Characteristics of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times, with a Collection of Letters (Volume 2) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1790. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... "he viewed the ponderous machine firm and "motionless, in the midst of the smooth ocean, "and considered its foundations beneath, to"gether with its cordage, masts, and sails above. "How easily would he see the whole one regular; "structure, all things depending on one another; "the uses of the rooms below, the lodgments, "and conveniences of men and stores ? But being "ignorant of the intent or design of all above, B would he pronounce the masts and cordage to "be useless and cumbersome, and for this'reason (t condemn the frame, and despise the architect? ** O my friend let us not thus betray our "ignorance; but consider where we are, and in "what a universe. Think of the many parts of "the vast machine, in which we have so little "insight, and of which it is impossible we should "know the ends and uses; when, instead of "seeing to the highest pendants, we see only "some lower deck, and are in this dark case of w flesh, confined even to the hold, and meanest K station of the vessel. "Now, having recognised this uniform cona sistent sabric, and owned the universal system 4 "we must, of consequence, acknowledge a uni"versal svlind; which no ingenious man can u be tempted to disown, except through the "imagination of disorder in the universe, its u seat. For can it be supposed of any one in .** the world, that, being in some desert sar from H men, and hearing there a persect symphony of "music, or seeing an exact pile of regular architecture ** architecture arising gradually from the earth; iri w all its orders aiid proportions, he should be