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of moving equilibrium in the heavens； realized by a local
accident in an appalling wilderness of worlds where no life can
exist。 In a span of time which as a cosmic interval will count
but as an hour； it will have ceased to be。 The Darwinian notion
of chance production； and subsequent destruction； speedy or
deferred； applies to the largest as well as to the smallest
facts。 It is impossible； in the present temper of the scientific
imagination； to find in the driftings of the cosmic atoms；
whether they work on the universal or on the particular scale；
anything but a kind of aimless weather； doing and undoing；
achieving no proper history； and leaving no result。 Nature has no
one distinguishable ultimate tendency with which it is possible
to feel a sympathy。 In the vast rhythm of her processes； as the
scientific mind now follows them； she appears to cancel herself。
The books of natural theology which satisfied the intellects of
our grandfathers seem to us quite grotesque；＇334＇ representing；
as they did； a God who conformed the largest things of nature to
the paltriest of our private wants。 The God whom science
recognizes must be a God of universal laws exclusively； a God who
does a wholesale； not a retail business。 He cannot accommodate
his processes to the convenience of individuals。 The bubbles on
the foam which coats a stormy sea are floating episodes； made and
unmade by the forces of the wind and water。 Our private selves
are like those bubblesepiphenomena； as Clifford； I believe；
ingeniously called them； their destinies weigh nothing and
determine nothing in the world's irremediable currents of events。
＇334＇ How was it ever conceivable； we ask； that a man like
Christian Wolff； in whose dry…as…dust head all the learning of
the early eighteenth century was concentrated； should have
preserved such a baby…like faith in the personal and human
character of Nature as to expound her operations as he did in his
work on the uses of natural things？ This； for example； is the
account he gives of the sun and its utility：
〃We see that God has created the sun to keep the changeable
conditions on the earth in such an order that living creatures；
men and beasts； may inhabit its surface。 Since men are the most
reasonable of creatures； and able to infer God's invisible being
from the contemplation of the world； the sun in so far forth
contributes to the primary purpose of creation： without it the
race of man could not be preserved or continued。 。 。 。 The sun
makes daylight； not only on our earth； but also on the other
planets； and daylight is of the utmost utility to us； for by its
means we can commodiously carry on those occupations which in the
night…time would either be quite impossible。 Or at any rate
impossible without our going to the expense of artificial light。
The beasts of the field can find food by day which they would not
be able to find at night。 Moreover we owe it to the sunlight
that we are able to see everything that is on the earth's
surface； not only near by； but also at a distance； and to
recognize both near and far things according to their species；
which again is of manifold use to us not only in the business
necessary to human life； and when we are traveling； but also for
the scientific knowledge of Nature； which knowledge for the most
part depends on observations made with the help of sight； and
without the sunshine； would have been impossible。 If any one
would rightly impress on his mind the great advantages which he
derives from the sun； let him imagine himself living through only
one month； and see how it would be with all his undertakings； if
it were not day but night。 He would then be sufficiently
convinced out of his own experience； especially if he had much
work to carry on in the street or in the fields。 。 。 。 From the
sun we learn to recognize when it is midday； and by knowing this
point of time exactly； we can set our clocks right； on which
account astronomy owes much to the sun。 。 。 。 By help of the sun
one can find the meridian。 。 。 。 But the meridian is the basis
of our sun…dials； and generally speaking； we should have no
sun…dials if we had no sun。〃 Vernunftige Gedanken von den
Absichter der naturlichen Dinge； 1782。 pp。74…84。
Or read the account of God's beneficence in the institution of
〃the great variety throughout the world of men's faces； voices；
and hand…writing；〃 given in Derham's Physico…theology； a book
that had much vogue in the eighteenth century。 〃Had Man's body；〃
says Dr。 Derham； 〃been made according to any of the Atheistical
Schemes； or any other Method than that of the infinite Lord of
the World； this wise Variety would never have been： but Men's
Faces would have been cast in the same； or not a very different
Mould； their Organs of Speech would have sounded the same or not
so great a Variety of Notes； and the same Structure of Muscles
and Nerves would have given the Hand the same Direction in
Writing。 And in this Case what Confusion； what Disturbance； what
Mischiefs would the world eternally have lain under！ No Security
could have been to our persons； no Certainty； no Enjoyment of our
Possessions； no Justice between Man and Man； no Distinction
between Good and Bad； between Friends and Foes； between Father
and Child； Husband and Wife； Male or Female； but all would have
been turned topsy…turvy； by being exposed to the Malice of the
Envious and ill…Natured； to the Fraud and Violence of Knaves and
Robbers； to the Forgeries of the crafty Cheat； to the Lusts of
the Effeminate and Debauched； and what not！ Our Courts of
Justice can abundantly testify the dire Effects of Mistaking
Men's Faces； of counterfeiting their Hands； and forging Writings。
But now as the infinitely wise Creator and Ruler hath ordered the
Matter； every man's Face can distinguish him in the Light； and
his Voice in the Dark； his Hand…writing can speak for him though
absent； and be his Witness； and secure his Contracts in future
Generations。 A manifest as well as admirable Indication of the
divine Superintendence and Management。〃
A God so careful as to make provision even for the unmistakable
signing of bank checks and deeds was a deity truly after the
heart of eighteenth century Anglicanism。
I subjoin； omitting the capitals； Derham's 〃Vindication of God by
the Institution of Hills and Valleys；〃 and Wolff's altogether
culinary account of the institution of Water：
〃The uses；〃 says Wolff； 〃which water serves in human life are
plain to see and need not