep；　are　a　magazine　of　wonders；　that　we　may　study　for　ever；　without　fear　of　arriving　at　the　end　of　their　excellence。　　Last　of　all；　comes　the　crown　of　the　creation；　man；　formed　with　looks　erect；　to　commerce　with　the　skies。　　What　a　masterpiece　of　workmanship　is　his　form；　while　the　beauty　and　intelligence　of　Gods　seems　to　manifest　itself　in　his　countenance！　　Look　at　that　most　consummate　of　all　implements；　the　human　hand；　think　of　his　understanding；　how　composed　and　penetrating；　of　the　wealth　of　his　imagination；　of　the　resplendent　virtues　he　is　qualified　to　display！　　〃How　wonderful　are　thy　works；　Oh　God；　in　wisdom　hast　thou　created　them　all！〃

But　there　are　other　parts　of　the　system　in　which　we　live；　which　do　not　seem　to　correspond　with　those　already　enumerated。　　Before　we　proceed　to　people　infinite　space；　it　would　be　as　well；　if　we　surveyed　the　surface　of　the　earth　we　inhabit。　　What　vast　deserts　do　we　find　in　it；　what　immense　tracks　of　burning　sands！　　One　half　of　the　globe　is　perhaps　irreclaimable　to　the　use　of　man。　　Then　let　us　think　of　earthquakes　and　tempests；　of　wasting　hurricanes；　and　the　number　of　vessels；　freighted　with　human　beings；　that　are　yearly　buried　in　the　caverns　o？the　ocean。　　Let　us　call　to　mind　in　man；　the　prime　ornament　of　the　creation；　all　the　diseases　to　which　his　frame　is　subject；

　　Convulsions；　epilepsies；　fierce　catarrhs；　　　Intestine　stone　and　ulcer；　colic　pangs；　　　Demoniac　frenzy；　moping　melancholy；　　　And　moon…struck　madness；　pining　atrophy；　　　Marasmus；　and　wide…wasting　pestilence；　　　Dropsies；　and　asthmas；　and　joint…racking　rheums。

The　very　idea　of　our　killing；　and　subsisting　upon　the　flesh　of　animals；　surely　somewhat　jars　with　our　conceptions　of　infinite　benevolence。

But；　when　we　look　at　the　political　history　of　man；　the　case　is　infinitely　worse。　　This　too　often　seems　one　tissue　of　misery　and　vice。　　War；　conquest；　oppression；　tyranny；　slavery；　insurrections；　massacres；　cruel　punishments；　degrading　corporal　infliction；　and　the　extinction　of　life　under　the　forms　of　law；　are　to　be　found　in　almost　every　page。　　It　is　as　if　an　evil　demon　were　let　loose　upon　us；　and　whole　nations；　from　one　decad　of　years　to　another；　were　struck　with　the　most　pernicious　madness。　　Certain　reasoners　tell　us　that　this　is　owing　to　the　freedom　of　will；　without　which　man　could　not　exist。　　But　here　we　are　presented　with　an　alternative；　from　which　it　is　impossible　for　human　understanding　to　escape。　　Either　God；　according　to　our　ideas　of　benevolence；　would　remove　evil　out　of　the　world；　and　cannot；　or　he　can；　and　will　not。　　If　he　has　the　will　and　not　the　power；　this　argues　weakness；　if　he　has　the　power　and　not　the　will；　this　seems　to　be　malevolence。

Let　us　descend　from　the　great　stage　of　the　nations；　and　look　into　the　obscurities　of　private　misery。　　Which　of　us　is　happy？　　What　bitter　springs　of　misery　overflow　the　human　heart；　and　are　borne　by　us　in　silence！　　What　cruel　disappointments　beset　us！　　To　what　struggles　are　we　doomed；　while　we　struggle　often　in　vain！　　The　human　heart　seems　framed；　as　if　to　be　the　capacious　receptacle　of　all　imaginable　sorrows。　　The　human　frame　seems　constructed；　as　if　all　its　fibres　were　prepared　to　sustain　varieties　of　torment。　　〃In　the　sweat　of　thy　brow　shalt　thou　eat　bread；　till　thou　return　to　the　earth。〃　But　how　often　does　that　sweat　prove　ineffective！　There　are　men　of　whom　sorrow　seems　to　be　the　destiny；　from　which　they　can　never　escape。　　There　are　hearts；　into　which　by　their　constitution　it　appears　as　if　serenity　and　content　could　never　enter；　but　which　are　given　up　to　all　the　furious　passions；　or　are　for　ever　the　prey　of　repining　and　depression。　　　　　　　Ah；　little　think　the　gay；　licentious　proud；　　　Whom　pleasure；　power　and　affluence　surround；　　　How　many　pine　in　want！　　How　many　shrink　　　Into　the　sordid　hut；　how　many　drink　　　The　cup　of　grief；　and　eat　the　bitter　bread　　　Of　misery！

And；　which　aggravates　the　evil；　almost　all　the　worst　vices；　the　most　unprincipled　acts；　and　the　darkest　passions　of　the　human　mind；　are　bred　out　of　poverty　and　distress。　　Satan；　in　the　Book　of　Job；　says　to　the　Almighty；　〃Thou　hast　blessed　the　work　of　thy　servant；　and　his　substance　is　increased　in　the　land。　　But　put　forth　thy　hand　now；　and　take　away　all　that　he　hath；　and　he　will　curse　thee　to　thy　face。〃　The　prayer　of　Agar　runs；　〃Feed　me　with　food　convenient　for　me；　lest　I　be　poor；　and　steal；　and　take