Volume 2

Spectacle de la nature: or, nature display'd. Being discourses on such particulars of natural history as were thought most proper to excite the curiosity, and form the minds of youth ... / Translated by Mr. Humphreys.

  • Noël-Antoine Pluche
Date:
1739-49
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Spectacle de la nature: or, nature display'd. Being discourses on such particulars of natural history as were thought most proper to excite the curiosity, and form the minds of youth ... / Translated by Mr. Humphreys. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Nature. He feems, indeed, to be abfent from us, but wy are the conftant Objects of his Care, fince he theds hii ‘Gifts around us, without Intermiflion. He is, every Mo ment, converfing with us by Liberalities that are never te be exhauited. “They are diffufed over the Face of the Bes for our fakes : for if we were not the Inhabitants; ll thefe Riches would be without Poffeffors, and withou) Adinisees He likewife maintains with us a conftant In! tercourfe of aétive and tender Friendfhip; and-as this Lan.) euage is equally clear and affeCting, we might juftly be taxa ed with Stupidity, were we not to underftand and an{wer it. The Letter which concludes the third Volume of thig Work *, and is-entitled U/eful Reflefions on the whole: re: prefents the End and Intention of all thofe Prefents which the Deity offérs to Man. We have there explained the: fecret Engagements that aré contra@ted by thofe who 1e. ceive them ; and, if I’ may ufe the Expreffion, we have ex-. hibited the firft Elements of the Language, in which God! converfes with us, and in which we ought to anfwer Him. Our Readers, therefore, muft not here expe& thofe Sen-- timents, that may be called the Eloquence of Piety, and! the Effufions of Gratitude. Weare more folicitous to make: young Perfons. fenfible of the Benefits they have received, | than to teach them how to render their Acknowledg: ments. We fhall gain a ‘confiderable Point, if we are able to convince them of thofe tender Regards the Deity has difcovered for their Welfare; and if we can be fo happy, as to afieét them with the firft Motives to a juft Return, they will learn the reft from the Heart, which is always the moft noble and inftrumentive Mafter. | Our main Intention was to rénder the “The Neceffity Knowledge of the Voice.and Will of God, of knowing ae in all the Objets which are daily prefent- Things, ed to our View habitual to Youth; after which we had nothing moréat heart, than to make thé: acquainted with thofe Particulars, that are moft obvious and familiar in human Life. It is a Hap- * This Letter will fufficiently acquit us of our Promife, to thofe who purchafed the firft Edition of the firft'Volume, to clear up fome Paflages which needed fuch an Explication. The Plate inferted at. Page 382 of the third Volume contains thofe Particulars, that will aha a a] Idea of the Procefs of Vegetation, pinefs
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