tility of the earth, and a great addition to his own accommoda- CHAP. VII. tion and comfortable state.

By clearing, tilling and manuring the ground, by planting and fowing, by building cities and harbours, draining marshes and lakes, making rivers navigable, and joining them by canals, by manufacturing the rude materials which the earth, duly cultivated, produces in abundance, by the mutual exchange of commodities and of labour, he may make the barren wilderness the habitation of rich and populous states.

If we compare the city of Venice, the province of Holland, the empire of China, with those places of the earth which never felt the hand of industry, we may form fome conception of the extent of human power upon the material system, in changing the face of the earth, and furnishing the accommodations of human life.

But, in order to produce thofe happy changes, man himself must be improved.

His animal faculties are fufficient for the preservation of the fpecies; they grow up of themselves, like the trees of the foreft, which require only the force of nature and the influences of Heaven.

His rational and moral faculties, like the earth itself, are rude and barren by nature, but capable of a high degree of culture; and this culture he must receive from parents, from inftructors, from those with whom he lives in fociety, joined with his own industry.

If we confider the changes that may be produced by man upon his own mind, and upon the minds of others, they appear to be great.

Upon

CHAP. VII.

Upon his own mind he may make great improvement, in acquiring the treasures of useful knowledge, the habits of skill in arts, the habits of wisdom, prudence, felf-command, and every other virtue. It is the conftitution of nature, that such qualities as exalt and dignify human nature are to be acquired by proper exertions; and, by a contrary conduct, fuch qualities as debase it below the condition of brutes.

Even the minds of others, great upon effects may be produced by means within the compafs of human power; by means of good education, of proper inftruction, of persuasion, of good example, and by the discipline of laws and government.

That these have often had great and good effects on the civilization and improvement of individuals, and of nations, cannot be doubted. But what happy effects they might have, if applied univerfally with the skill and addrefs that is within the reach of human wisdom and power, is not eafily conceived, or to what pitch the happiness of human fociety, and the improvement of the fpecies, might be carried.

What a noble, what a divine employment of human power is here affigned us? How ought it to roufe the ambition of parents, of instructors, of lawgivers, of magiftrates, of every man in his station, to contribute his part towards the accomplishment of fo glorious an end?

The power of man over his own and other minds, when we trace it to its origin, is involved in darkness, no less than his power to move his own and other bodies.

How far we are properly efficient caufes, how far occafional caufes, I cannot pretend to determine.

We know that habit produces great changes in the mind; but

how

how it does fo, we know not. We know, that example has a CHAP. VIL powerful, and, in the early period of life, almoft an irresistible effect; but we know not how it produces this effect. The communication of thought, fentiment and paffion, from one mind to another, has something in it as mysterious as the communication of motion from one body to another.

We perceive one event to follow another, according to eftablished laws of nature, and we are accustomed to call the first the cause, and the laft the effect, without knowing what is the bond that unites them. In order to produce a certain event, we ufe means which, by laws of nature, are connected with that event; and we call ourselves the cause of that event, though other efficient caufes may have had the chief hand in its production.

Upon the whole, human power, in its existence, in its extent, and in its exertions, is entirely dependent upon GOD, and upon the laws of nature which he has established. This ought to banish pride and arrogance from the most mighty of the fons of men. At the fame time, that degree of power which we have received from the bounty of Heaven, is one of the nobleft gifts of God to man; of which we ought not to be infenfible, that we may not be ungrateful, and that we may be excited to make the proper use of it.

The extent of human power is perfectly fuited to the fate of man, as a state of improvement and difcipline. It is fufficient to animate us to the nobleft exertions. By the proper exercise of this gift of GOD, human nature, in individuals and in focieties, may be exalted to a high degree of dignity and felicity, and the earth become a paradife. On the contrary, its perverfion and abuse is the cause of moft of the evils that afflict human life.

ESSAY II.

OF THE WILL.

CHA P. I.

Obfervations concerning the Will.

VERY man is confcious of a power to determine, in things which he conceives

Εν

EVERY mae to coves to depend upon his determination.

To this power we give the name of will; and, as it is ufual, in the operations of the mind, to give the fame name to the power and to the act of that power, the term will is often put to fignify the act of determining, which more properly is called voli

tion.

Volition, therefore, fignifies the act of willing and determining, and will is put indifferently to fignify either the power of willing or the act.

But the term will has very often, especially in the writings of Philofophers, a more extenfive meaning, which we must carefully distinguish from that which we have now given.

In the general divifion of our faculties into understanding and will, our paffions, appetites and affections are comprehended under the will; and fo it is made to fignify, not only our determination to act or not to act, but every motive and incitement to action.