To a man of pleasure every moment appears to be lost, which partakes not
of the vivacity of amusement.--To connect one plan of gaiety with
another is his sole study, till in a very short time nothing remains but
to tread the same beaten round,--to enjoy what they have already
enjoyed,--and to see what they have often seen.
Pleasures thus drawn to the dregs become vapid and tasteless. What might
have pleased long, if enjoyed with temperance and mingled with
retirement, being devoured with such eager haste, speedily surfeits and
disgusts. Hence, having run through a rapid course of pleasure, after
having glittered for a few years in the foremost line of public
amusements, such men are the most apt to fly at last to a melancholy
retreat; not led by religion or reason, but driven by disappointed hopes
and exhausted spirits to the pensive conclusion, _that all is vanity_.
* * * * *
* * * *
+ADDRESS of the TRANSLATOR+
+of+
+The VICTIM of MAGICAL DELUSION+, &c.
To His Thinking Readers.
(Concluded from page 331.)
Pursue every ray of light on the road to the sanctuary of truth, while
you can account to yourselves for every step you proceed, and if
necessary, can return to the spot whence you started; but do not venture
on dark roads, where, with every step you proceed, you may lose your
way, or be precipitated into a bottomless abyss. A few clear truths that
force themselves on your understanding as such, and do not infringe on
the sacred rights of your reason, are certainly of far greater value,
and can guide you safer than all occult arts and sciences that force you
to renounce the use of your understanding, and to walk in the dark. Keep
firm to the former, and you will maintain your dignity, and be out of
the reach of superstitious delusions.
_Man is destinated for an active and a laborious life, and whatever
makes him relinquish, or dislike it, removes him from his destination._
This is the third principle I wish to recommend to the consideration of
the reader who wishes to guard against the insiduous wiles of
superstition. Man is not designed to lead an idle and contemplative
life, but to exert his faculties, and to acquire the means of happiness.
He is destinated to use all his mental and corporeal faculties, to apply
them to useful occupations, and thus to unfold and to improve them. He
therefore, never can grow reasonable and wise, nor virtuous, rich, and
powerful, without his own uninterrupted exertions to become so. He must
learn every thing through meditation and diligent application, and
acquire every thing with trouble and labour, and only what he thus
learns and acquires, he can consider as his property, which he can rely
upon, and use with safety. Man must not expect the interaction of
physical, or moral miracles, for the sake of his instruction and
support, the increase of his wealth, or the restoration of his health;
for if that were the case, he neither would, nor ever could attain here
below, that degree of perfection he is designed to acquire. Man shall
not overleap a single step on the scale of perfection, but approach the
great mark only by degrees, and with careful steps. Whoever will pay due
attention to the institutions and regulations God has made for the
improvement and the education of man, will be convinced of the truth of
this principle.
If, therefore, you wish to execute the will of God, and to attain the
destination for which you are designed, O! then, beware of superstition;
for it goes diametrically against the institutions and regulations which
God has made for the happiness of man, subverts the order of things, and
wants to lead you to the mark without the employment of means, or at
least by unnatural means; promises to conduct you to the goal of
happiness on a less difficult road than nature has designed.
Superstition promises you wisdom, knowledge, advantages and eminent
qualities, which are to cost you little or nothing, and which you are to
obtain without the least exertion and trouble, through faith, hope, or
mechanical processes and ceremonies. This is, however, not the course of
nature, is not the will of the Creator, nor the damnation of man; it is
the hope and the wish of the lazy and weak, the language of him who is
averse from labour and trouble, and yet wants to reap the fruits arising
therefrom. Apply your faculties according to your destination, apply
them with diligence and chearfulness, perform your duly faithfully, and
enquire for wisdom and knowledge, wealth and honour, health and power,
on the road of activity and usefulness, for this is the only path that
leads to happiness and human perfection.
The last principle I wish to recommend to you as a safeguard against
superstition, is: _Man is not designed to foreknow the future events of
his life!_ and how could he know, by what means foresee them? if that
should be possible, the powers of his understanding, his reason and his
knowledge, either must be so much enlarged that he could form the most
accurate ides of the great concatenation of all possible events and
causes throughout the creation, and then he would not be a mortal, that
is a limited being; (this, however, would be a kind of omniscience,
which is the sole prerogative of the Godhead) or he must be inspired in
a miraculous manner by the Supreme Being, which would infinitely
multiply miracles and wonders, and subvert the wise laws of nature. But
let us suppose the Godhead should really give it in the power of man to
explore his future fate, would he be the happier for it? No, undoubtedly
not! a knowledge of that kind rather would prove the greatest bane to
the happiness of the individual, and of the human race in general. The
villain would grow more daring, and scorn all divine and human laws, if
he could foresee that no temporal bad consequences would attend his vile
course, and every one that could foreknow the blessings which futurity
has in store for him, would anticipate the joys that await him; so that
the expected happiness, when realized, would charm him infinitely less
than if it had surprised him unawares. Many great geniuses, that through
their talents have proved blessings to the world, and, notwithstanding
their unremitted exertions to raise a fortune, through their services to
human kind, lived and died in poverty, would have relaxed in their
zealous endeavours to render themselves useful to the state, if they
could have foreseen their fate; the world would have been deprived of
the fruits of their diligence, and despair would have utterly destroyed
every remnant of comfort which the ignorance of their future fate has
left them; while, on the contrary, heaven-born hope gave wings to their
genius, and animated them to pursue their career with redoubled
alacrity. If the favourite of fortune could foresee that the fickle
Goddess never will prove inconstant to him, would this not render him
proud and overbearing? would not the firm persuasion that the
uninterrupted continuation of his happy situation would entirely exempt
him from every application to the kindness and assistance of his fellow
creatures, render him neglectful in his endeavours to preserve their
good opinion? while, on the contrary, the uncertainty in which he is,
with respect to his future fate, makes it his interest to gain the
affection of his fellow creatures. If, on the other side, the favourite
of fortune could with certainty foresee that a time will inevitably
arrive when his present happy situation will be overclouded, his wealth
lost, his body racked with excruciating pains, &c. &c. would not this
fore knowledge poison the enjoyment of his present happiness, and render
him miserable even in the lap of bliss? In short, would not the
possibility of exploring future events destroy the felicity of
numberless mortals, banish hope, that sweet comforter, and oftentimes,
the only remaining friend of the unfortunate, from this sublunary world?
Would it not frequently render vice more daring, and break the only
staff of suffering virtue? If, therefore, we are persuaded that a good
God rules the world, and that the Supreme Being watches with a paternal
care over the felicity of mankind, we cannot, we dare not expect, that
he ever will suffer man to remove the mysterious veil that hides
futurity from mortal sight! Some of my readers will, however, perhaps
object that, notwithstanding the many bad consequences which inevitably
must arise from a foreknowledge of future events, man would, at the same
time, be enabled to avoid at least those misfortunes that can be guarded
off by vigilance and prudence. I grant that man would be more _capable_
to take measures against future evils, but experience authorises me to
maintain, that but very few would make such a wise use of that
knowledge. Did not the holy seers of yore, did not our Saviour foretel
the Jews the dire consequences of their perverseness? and yet did they
not bid defiance to the judgments of punishing Heaven? Does not every
Christian know that vice leads to eternal misery hereafter? and do we
not every day behold, notwithstanding the general belief in that awful
truth, thousands and thousands disregard the warning voice of Heaven,
and pursue the road to eternal destruction with unabated ardour? Is it
to be expected that man, who risks his eternal salvation for the
gratification of his desires during a short and uncertain life, that man
who does not tremble at the certainty of endless misery would be
rendered more careful in the choice of his enjoyments, and in the mode
of his proceedings through the fore-knowledge of future temporal woe?
Let us therefore, never presume, nor even wish to pry into futurity, let
us not revolt against the express command of the great Ruler of the
Universe: not regard them that have familiar spirits, nor seek after
wizards and suspect every one who promises to remove the veil from the
hidden face of futurity. Let us look upon those daring mortals as the
greatest enemies to human happiness, as rebels against the law of
heaven, and as impostors who abuse our credulity, and under the cloak of
occult sciences, make us subservient to their private views. Let us not
be astonished when we now and then find some of their predictions
realized; but always consider that this is owing merely to accident, and
that one truth they utter, is overbalanced by numberless lies. Let us
act up to the best of our knowledge, fulfil our duties to God and men,
confide in the paternal care of Providence, and he that rules the fate
of the whole creation, will stand our friend and protector in the time
of need.
* * * * *