But inspect a little more
narrowly these living existences, the only beings worth
regarding. How hostile and destructive to each other! How
insufficient all of them for their own happiness! How
contemptible or odious to the spectator! The whole presents
nothing but the idea of a blind Nature, impregnated by a great
vivifying principle, and pouring forth from her lap, without
discernment or parental care, her maimed and abortive children!
Here the M/ANICHAEAN\ system occurs as a proper hypothesis
to solve the difficulty: and no doubt, in some respects, it is
very specious, and has more probability than the common
hypothesis, by giving a plausible account of the strange mixture
of good and ill which appears in life. But if we consider, on the
other hand, the perfect uniformity and agreement of the parts of
the universe, we shall not discover in it any marks of the combat
of a malevolent with a benevolent being. There is indeed an
opposition of pains and pleasures in the feelings of sensible
creatures: but are not all the operations of Nature carried on by
an opposition of principles, of hot and cold, moist and dry,
light and heavy? The true conclusion is, that the original Source
of all things is entirely indifferent to all these principles;
and has no more regard to good above ill, than to heat above
cold, or to drought above moisture, or to light above heavy.
There may four hypotheses be framed concerning the first
causes of the universe: that they are endowed with perfect
goodness; that they have perfect malice; that they are opposite,
and have both goodness and malice; that they have neither
goodness nor malice.
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