prostitute the talents, which God has given him, to the ever varying fashions and tastes of the fickle multitude. We labour in the sight of a liberal master, who will in due season award us a proper recompence: but the prize is not for the illiberal and mercenary. If like Atalanta,

in the fable, we stop to take up the golden apple, we shall certainly fail in the race: but the most feeble labourer in the field, with generous intentions, may cast in some seeds which, under the fostering care of providence, may grow, flourish and, in time, produce fruits useful to posterity.

It has by some been enquired, with apparent surprise; if the subjects I have occasionally attempted to defend were true, and of considerable moment, why they were generally rejected by the learned philosophers and religionists. I answer; that, essential truth is of no party: its form and its attire have hitherto been deemed too simple and too plain: it will as little minister to the sordid pursuits of the mercenary, as it will flatter the vain, or promote the views of the proud and ambitious. Its presence amongst the great multitude of these, has not generally been considered as very captivating;-and therefore few comparatively have entertained the heavenly guest. The learned and religious are divided into numerous sects and parties, and he who does not trim his conduct and principles according to the tenets of some one of them, stands but little chance of being attended to by any.

It was at a period when learning flourished in Greece, that Socrates arose and exerted himself to recal his fellow citizens to habits of primitive simplicity, and to a just estimate of things. It was in the presence of an assembly of accomplished Athenians, before whom he had not only proved his innocence, but also that he was

a benefactor to the human race, that, to the eternal reproach of Greece, the sage, in all the majesty of conscious integrity, thus addressed his accusers and those judges who condemned him; "I am now going to suffer death by your condemnation, and they to undergo disgrace and infamy by the condemnation and judgment of truth!"

When TRUTH and DIVINE WISDOM were manifested in a human form;-when He and his followers appeared in various parts of the Roman empire, it was at a time when the learning of the Augustan age was spread over the wide extent of that dominion. To describe the reception they every where experienced is here unnecessary, because faithfully recorded in the page of history. Sufficient it is to observe, that they were judged and punished as the vilest offenders. Succeeding generations have however dedicated churches to their memories; as the Jews built the tombs of prophets whom their ancestors had murdered!

When I thus take a review of the memorable instances of the persecution of truth in former ages,-in periods the most enlightened by the sciences, and the most polished by the arts; I think I may justly infer, without adverting to the temper and conduct of our own times, that the learned and religious, so called, are not in general the most friendly to the reception of science that is founded upon firm and incorruptible truth; and that public report and public opinion are not always just criterions to form a fair estimate of those characters who are occasionally raised up by Providence for the beneficial purposes of pointing out dangerous errors in order that they may be corrected; and that by so doing the institutions for useful learning may maintain their wholesome influence, and that all the bonds

which hold society together may be strengthened and perpetuated. I cannot therefore be deterred from the performance of an obvious duty by the mistaken constructions of narrow-minded prejudice; nor by the ungenerous imputations of those who are impelled by motives of self interest to support and defend the fashionable though erroneous doctrines which have been promulgated by certain great names, and adopted by their learned followers.

The fatal consequences that have on various memorable occasions been effected by the poisonous breath of calumny, furnish subjects for melancholy reflection to every sensible and honorable mind. Men who are sold to interest, who aspire after temporary fame, or who are fascinated with the idols of modern contrivance, rendered sacred by imposing names, are, probably for wise purposes, permitted, by their false colourings, to disfigure the beautiful form of truth;-perhaps, indeed, that it may afterwards, in the fulness of time, shine forth with a more resplendent lustre, which shall demonstrate to all the glorious majesty of its immortal origin.

CHAPTER II.

ADOPTION OF THE NEWTONIAN HYPOTHESIS BY THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON AND THE HONOR OF THE NATION IDENTIFIED WITH IT;-THOSE WHO REJECT THAT SYSTEM PRONOUNCED, BY ONE OF ITS SUPPORTERS, TO BE THE WORST OF HERETICS ;— EXTRAVAGANT PRAISES OF NEWTON BY HIS FOLLOWERS; THEIR POETICAL EULOGIUM AND CREED COMMENTED ON;-THE COPERNICAN SCHEME NOT ADOPTED BY THE MOST EMINENT PHILOSOPHERS WHO FLOURISHED IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

LEAVING the preceding introductory observations, I now proceed to notice more particularly the matters already premised;-to offer some comments on the theories of the NEWTONIAN CREATION, and to enquire into the facts upon which the moderns pretend to have grounded unanswerable arguments in support of the gentile belief of a plurality of worlds.

A few persons, to whom I formerly expressed my conviction of the fallacy of the Solar System, though in other respects possessing a tolerable portion of candour, would not tolerate my opposition to that: when, however, I came to speak upon the hypotheses upon which it is founded, I generally discovered that they believed by faith in the credit of its fabricators, and not by a conviction which was the effect of an attentive examination of the subject. A diligent enquirer, in

possession of an ingenuous mind, must, I believe, be soon convinced, that instead of known truth, mere hypotheses alone are the bases upon which it rests; and that therefore, no mathematical calculations, however elegant and plausible, can establish the superstructure as positively true.

But, as things are, very few seem disposed to listen to any objections raised against a system in the establishment of which Sir Isaac Newton acted so conspicuous a part; and more particularly as a few eminent mathematical calculators, joining with him, had induced the Royal Society to receive it as their CREED. The author of a recent "Historical Sketch of the Institution and Progress of the Royal Society," observes that it adopted Newton's "System of the Universe as one which was INFALLIBLY TRUE, and which it was for the honor of the nation by all possible means to illustrate and maintain." Accordingly that subject, he adds, principally employed the society for nearly fifty years! Most certainly they laboured long and hard to entrench and fortify it; and I believe it remains to this day impregnable against all the assaults of the most formidable theorists. These things considered, the observation of an eminent literary character, a few years ago, to an acquaintance of mine, did not much surprise me; more especially as he was of a sceptical turn. "It would," said he, "be far easier to prove the Bible wrong than to disprove the Newtonian system!" What I have heard others of inferior accomplishments advance to the same effect, or to manifest their zeal in support of that system, it would be superfluous here to repeat. I have however had sufficient opportunity of observing, how easily the few, who acquire the reputation of being learned, can work upon the credulity of the multitude,