In like manner, if a man in the vigor of life, so far infringe any organic law as to destroy the function of a vital organ, the heart, for instance, or the lungs, or the brain, it is better for him to have his life cut short, and his pain put an end to, than to have it protracted under all the tortures of an organic existence, without lungs, without a heart, or without a brain, if such a state were possible, which, for this wise reason, it is not.

I do not intend to predicate any thing concerning the perfectibility of man by obedience to the laws of nature. The system of sublunary creation, so far as we perceive it, does not appear to be one of optimism; yet benevolent design, in its constitution, is undeniable. Paley says, 'Nothing remains but the first supposition, that GOD, when he created the human species, wished them happiness, and made for them the provisions which he has made, with that view and for that purpose. The same argument may be proposed in different terms: Contrivance proves design; and the predominant tendency of the contrivance indicates the disposition of the designer. The world abounds with contrivances; and all the contrivances which we are acquainted with, are directed to beneficial purposes.' PALEY's Mor. Phil. Edinb. 1816, p. 51. Many of the contrivances of the Creator, for effecting beneficial purposes, have been discovered by philosophers; but, so far as I am aware, no one has adverted to the foregoing principles according to which these contrivances operate, so that nothing like a systematic view of the moral government of the world has hitherto been presented to mankind.

I do not intend to teach that the natural laws, discernible by unassisted reason, are sufficient for the salvation of man without revelation. Human interests regard this world and the next. To enjoy this world, I humbly maintain, that man must discover and obey the natural laws. Revelation does not communicate complete information concerning the best mode of pursuing even our legitimate

temporal interests;—and numerous practicable duties resulting from our constitution are discoverable, which are not treated of in detail in the inspired volume; the mode of preserving health, for example; of pursuing with success a temporal calling; of discovering the qualities of men with whom we mean to associate our interests; and many others. This is the case probably because faculties have been given to man to discover arts, sciences, and the natural laws, and to adapt his conduct to them; and that the physical, moral, and intellectual nature of man, is itself left open to investigation by these faculties. My object, I repeat, is to investigate the natural constitution of the human body and mind, their relations to external objects and beings in this world, and the courses of action that, in consequence, appear to be beneficial or hurtful in this

life.

Man's spiritual interests belong to the sphere of revelation; and I distinctly declare, that I do not teach that obedience to the natural laws is sufficient for salvation in a future state. Revelation prescribes certain requisites for salvation, which may be divided into two classes; first, faith or belief; and, secondly, the performance of certain practical duties not as meritorious of salvation, but as the native result of that faith, and the necessary evidence of its sincerity. The natural laws form no guide as to faith; but so far as I can perceive, their dictates and those of revelation coincide in all matters relating to practical duties in temporal affairs.

not.

It may be asked, whether mere knowledge of the natural laws is sufficient to insure observance of them? Certainly Mere knowledge of music does not enable one to play on an instrument, nor of anatomy to perform skilfully a surgical operation. Practical training, and the aid of every motive that can interest the feelings, are necessary to lead individuals to obey the natural laws. Religion, in particular, may furnish motives highly conducive to this obedience. But it must never be forgotten, that although

mere knowledge is not all-sufficient, it is a primary and indispensable requisite to regular observance; and that it is as impossible effectually and systematically to obey the natural laws without knowing them, as it is to perform any other complicated and important duty in ignorance of its principles and practical details. Some persons are of opinion, that Christianity alone suffices, not only for man's salvation, which I do not dispute, but for his guidance in all practical virtues, without knowledge of, or obedience to, the laws of nature; but from this notion I respectfully dissent. It appears to me, that one reason why vice and misery, in this world, do not diminish in proportion to preaching, is, because the natural laws are too much overlooked, and very rarely considered as having any relation to practical conduct.

Before religion can yield its full practical fruits in this world, it must be wedded to a philosophy founded on these laws; it must borrow light and strength from them, and in return communicate its powerful sanction in enforcing obedience to their dictates.

Connected with this subject, it is proper to state, that I do not maintain that the world is arranged on the principle of Benevolence exclusively; my idea is, that it is constituted in harmony with the whole faculties of man; the moral sentiments and intellect holding the supremacy. What is meant by creation being constituted in harmony with the whole faculties of man, is this. Suppose that we should see two men holding a third in a chair, and a fourth drawing a tooth from his head:-While we contemplated this bare act, and knew nothing of the intention with which it was done, and of the consequences that would follow, we would set it down as purely cruel; and say, that, although it might be in harmony with the propensity which prompts men to inflict pain and destroy, it could not be so with Benevolence. But, when we were told that the individual in the chair was a patient, and the operator a dentist; and that the object of all the parties was to deliver the first

from violent torture, we would then perceive that an operation attended with pain had been used as a means to accomplish a benevolent purpose; or, in other words, that the operator had acted under the supremacy of moral sentiment and intellect, and we would approve of his conduct. If the world had been created on the principle of Benevolence exclusively, the toothache could not have existed; but, as pain does exist, a mental faculty, called by the phrenologists Destructiveness, has been given to place man in harmony with it, when used for a benevolent end.

To apply this illustration to the works of Providence I humbly suggest it as probable, that, if we knew thoroughly the design and whole consequences of such institutions of the Creator, as are attended with pain, including death itself, we should find that Destructiveness was used as a means, under the guidance of Benevolence and Justice, to arrive at an end in harmony with the moral sentiments and intellect; in short, that no institution of the Creator has pure evil, or destructiveness alone, for its object.

The opposite of this doctrine, viz. that there are institutions of the Creator which have suffering for their exclusive object, is clearly untenable; for this would be ascribing malevolence to the Deity. As, however, the existence of pain is undeniable, it is equally impossible to believe that the world is arranged on the principle of Benevolence exclusively. The view now presented makes no attempt to explain why pain exists, because I consider this inquiry. to surpass the limits of the human understanding. It offers an explanation, however, of the uses which pain serves, namely, to enforce obedience to the natural laws; and it shows that the human mind is constituted in harmony with this order of creation. Phrenology alone, of all systems of mental philosophy, admits faculties calculated to place us in harmony with difficulty, pain, and death, and thus enhances our perceptions of divine wisdom and good

ness.

CHAPTER II.

ON THE CONSTITUTION OF MAN, AND ITS RELATIONS TO EXTERNAL OBJECTS.

LET us next consider the Constitution of Man, and the natural laws to which he is subjected, and endeavor to discover how far the external world is arranged with wisdom and benevolence, in regard to him. Bishop Butler, in the Preface to his Sermons, says, 'It is from considering the relations which the several appetites and passions in the inward frame have to each other, and, above all, the SUPREMACY of reflection or conscience, that we get the idea of the system or constitution of human nature. And from the idea itself, it will as fully appear, that this our nature, i. e. constitution, is adapted to virtue, as from the idea of a watch it appears that its nature, i. e. constitution or system, is adapted to measure time.'

'Mankind has various instincts and principles of action, as brute creatures have; some leading most directly and immediately to the good of the community, and some most directly to private good.'

'Man has several, which brutes have not; particularly reflection or conscience, an approbation of some principles or actions, and disapprobation of others.'

Brutes obey their instincts or principles of action, according to certain rules; suppose, the constitution of their body, and the objects around them.'

'The generality of mankind also obey their instincts and principles, all of them, those propensities we call good, as well as the bad, according to the same rules, namely, the constitution of their body, and the external circumstances which they are in.’