FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   728   729   730   731   732   733   734   735   736   737   738   739   740   741   742   743   744   745   746   747   748   749   >>  
g, that he might give our Souls a just Relish of such a Contemplation, he has made them naturally delight in the Apprehension of what is Great or Unlimited. Our Admiration, which is a very pleasing Motion of the Mind, immediately rises at the Consideration of any Object that takes up a great deal of Room in the Fancy, and by Consequence, will improve into the highest Pitch of Astonishment and Devotion when we contemplate his Nature, that is neither circumscribed by Time nor Place, nor to be comprehended by the largest Capacity of a Created Being. He has annexed a secret Pleasure to the Idea of any thing that is new or uncommon, that he might encourage us in the Pursuit after Knowledge, and engage us to search into the Wonders of his Creation; for every new Idea brings such a Pleasure along with it, as rewards any Pains we have taken in its Acquisition, and consequently serves as a Motive to put us upon fresh Discoveries. He has made every thing that is beautiful in our own Species pleasant, that all Creatures might be tempted to multiply their Kind, and fill the World with Inhabitants; for 'tis very remarkable that where-ever Nature is crost in the Production of a Monster (the Result of any unnatural Mixture) the Breed is incapable of propagating its Likeness, and of founding a new Order of Creatures; so that unless all Animals were allured by the Beauty of their own Species, Generation would be at an End, and the Earth unpeopled. In the last Place, he has made every thing that is beautiful in all other Objects pleasant, or rather has made so many Objects appear beautiful, that he might render the whole Creation more gay and delightful. He has given almost every thing about us the Power of raising an agreeable Idea in the Imagination: So that it is impossible for us to behold his Works with Coldness or Indifference, and to survey so many Beauties without a secret Satisfaction and Complacency. Things would make but a poor Appearance to the Eye, if we saw them only in their proper Figures and Motions: And what Reason can we assign for their exciting in us many of those Ideas which are different from any thing that exists in the Objects themselves, (for such are Light and Colours) were it not to add Supernumerary Ornaments to the Universe, and make it more agreeable to the Imagination? We are every where entertained with pleasing Shows and Apparitions, we discover Imaginary Glories in the Heavens, and in the Earth, a
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   728   729   730   731   732   733   734   735   736   737   738   739   740   741   742   743   744   745   746   747   748   749   >>  



Top keywords:

Objects

 

beautiful

 
Species
 

Nature

 

Creatures

 

secret

 

Creation

 
agreeable
 

Imagination

 

Pleasure


pleasant

 

pleasing

 

delightful

 

founding

 
Animals
 

allured

 

Heavens

 

render

 

Imaginary

 

raising


unpeopled

 

Glories

 
discover
 
Generation
 
Apparitions
 

Beauty

 
proper
 

Figures

 
Motions
 
Reason

exists
 

Colours

 
assign
 
exciting
 

Appearance

 

Indifference

 
survey
 
Universe
 

Coldness

 
impossible

behold

 

Ornaments

 

Beauties

 

Likeness

 

Things

 

Complacency

 
Supernumerary
 

Satisfaction

 
entertained
 

Discoveries