which innumerable things happen, of the greatest influence upon the affairs and state of the world-these laws are so wholly unknown to us, that we call the events, which come to pass by them, accidental; though all reasonable men know certainly that there cannot, in reality, be any such thing as chance; and conclude that the things which have this appearance are the result of general laws, and may be reduced into them. It. is then but an exceeding little way, and in but a very few respects, that we can trace up the natural course of things before us to general laws. And it is only from analogy that we conclude the whole of it to be capable of being reduced into them; only from our seeing that part is so. It is from our finding that the course of nature, in some respects and so far, goes on by general laws, that we conclude this of the rest. And if that be a just ground for such a conclusion, it is a just ground also, if not to conclude, yet to apprehend, to render it supposable and credible, which is sufficient for answering objections, that God's miraculous interpositions may have been, all along, in like manner, by general laws of wisdom. Thus, that miraculous powers should be exerted at such times, upon such occasions, in such degrees and manners, and with regard to such persons, rather than others; that the affairs of the world, being permitted to go on in their natural course so far, should, just at such a point, have a new direction given them by miraculous interpositions; that these interpositions should be exactly in such degrees and respects only; all this may have been by general laws. These laws are unknown, indeed, to us; but no more unknown than the laws from whence it is that some die as soon as they are born, and others live to extreme old age; that one man is so superior to another in understanding; with innumerable more things, which, as was before observed, we cannot reduce to any laws or rules at all, though it is taken for granted they are as much reducible to general ones as gravitation. Now, if the revealed dispensations of Providence, and miraculous interpositions, be by general laws, as well as God's ordinary government in the course of nature, made known by reason and experience; there is no more reason to expect that every exigence, as it arises. should be provided for by these general laws or miraculous interpositions, than that every exigence in nature should, by the general laws of nature: yet there might be wise and good reasons, that miraculous interposition should be by general laws, and that these laws should not be broken in upon, or deviated from, by other miracles.

Upon the whole, then, the appearance of deficiencies and irregularities in nature is owing to its being a scheme but in part made known, and of such a certain particular kind in other respects. Now we see no more reason why the frame and course of naturo

should be such a scheme, than why Christianity should. And that the former is such a scheme, renders it credible that the lat ter, upon supposition of its truth, may be so too. And as it is manifest that Christianity is a scheme revealed but in part, and a scheme in which means are made use of to accomplish ends, like to that of nature; so the credibility, that it may have all along been carried on by general laws, no less than the course of nature, has been distinctly proved. And from all this it is beforehand credible that there might, I think probable that there would, be the like appearances of deficiencies and irregularities in Christianity as in nature; i. e., that Christianity would be liable to the like objections as the frame of nature. And these objections are answered by these observations concerning Christianity; as the like objections against the frame of nature are answered by the like observations concerning the frame of nature.

GEORGE BERKELEY. 1684-1753.

GEORGE BERKELEY, the celebrated Bishop of Cloyne, in Ireland, was the son of William Berkeley, of the county of Kilkenny, and was born on the 12th of March, 1684, and received his education at Trinity College, Dublin, to which he was admitted as a fellow in 1707. In 1709 he published his "Theory of Vision," in which he shows that the connection between the sight and the touch is the effect of habit, and that a person born blind, and suddenly made to see, would at first be unable to tell how the objects of sight would affect the sense of touch. The year following he published that work by which his name is most known, "The Principles of Human Knowledge;" in which he attempts to DISPROVE THE EXISTENCE OF MATTER, and to demonstrate that all material objects are not EXTERNAL TO, but EXIST IN the mind, and are, in short, merely impressions made upon it by the immediate power and influence of the Deity. It should not, however, be supposed that he was so skeptical as to reject the testimony of his senses, or to deny the reality of his sensations. He disputed not the effects but the causes of our sensations, and was, therefore, induced to inquire, whether these causes took their birth from matter external to ourselves, or proceeded merely from impressions on the mind, through the immediate immaterial agency of the Deity.

The talent, the elegance, and the metaphysical acuteness of Berkeley's pro ductions, very strongly attracted the attention of the public, and on visiting London, in 1713, he very rapidly acquired, and very uniformly retained numerous and valuable friends. Among these, were Sir Richard Steele and Dr. Swift, the former of whom engaged him to write some papers for the "Guardian," just then commenced; while the latter introduced him to his relation, Lord Berkeley, who, when appointed ambassador to Italy, in No vember of that year, selected Berkeley to accompany him as his chaplain and secretary.

From this embassy he returned in a year, and after some time accepted an offer of making the tour of Europe with Mr. Ashe, son of the Bishop of Clo

gher. He spent four years on the continent, and on his return in 1721, finding
in what general distress the nation was involved in consequence of the failure
of the South Sea scheme,' he employed his talents in endeavoring to alleviate
the public misfortune, and published "An Essay towards preventing the Ruin
of Great Britain." The same year he went to Ireland as chaplain to the Duke
of Grafton, then lord lieutenant, to whom, about two years after, he was in-
debted for a valuable promotion in the church, the deanery of Derry. He had
long, however, had a very benevolent object in view, that of promoting edu-
cation in the island of Bermuda; and now, determined to carry it into effect,
he offered to resign his preferment, and to devote his life to this plan, on an
income of £100 per year. He prevailed on three junior fellows of Trinity
College, Dublin, to accompany him, and after great exertions he got a charter
granted for the erection of a college, to be called "St. Paul's College," in Ber-
muda, and a promise of £20,000 from the minister, Sir Robert Walpole,
Every thing now promising success to his favorite object, in the fulness of his
heart, and in the prospect of the good that was to be accomplished in the
western world, he poured forth the following beautiful effusion, the last verse
of which is "familiar as household words:"

The muse, disgusted at an age and clime
Barren of every glorious theme,

In distant lands now waits a better time
Producing subjects worthy fame:

In happy climes, where, from the genial sun
And virgin earth, such scenes ensue;
The force of art by nature seems outdone,
And fancied beauties by the true:

In happy climes, the seat of innocence,

Where nature guides, and virtue rules;

Where men shall not impose for truth and sense,
The pedantry of courts and schools:

There shall be sung another golden age,

The rise of empire and of arts;

1 This "Scheme," of such famous memory, was originated by John Blount or Blunt, in 1719, a scrivener by profession, and a man of consummate cunning. Engaging a number of persons to join him, he proposed to government to become the sole public creditor; that is, to become responsible for all the debts due from the government to other trading corporations, on condition that he and his company should have the exclusive right of trading with all countries along the shores of the Pacific, or the "South Sea." The government accepted the proposition, a bill was carried through parliament, and the South Sea Company was established.

The subscriptions to the stock, however, came in but slowly, till Blunt had the hardihood to circulate a report that Gibraltar and Minorca were about to be exchanged by the ministry for Peru; which arrangement would of course transfer an immense trade at once to the Pacific. Instantaneously the public mind was all inflamed with excitement. Persons of all ages, ranks, and conditions, hastened to purchase the stock; to secure which thousands laid out their last farthing, and very many ran deeply into debt. The subscribers, however, had held their shares but a short time, when a sudden panta arose, and the bursting of the bubble was as complete and as rapid as had been its formation and expansion. Many eminent bankers and goldsmiths, who had advanced large sums of money on the security of the stock, became utterly bankrupt, and countless numbers of families were overwhelmed in ruin. All confidence, in short, both in individuals and in government was at an end, and there was scarcely a mansion or cottage in England of which the inmates were not more or less sufferers from this grand scheme of deception and villany.

The good and great inspiring epic rage,
The wisest heads and noblest hearts.

Not such as Europe breeds in her decay,
Such as she bred when fresh and young,
When heavenly flame did animate her clay,
By future poets shall be sung.

Westward the course of empire takes its way:
The four first acts already past,

A fifth shall close the drama with the dav
Time's noblest offspring is the las.

In September, 1728, he sailed from England for Rhode Island, as the most favorable point from which to sail for the Bermudas. He took up his resi dence at Newport, where for nearly two years he devoted himself indefatiga bly to his pastoral labors. The government, however, disappointed him; the money promised was never paid; and he was compelled to abandon his project and return home. In 1732, he published his "Alciphron," or "Minute Philosopher," a series of dialogues on the model of Plato, between two atheists and two Christians; and in 1734 he was promoted to the vacant bishopric of Cloyne, the duties of which he discharged with great zeal and faithfulness to the end of life, the most tempting offers of more lucrative situations having no influence at all upon him.

His sedentary life at Cloyne having brought disease upon him, and having received much relief in the use of tar-water, he published, in 1744, his "Siris, a Chain of Philosophical Reflections and Inquiries concerning the Virtues of Tar-water," a work singularly curious for the multifarious erudition that it embraces, and for the art with which the author has contrived to introduce into it the most profound philosophical and religious speculations. His last work was "Further Thoughts on Tar-water," published in 1752. Desirous to remove to Oxford to educate his son, he offered to resign his bishopric, worth £1400 a year, so averse was he to the idea of non-residence. But the king would not listen to such a proposition, and said that Berkeley should die a bishop in spite of himself," but that he might choose his place of residence. Accordingly, after directing that £200 a year should be distributed to the poor of his diocese, he removed to Oxford in July, 1752. He enjoyed his retirement but for a short time, for on Sunday evening, January 14, 1753, while Mrs. Berkeley was reading to him the 15th chapter of the First Corinthians, he expired. On this sublime chapter he was commenting with his usual energy and ability, when he was in an instant deprived of existence by a paralytic affection of the heart.

It may be said of Berkeley, without exaggeration, that, in point of virtue and benevolence, no one of the sons of men has exceeded him. Whether we consider his public or his private life, we pause in admiration of efforts uncommonly exalted, disinterested, and pure. He was alike an object of enthusiastic love and admiration to extensive societies, and to familiar friends; and in the relations of domestic life his manners were uniformly mild, sweet, and engaging, and in a pre-eminent degree calculated to ensure the most durable and affectionate attachment. Such, indeed, were the energy and impressive beauty of his character, that it was impossible to be many hours in his company without acknowledging its fascination and superiority. In short,

1 Some memorials of his liberality still exist in that ancient town.

after the most rigorous survey of the motives and actions of the Bishop of Cloyne, we are tempted to assign, in the language of Mr. Pope, and with no suspicion of hyperbolical praise,

To Berkeley every virtue under heaven.1

NATIONAL LUXURY THE DIRECT ROAD TO NATIONAL RUIN.

Industry is the natural sure way to wealth; this is so true, that it is impossible an industrious free people should want the necessaries and comforts of life, or an idle, enjoy them under any form of government. Money is so far useful to the public as it promoteth industry; and credit, having the same effect, is of the same value with money; but money or credit circulating through a nation from hand to hand without producing labor and industry in the inhabitants, is direct gaming.

It is not impossible for cunning men to make such plausible schemes as may draw those who are less skilful into their own and the public ruin. But surely there is no man of sense and honesty, but must see and own, whether he understands the game or not, that it is an evident folly for any people, instead of prosecuting the old honest methods of industry and frugality, to sit down to a public gaming-table, and play off their money one to another. The more methods there are in a state for acquiring riches without industry or merit, the less there will be of either in that state; this is as evident as the ruin that attends it. Besides, when money is shifted from hand to hand in such a blind fortuitous manner, that some men shall from nothing in an instant acquire vast estates, without the least desert; while others are as suddenly stript of plentiful fortunes, and left on the parish by their own avarice and credulity, what can be hoped for, on the one hand, but abandoned luxury and wantonness, or on the other, but extreme madness and despair?

In short, all projects for growing rich by sudden and extraordinary methods, as they operate violently on the passions of men, and encourage them to despise the slow moderate gains that are to be made by an honest industry, must be ruinous to the public, and even the winners themselves will at length be involved in the public ruin.

Frugality of manners is the nourishment and strength of bodies politic. It is that by which they grow and subsist, until they are corrupted by luxury,-the natural cause of their decay and ruin. Of this we have examples in the Persians, Lacedæmonians, and Romans: not to mention many later governments which have sprung up, continued a while, and then perished by the same natural causes. But these are, it seems, of no use to us; and, in

1 Drake's Essays, vol. iii. p. 74.